# Skipjacks



## LMRcatman (May 30, 2006)

Anyone catching any skipjacks? I need cat bait! Happy New Year!


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## GMRcatman (Mar 16, 2008)

Check your pm's.


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## Madfisher (Sep 24, 2007)

Not to hijack your thread but what the heck is a skipjack? I have fished catfished for years and have never used this bait. Is it some type of shad? Sorry again for the hijack but really would like to know. Thanks......Dan


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## London calling (Dec 12, 2008)

Skip jacks are herring . They make good bait for catfish.


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## LMRcatman (May 30, 2006)

Skipjacks are the best catbait that i know of.....Here is a good site that tells you more about the Skipjack....Thanks GMRcatman for the pm!


http://www.outdooralabama.com/Fishing/freshwater/fish/shad/skipjack/


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## LMRcatman (May 30, 2006)

any luck at aberdeen for the skips?


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Water is still in the trees at Aberdeen, and skippies need clear water to hit, they are sight feeders. Havent seen the river but imagine its still muddy??
Salmonid


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## TeamClose (May 23, 2005)

aberdeen isnt in the trees and skips bite when its muddy


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

The night before I posted water was above 36 ft, thats in the trees, I know because I have been there many times at that level dodging trees while casting a fly rod... now its down 2 feet and still dropping so at 34 ft its plenty fishable. 

The mouth of Aberdeen is a good place to catch em because of the only slightly murky water that flows out of the heated discharge. I and all my catfish buddies have never done well for skippies in the mud???? Can you elaborate??? Are we missing something here? I hope your right but they are true sight feeders and occasionaly when the water is murky, they will hit from below on sunny days but that is shadow chasing. Can you tell me ( us) how you catch them in the muddy waters? ( and no, a cast net doesnt count  )

Thanks, Salmonid


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## Daveo76 (Apr 14, 2004)

I've caught them at Greenup in Murky water, but not muddy water


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## TeamClose (May 23, 2005)

i have caught skips at aberdeen when it was at 39.5 feet, which makes the ice piers across the river from the boat ramp way under water, and also makes the the river extremely muddy, not murky.
fish have to eat to live. what if the river was muddy for 4-5 months, do the skips quit eating and die? they might not be as easy to catch, but they are catchable.
as for technique, it was with a rod and reel, but as for bait/lure, i cant say, because that is what makes the difference in tough conditions.


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## LMRcatman (May 30, 2006)

Wow! Thanks for making that point teamclose! That did us all a lot of good.... Anyway now for something useful. Saturday I made it up to Aberdeen and fished the hot water discharge for an hour or so. River was running pretty muddy and water temp was around 40. Water temp up in the mouth of the discharge was 70-80s. I was throwing a sabiki rig with a 1/8 oz jig/grub as my weight. I usually do pretty well on these when the skipjack are biting. I only caught one 1 1/2 pound hybrid. No skipjacks to be found... I did see a few large shad jumping but didnt mess with throwing the throw net. I pulled the boat out and tried to fish the dam but the Neville boat ramp was covered in mud. After this I called it a day. Not the day I was hoping for. Wish I could find some skipjack.......


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## TeamClose (May 23, 2005)

i answer the guys question and you have a smart comment? and ppl cant figure out why other guys arent very quick to help someone out and share info. go figure


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## Cheesehead Cory (May 16, 2004)

The question: 
"Can you tell me ( us) how you catch them in the muddy waters?"

The "helpful" answer: 
"as for technique, it was with a rod and reel, but as for bait/lure, i cant say"

Yep, about as helpful as giving a drowning man directions to the nearest shoreline.


I haven't had much luck with skippies in muddy, or even moderately stained water either, but have caught a few on small rattling cranks and inline spinners. I think you need noise or vibration.


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