Catching Shad at Catahula Dam

[Jerry Blake]

The crappie are slow here so we've been trying to clean some stripers out of the lake. We're using goldfish, bream and brood shiners for bait but if we had some good 6 to 8-inch shad we could limit out most days. A friend of mine that does trophy striper trips is having a hard time getting good shad this year with all the flooding we've had. I heard a person could dip up plenty of good size shad below the dam on Catahula Lake in the Jonesville/Feriday area. If that's still the case it would be worth the drive down to get a few. If anyone has any info about getting shad there or anywhere else for that matter I would sure appreciate it.

Thanks in advance!

[luvtofish]

Jerry, don't know about there, but see a lot of people using cast nets below the Darbonne spillway catching lots of shad for catfish bait. Haven't been up there lately, but have never failed to see people catch plenty of them...

[Slab Hunter]

Jerry,
I've never done it, but I've watched folks that have crawfish ponds dip them suckers up buy the dip net full every time.
They load up 18 wheelers with shad time after time at the locks on Catahoula.

Can it be done tomorrow? I'm not sure, but if you want to try, I'll meet you there and help.
In the mean time, I'll ask around.

Randy

[BULLFROG-1]

If they haven't finished draining the lake you should be able to catch shad at the locks.....For the shad catching to be real good i think there has to be a good bit of water coming through the locks.Normally on july 1 st they open the locks to drain catahoula lake.I haven't been to the diversion canal in a long time.

[Jerry Blake]

Jerry,
I've never done it, but I've watched folks that have crawfish ponds dip them suckers up buy the dip net full every time.
They load up 18 wheelers with shad time after time at the locks on Catahoula.

Can it be done tomorrow? I'm not sure, but if you want to try, I'll meet you there and help.
In the mean time, I'll ask around.

Randy

Hey Randy:

Thanks for the offer but I won't be able to do it tomorrow. If get enough good information the Greg (the Striper Guide) may run down there or send someone to check it out.

Thanks for everyone's help so far - very much appreciated.

[Beaubayou]

I was at the Diversion Canal today and not much water coming out of the lake.

[BULLFROG-1]

I was at the Diversion Canal today and not much water coming out of the lake.

If there not much flow there aint going to be much shad .I cant remember seeing the commercial shad catchers dipping This time of the year.

[Slab Hunter]

Sorry Jerry,
We are in a drought situation down here, and if there ain't no water, there ain't no shad.

Randy

[Jerry Blake]

Sorry Jerry,
We are in a drought situation down here, and if there ain't no water, there ain't no shad.

Randy

No problem - thanks everyone for the information. If conditions improve, please let me know!

[Slab Hunter]

If conditions improve, please let me know!

Will do!

Randy