# Best Bait and tactics for shellcrackers????



## ALLBEEF

Saturday I found where some shellcrackers are starting to bed in a lake close by the house. My 5 yr old son and I went back yesterday to try them....but we only caught one...they are near the edge in and around some weedy areas in about 3-4' of water. How should we go about getting a few in the boat? I would really like for him to catch a few.....he looses interest pretty quick.


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## Chief31794

Best way I've found is Red Wigglers, fished under a float very near the bottom.  That should work.


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## plottman25

Chief31794 said:


> Best way I've found is Red Wigglers, fished under a float very near the bottom.  That should work.



x2, when it comes to panfish no need to get to fancy, worm, or crickett with split shot or a float,  Might get a few with some crappy minniows as well if there are some big ones in it.


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## Dean

*Crickets*

pick up a tube of crickets......


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## mtr3333

Any worms or pieces of big worms are great. I also recommend using a long shank #1 hook weightless. The hook will not affect bites and will allow you to release more as you choose. Smaller hooks will kill more fish.

 Leave some for next year.


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## mlandrum

Hey Beef, get a LA-pink worm, hook it in the END one time, No Cork, let it sit on the BOTTOM and keep your line tight, as it moves out give out slack , when it stops ,tighten the line set the hook and HANG ON!!!! Here's one I got in March on a Cricket the same wayhttp://


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## Chris H.

I use crappie jigs ( pumkinseed color works best for me) with 1/32oz jigheads. I cast all around the beds and reel very slowly. Usually get some really big ones doing that. When I use live bait, I generally drag it on the bottom across the beds slowly.


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## blink

bitsy minnow.


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## breampole

Best bait for Shellcrackers is worms, either Ga. Giants or LA Pinks.  Put them on the bottom with a bb shot if in still pond water. No need for a cork.   Once is probably good enough, but I usually put the hook through one end of the worm twice.  You want to leave a long trailing piece of the worm.  Sometimes the shellcracker will take the worm and you won't know it until you start to draw it out the water; so I don't leave it on the bottom but a minute or two before moving it slightly to see if it has been picked up.  Sometimes that little movement will provoke a shellcracker to seize the worm.


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## Oak-flat Hunter

My all time favorite is a sem sculpin..They imitate the very predator that the shell cracker is trying too keep out of the bed.


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## Hut2

My favorite is La. pinks but, I've found if you hook them twice right in the middle so, you've got two pieces of worm dangling that if they bite & you miss them the majority of the time you lose only half your worm. I also agree to put worm on the bottom but, I use a 1 1/2 " slip cork just helps to pick up bites. Good luck to ya'll ,we'll be waiting for pics.


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## Nicodemus

I`ve always had better luck with worms, over crickets, for shellcrackers. Had good luck with grass shrimp too, when I could catch some.


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## fish all the time

Worms and more worms


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## dannyoneal68

Red worms off the bottom. I use the Carolina/Slip rig just like you would use for catfish execpt I use a #8 hook and a lighter weight.


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## Makeithappen01

They cant resist crickets


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## doodleflop

I use worms threaded up the hook so all they see is the worm and no hook. Don't use any weight but I do use a float i prefer the unbreakable foam weighted type from walmart the depth of the brim dictates how deep I set the float. The #1 trick is if they won't bite tighten your line and snap your rod making the float splash in the water just as if multiple brim are trying to eat a grass hopper or bug off the surface this will cause a natural reaction with the brim making them swim toward the splashing only to find a nice juicy "leftover" piece of worm they can't help but eat. I promise this technique will increase your bite catch ratio tremendously. It'll take time to get the technique down right but I never let my float set more than a few seconds and if no bite pop it and if they are there they'll bite guaranteed!!


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## pawnmaster

I'd have to agree on the post of using Lousiana Pinks man them big ole Crackers just can't stand it. I haven't found any thing to work better than a #6 or #4 hook depending size of Crackers i'm putting a hurting on at the time and 1 bb shot about 6" from hook. Hook the worm a couple of times or three just enough to leave about 2" of worm hanging of the hook so it can squirm around and just drive a cracker to suck'em up. Never found a need for a cork, as mentioned keep close attention to your line if it moves or twicthes set hook. Have fun cause a big ole bed of Crackers can make some mighty fine eating.


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## Incawoodsman

To tell the truth, I have never, ever even come close to catching as many breams, blue gills, and all the other sun fish as when I do using my fly rod and small nymphs, flies, or grasshopper flies.. Seriously, I catch more on these then any live bait I use. I usually tear them up for 30 minutes straight and then go fishing for bass because I can easily catch one every minute for 30 minutes.

  They usually just eat the cricket legs and nibble the live worms to bits without getting hooked, but they always swallow the flies for some reason..


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## Son

Worm, on the bottom, one shot, ultralight rod and reel. That's how I do it.


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