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Thread: Why do shad not swarm some nights

  1. #1
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    Default Why do shad not swarm some nights


    Last week there were thousands of shad under the light. This week there were none, even after 6 hours of soaking the light. The other boats must have had the same problem becuase they left early. Maybe its the strong light of the moon, it was about 3/4 waxing last night. The shad werent down deep eaither. I didnt feel them bumping into the line like I usually do.
    Anyone have any ideas as to why shad dont swarm some night.

    Thanks

  2. #2
    gabowman is offline Super Moderator * Crappie.com Supporter
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    I gave up fishing bright nights. I've read a few reports on great catches during a bright moon, but have read ALOT more about bad trips during those times. I've never done that great on a bright night. My way of thinking is the moon illuminates the surface and the crappie keeps the shad balls busted up and can pick 'em off alot easier from below and dont need your light to feed under. With the moon rising at different times, I've fished knowing the moon would rise at 9PM (for instance) and would be catching fish steady until the light hit the water and then it'd be over.:rolleyes: We do have months when the full moon wont rise until late at night so it never hurt my nightfishing. I never have been one to loose alot of sleep over fishing. I always pulled the plug on it by 11PM anyway. By then I'd either caught plenty or figured there'd always be another night.:o
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  3. #3
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    Zooplankton are attracted to the light, thereby bringing in the shad.
    So the real question is why "NO Zooplankton"
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    i have been dealing bait for 30 years from blue back heron hickory shad thread fin shad they can be hard find some times the water temp plays a part on most ever most lakes have a shad kill off from the water being to cold when this is happing the fishing is hard because the fish just have a field day on them till they cant eat no more but you would not have this problem being in fla the moon has lot to do with the bait to the fuller the moon gets the harder it is to get bait to your light the moon shining on the water spreads the bait all over the lake if you watch over the lake you will hear popping and rolling all over the lake that the fish feeding on the bait that is all over the surface the only way i know to get bait to you on bright moon nights is to get you generator and maybe 2/500 watt quartz lights or a 450 watt hight presser Soda light its a light that looks like the sun shining on the water it works the best on a bright moon night and on dark night you will pull all the bait in from the other boats using that little bittie floating head light and have all the bait and all the fish you want LOL good luck and hope this makes sens
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  5. #5
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    crazy theory: shad swarm to the light when there's no moon because that's where the food is and there's no boat shadow, but when the moon is out it causes a boat shadow on the water and that scares the fish away!
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  6. #6
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    might have been current pulling the food the shad like, and they followed it. may have been up shallow also. pays to look for them before you anchor, I have learned the bait is hardly ever in the same place as the day before. If you want to fish there anyway.

  7. #7
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    Believe there may be various factors as were mentioned, but as was stated, same as fish feed on shad, so shad feed on plankton and zooplankton; find (or attract it) and the shad (and things that feed on THEM) will follow...

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by jimmy swanson View Post
    i have been dealing bait for 30 years from blue back heron hickory shad thread fin shad they can be hard find some times the water temp plays a part on most ever most lakes have a shad kill off from the water being to cold when this is happing the fishing is hard because the fish just have a field day on them till they cant eat no more but you would not have this problem being in fla the moon has lot to do with the bait to the fuller the moon gets the harder it is to get bait to your light the moon shining on the water spreads the bait all over the lake if you watch over the lake you will hear popping and rolling all over the lake that the fish feeding on the bait that is all over the surface the only way i know to get bait to you on bright moon nights is to get you generator and maybe 2/500 watt quartz lights or a 450 watt hight presser Soda light its a light that looks like the sun shining on the water it works the best on a bright moon night and on dark night you will pull all the bait in from the other boats using that little bittie floating head light and have all the bait and all the fish you want LOL good luck and hope this makes sens
    Does not make sense to me, I don't reckon a bright light far away is going to attract the bait fish from other "little bittie" lights unless you're real close. If the moon is bright at all, any light will have less effect on drawing in the zoo plankton/baitfish.
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  9. #9
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    I went fishing again last night. The moon was waxing so it was brighter. The sky however was full of dark rain clouds which blocked out the moon. There was a ball of shad about 3 feet below the light so it must be the brightness of the moon that discourages shad.

  10. #10
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    Fishing at night with the lights can be feast or famine. I have had some stellar nights, and some where I just could not figure out what to do. I always log my info after every outing, and the moon phase does play a part in the bait in the light. I have also noticed that some nights the bait ball will gather in deep water under the light, even when you can't see them. We have caught some limits in the lights when no baitfish were seen.
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