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Targeting Golden Shiners

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Targeting Golden Shiners

Golden Shiners have always been an incidental catch in my experience. Anyone care to share their catches and hopefully conditions when you did, so we can understand this tiny mouthed favorite Prey of Apex Predators?   I have no idea how to target these Golden Shiners . I'd probably go with a #6 or smaller Aberdeen hook and a piece of worm if I did though . I recall catching around 6 in a row as a kid next to a Willow tree and that was the most at one time I ever caught . Come to think of it this one was caught very near an over hanging willow as well as Maple Tree .     Photos - Bluegill - Big Bluegill (ning.com)   

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Latest Activity: Nov 20, 2023

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Comment by John Sheehan on November 20, 2023 at 7:34pm
Comment by John Sheehan on May 28, 2023 at 7:11am

Great contribution Jeff thank you. I agree that a light wire hook Aberdeen #6 ,8 or 10 is perhaps the best hook to use when catching these small, mouthed Shiners. In fact I use 3" shiners to catch Crappie and generally use a 4,2 or 1 Aberdeen hook when trolling or drifting for 12" and bigger Slab Specks. The longer shanks are good for removal. With the light wire, whatever bait you use is less burdened and stays livlier.

Comment by John Sheehan on May 28, 2023 at 6:58am

You mention Grass Shrimp which I understand is a favorite Yellow Perch Bait. I recall  Greg getting a Golden Shiner one Year when we were fishing over in a cove by a stream inlet. We were on the Yellow Perch quite well when Gregs shiner was caught. 

Comment by Jeffrey D. Abney on May 27, 2023 at 6:49pm

Although Tooty’s bead head was on a heavier #6 hook, my grandkids and I have used them to catch hundreds of big golden shiners in our community lake…..it’s no wander the bass and catfish are big in there…..eating good…

Comment by Jeffrey D. Abney on May 27, 2023 at 6:30pm

Just because you’re crappie fishing with a 1/32 ounce jig/live cricket combination doesn’t mean a big golden won’t strike….see below!

Comment by Jeffrey D. Abney on May 27, 2023 at 6:28pm

I received some of Tooty’s homemade ties over ten years ago….I dubbed them “cotton candys”…….almost every time I fish them I catch a golden shiner…..there is a little red piece of plastic in the pink thread…..my guess is this resembles something that they really like……..

Comment by Jeffrey D. Abney on May 27, 2023 at 6:13pm

Comment by Jeffrey D. Abney on May 27, 2023 at 6:12pm

Comment by Jeffrey D. Abney on May 27, 2023 at 6:12pm

With so many grass shrimp in our creeks and rivers I have determined that the golden shiners will feed on these…..I’ve caught many in cold water with a small firefly jig tipped with a grass shrimp……you will find that a wire hook is best similar to a Sabiki rig….they will often grab the bait while swimming fast in schools…..I will attach a couple I caught in cold water in my region…..the firefly has a #10 wire hook…

Comment by John Sheehan on May 27, 2023 at 5:22pm

An 1837 watercolor painting of a golden shiner by Jacques Burkhardt. An 1837 watercolor painting of a golden shiner by Jacques Burkhardt.

 

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15" BASS SMACKS A TROLLED CRANKBAIT

"drifting got one Bass ,Jeff but trolling crankbaits got the rest. "
yesterday
John Sheehan commented on John Sheehan's photo
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CRANKY GILL

"61-62 water temp and the Bass are suspended. Crankbait trolling time , Jeff"
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's photo
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lucky Strike Spoon Pickerel

"Nice….if you freshwater fish near bottom on the Albemarle Estuary…….you will…"
Thursday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's photo
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CRANKY GILL

"Talking about a hungry bluegill!  Can’t believe it’s October…"
Thursday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's photo
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15" BASS SMACKS A TROLLED CRANKBAIT

"Glad you guys got out…..it has been such a rough period for fishing weather, hoping to get…"
Thursday
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Oct 1
John Sheehan commented on John Sheehan's photo
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cupsaw bass

"The Yellow Perch Pattern is more so a Northern catcher I believe, Jeff. The Silver /Black Back and…"
Sep 27
John Sheehan commented on John Sheehan's album
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Shore Fishing Trout and Panfish

"The benefit of catch and release perhaps, Dick!"
Sep 27
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Sep 27
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Sep 26
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Sep 26
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a status
"Scattered thunderstorms predawn moved out to sea and I gave it a shot..North Carolina creeks/river were very dirty from runoff, moved north"
Sep 26
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a status
"Hoping the beat the frontal boundary tomorrow morning for a crappie stalk on the coastal marsh….we have a lot of uncertainty in our weather"
Sep 25
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's photo
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cupsawlow waterwalleye

"Nice adjustment to the conditions John……good fishing…..cool that you tied the…"
Sep 25
John Sheehan commented on John Sheehan's photo
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cupsawlow waterwalleye

"Hey Jeff-Every 4 years or so the lake committee lowers the lake for folks to do dock repairs. Thats…"
Sep 25
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's photo
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cupsawlow waterwalleye

"In a drought or drawdown for damn work? Nice fish…..I’ve never caught one but always…"
Sep 24
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's photo
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cupsaw bass

"I loved this bait color as a child…..but after lots of torture from being out fished by my…"
Sep 24
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's photo
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cupsawlow waterbass

"Nice colors on this largemouth….old school moving bait…."
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Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Sep 20

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