# Bass Fishing with Giant Shinners



## 79_ag (Sep 24, 2004)

I am going to give it a try this weekend. I am either going to use the giant shinners or the big bronze/black goldfish. Has anyone else on here used either of these with success.

Is it better to rig them freeline or use a cork or balloon on the line. Need some advice cause there are some very big bass where I am going to try this and could do well with the proper presentation.


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## big_zugie (Mar 14, 2006)

it depends on if you spot casting with them, kind of like you would with a lure. or if your just gonna throw it out there and wait. Is the water clear ? pond, lake or river. it will all make a difference


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## 79_ag (Sep 24, 2004)

water is stained and it is a Lake about 200 acres.


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## tinman (Apr 13, 2005)

In my humble opinion, you are about 1 1/2 months late. I was catching bass on Lake Fork starting the end of Feburary through the end of March with live gizzard shad from 7 to 12 inches long, hooked through the nose, and fished under a small balloon, no weight. Set the balloon at about 6-7 foot deep, let them run with it until you feel the weight of the fish on the hook before setting it.
The trick is to fish for them this way while they are still staging up getting ready to get on the nest.
I caught several this year, largest being 11.4 lbs, down to 4 lbs. Many in the 7-10 lb. range.
Die hard bass fishermen frown on using live bait, but I release them, so ***. Lots of fun, and a very productive way to put a BIG bass in the boat for some good pictures.
Good luck. I also hear that the large Black Saltys work well, but have not tried them. Shad is the natural bait of choice for most all game fish.
Let us know how you did.
Tinman


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## bbridges (May 21, 2004)

Is it legal to fish with goldfish here? I'd like to try it if so. I know in FL it used to be illegal and they would write you a ticket for introduction of a foreign species. Not stirring....just asking out of curiosity.


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## disgusted (Feb 16, 2005)

Buncha freshwater croaker soakers!







I used to do it myself, but now I like the challenge of artificials. My sugestion is to try free lining them first. Give them a little slack. they should come to the surface and swim in a circle. If they dont , give them a little tug and they should come up. If they still don't, put them under a balloon.

Do not let the fish run with the bait! It is better to miss a few rather than run the risk of killing a trophy. If the fish has the bait in his mouth, the hook is in its mouth.


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## 12lbtest (Jun 1, 2005)

Agree with the statement that you might be a little late on the live shiners and gold fish. This past weekend I fished a little pond and found that the fish were way up on the beds virtually unbothered by any baits presented to them except crawdads. We threw plastics and they were nailing the crawfish if you could keep it near the nest. We had one fish on a bed hit a watermelon crawdad twice. 

If you were going to succeed I think the gold fish will work better, my experience is that bass hate those things and hit to kill it, not necessarily eat it. I have never hooked a bass on a goldfish but have had them slam them in thier mouths and dive them deep trying to kill them. If I were going to use them I would freeline under a small cork.

12lb


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## big_zugie (Mar 14, 2006)

any way will work. if you know there is some cover for the bass to be sitting in, try pitching it in there and kinda jigging them in as if it was injured, has worked very well for me in the past. if you pulling up on the rocks or grass bed though i would recommend using a ballon.


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## 79_ag (Sep 24, 2004)

thanks


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