# Livingston Bulkhead Bite



## Humble2Fish (Feb 2, 2010)

Anyone have a best guess on when the bulkhead Bite/shad spawn will start this year? My uncle wants to come down and fish and we are trying to plan around that.

Thanks,

Humble2Fish


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## dbullard1 (Jun 29, 2016)

First week to second week of April . It could be earlier
But will be more consistent in April depending on when fronts come in.


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## Ducktracker (Aug 1, 2011)

I agree with dbullard he is the catfish king.


Good fishing to all!


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## Sunbeam (Feb 24, 2009)

Ducktracker said:


> I agree with dbullard he is the catfish king.
> 
> Good fishing to all!


100% on both counts. If is stays warm through March it could be getting started the first week of April.
But remember we will have the traditional Easter cold fronts the first week in April.
To insure a successful trip I would suggest about the 12th onward.


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## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

Ducktracker said:


> I agree with dbullard he is the catfish king.


I concur! LOL


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## KevBow (Mar 18, 2011)

Just need a stable 2-3 week period with warm weather and itâ€™ll be On


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

Boy o boy Iâ€™m ready!


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## BullyARed (Jun 19, 2010)

Forecast April Fool is starting good!


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## Humble2Fish (Feb 2, 2010)

Thanks for everyone input. We are all set...


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## Ditto2 (Jul 19, 2016)

Already warned my wife I might be fishing every weekend in April for the catfish and that she was welcome to come also to help fill the freezer. Catfish is her favorite.


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## McSpoon (May 18, 2016)

Sunbeam said:


> 100% on both counts. If is stays warm through March it could be getting started the first week of April.
> 
> But remember we will have the traditional Easter cold fronts the first week in April.
> 
> To insure a successful trip I would suggest about the 12th onward.


DITTO!

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## fishinganimal (Mar 30, 2006)

Welcome back SB. I may actually try some cat fishing this year. Water depth at the Bulkhead make any difference or slope away from bank?


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## Snookered (Jun 16, 2009)

fishinganimal said:


> Welcome back SB. I may actually try some cat fishing this year. Water depth at the Bulkhead make any difference or slope away from bank?


yeah, I had a couple of questions too....I'm assuming that y'all aren't targeting a specific section of bulkhead necessarily, but just bulkheads in general, correct? and, are you looking for a windward bulkhead, along bulkhead breeze, or a bulkhead in the lee of the wind to target fish?

just curious....thanks,
snookered


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## Sunbeam (Feb 24, 2009)

Not just bulkheads but hard surfaces that are moss covered. The shad are depositing their eggs on those algae covered areas.
They will move in on a boat ramp, steel or wood bulkhead or riprap that has been in the water for a few months.
They prefer calm areas. Avoid areas where there is daily wave action.
Also the areas that are in two to three feet water with much deeper water near by. Wood or timber in the deeper areas are a great big plus.The cats hold in the deeper water and quickly move in on the shad as the schools swam along the bulkhead laying and fertilizing roe. 
You might be surprised to see how many eggs they deposit. A 1/2 rope hanging in the water can be 3 inches in diameter in just a few days.
The hot action does not last long. They start at good daylight and usually fade away within an hour. But if you are in the right spot you start fishing 2 feet under a cork then when the bite dies off drop down to 5 feet farther out then on out in 12 feet with shad on the bottom The cats will linger in the area for a few hours after the main shad swarms leave.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

Boy o boy Iâ€™m ready!!
Another tip is to Fish where you see a group of egrets together starting down at the water and shuffling for position to get shad.


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## McSpoon (May 18, 2016)

shadslinger said:


> Boy o boy Iâ€™m ready!!
> Another tip is to Fish where you see a group of egrets together starting down at the water and shuffling for position to get shad.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I am past ready, I bought a new boat in January and the weather has been terrible ever since. Hopefully this coming week that new boat will get slimed

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## fy0834 (Jan 18, 2011)

This is all sounding GOOD!!! 

Bulkhead bite = 4-1 thru 15 ... spring fish fry 4/28.


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## dbullard1 (Jun 29, 2016)

like SB said it should be called Shad Spawn bite and not bulkhead bite.
I have fished the same shallow wooded shoreline for twenty plus years.i like shallow secondary points along a undeveloped shoreline ,the washed up logs and brush make good habitat for the eggs. The early part of the spawn the cats seem to lag behind the Shad a little . Also keep an eye out for the bank lined with white Egrets looking for an easy meal.
Donâ€™t just try one rig , some days the like it off the bottom under a cork and some days on the bottom. I fish both with equal success.


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## catchafish (Mar 23, 2014)

Scrolling back thru last years pictures my first limit of cats was on March 26th and the last one that i caught was on April 17th. I know others who caught them sooner and later but this is when I personally did my best. Will be at the State park from April 1st thru 9th.


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