Thread: Crappie gorging on Shad

I have cleaned 1000s of crappie and the majority of them have a gut full of shad during the Fall and Winter. This is especially true on Lake Conway. I will try to find a picture the next time I am in the office.

Most of the crappie outta Brewer have been full as a tick but I have caught some big blacks REAL DEEP on brush that where empty too.

This fish hit a Big Minnow on a Minner Critter with this 7" shad sticking out of its throat. It was full of shad. I'd say they gorge.
It weighed 3.05 before the shad was pulled out.

Originally Posted by BigRiverMarine

It weighed 3.05 before the shad was pulled out.

Trying to figure out how to stuff 2.5 lbs of shad into a 11 incher. May be the only way I get to weigh a 3lber.

Originally Posted by RCC

Trying to figure out how to stuff 2.5 lbs of shad into a 11 incher. May be the only way I get to weigh a 3lber.

Use a bicycle air pump with a big needle and injection em. Might try one of those tennis ball shooters and blast em down their throat.

I have caught quite a few large crappie in MS.and the fish were full of 3-4" shad.That being said. They still swallowed a 3/32nd pony head sickle w a large willow blade,a large Southern Pro tube with a good size minnow on the back. Especially in early spring when the fish have started moving shallow and are getting ready for the spawn.They hit this large offering like a bass.Even this little fellow with part of his body missing hit a large minnow in stained water, 15' deep.The fish in the 2nd pic I caught off a dead willow tree, along a secondary ditch leading into a creek arm 12' deep with the jig minnow combo that i described.Some time they want it small and some time they want it big.You just have to let the fish tell you on any given day or lake.

Does anyone cast net for shad and then fish for crappie with these shad?

They have been gorging on shad in the AR river for the last 3 months. Went yesterday and they were INHALING the jigs. Also most fish I caught had shad in their gullet.