Most amazing thing at El Cap 4/22

[Dannicus]

Went to El Cap yesterday and caught 6, unfortunately they were all smallish clones but one thing happened that made the trip completely worthwhile.

I was out in my tube, when I found myself in a giant ball of shad. They were banging into my float tube, legs, and fins. Then, all of a sudden the bass appeared and began chasing the shad, busting all around me. Then they (the bass) started smacking into my tube and legs when trying to corral the shad, splashing water over everything.

All in all one of the most interesting experiences I've ever had in a belly boat.

The lines everyone!

[CorsoEnthusiast]

That is an awesome story! I’m gonna try to get down there this afternoon/evening if work cooperates. Had to put in a 13 hour day yesterday so couldn’t make my normal Monday night run. Can’t wait to get my tube out there this weekend

[bendopolo 44+]

This has happened to me on many occasions in Castaic and Puddingstone Lakes mostly. Sometimes it can last for an hour or more. I remove a treble hook off one of my lures and snagged a Shad and let it drop. Instant Bass, Striper, Catfish, they are all there. Snag another Shad, let it drift down, hookup! Sometimes the ball moves away but you can keep on with this until they disappear. Sometimes you can pull 20 or more fish in this situation. They generally aren’t the largest fish but they are plentiful. I hope everyone gets to experience this phenomenon at least once in their life, it is a blast.

[Early release]

What a fun experience. Nothing wrong with a day of 6 bass too.

[camobass]

If you are snagging shad, make sure the warden isn’t hiding out with the binos on you.

That’s awesome, you were in the middle of a foamer. I’ve had only one similar experience in a tube but it was trout slamming into my legs and tube at Murray being chased by large bass.

[CorsoEnthusiast]

There’s at least one lake in SoCal where you can legally fish for Shad and use them as bait.. but the snagging thing is still illegal

[JWall]

More proof at how stealthy tube fishing is. I used to marvel at how close I could get and still hook a fish. And not that I was still either. It’s like they just accept the mass submerged in the water nearby. Boats another thing altogether.

[Pourboy]

That's awesome! Thank you for sharing.

[Ol Dirty Basser]

If you are snagging shad, make sure the warden isn’t hiding out with the binos on you.

That’s awesome, you were in the middle of a foamer. I’ve had only one similar experience in a tube but it was trout slamming into my legs and tube at Murray being chased by large bass.

That's even better.

[KillinTime]

Belly Boat, have not heard them referred to as that in a while. Love it!

Sounds like the shad were spawning. When I have experienced this, there were eggs stuck all over the back of my boat and motor.

Good stuff!

[Dannicus]

More proof at how stealthy tube fishing is. I used to marvel at how close I could get and still hook a fish. And not that I was still either. It’s like they just accept the mass submerged in the water nearby. Boats another thing altogether.

I couldn't agree more!

[Dannicus]

Belly Boat, have not heard them referred to as that in a while. Love it!

Sounds like the shad were spawning. When I have experienced this, there were eggs stuck all over the back of my boat and motor.

Good stuff!

So that's what all those little white "grains of sand" looking things were all over my fins and waders lol

[bendopolo 44+]

So you can net Threadfin Shad by the hundreds but you can’t snag them one at a time. That is another crazy California Law. At Lake Perris I saw a guy catching them on bread and a size 20 hook. Perhaps that’s what I did….

[CorsoEnthusiast]

So far as I’m aware it’s illegal to net Shad or any other bait at all our SoCal lakes.

[camobass]

There’s at least one lake in SoCal where you can legally fish for Shad and use them as bait.. but the snagging thing is still illegal

Pretty sure if a lake lake has shad, you can legally fish for them, just not by sweeping a drop shotted treble hook through a school. Although, I never heard of a shad being caught on hook with bait. Shiners on the other hand… you can catch those. I have caught nice ones at cuyamaca. It’s too bad we can’t use a throw net legally in Ca(besides the river). That would be epic

[camobass]

So far as I’m aware it’s illegal to net Shad or any other bait at all our SoCal lakes.

Pretty sure dip netting is legal as long as the dip net is with in legal size per code

[Moose]

You can legally dip net shad from any lake that has shad. You cannot snag or use a throw net for them though. A decade or so ago dip netting was big at San V on the huge schools of shad in Tollroad and Aquaduct.

You also cannot transport shad from one lake to another.

[CorsoEnthusiast]

Cool, I stand corrected. I had no idea honestly.