Best Fish Today Were Quality Shellcrackers……9/28/2024

Comment

Comment by Jeffrey D. Abney on October 1, 2024 at 4:07pm

Thanks Tracy……growing up in southern Louisiana we called Shellcrackers either “ lake runners or chiquapin”…we were always happy with ten inch shellcrackers back then and then I enlisted in the Navy and my orders sent me to South Carolina and close to the Santee Cooper lakes….this was my introduction to big shellcrackers…which held the world record for a long time until the Lake Havasu phenomenon occurred…….now I have built my retirement home near the North Carolina coast and have discovered that the North Carolina Resources Commission is very proactive with stocking programs with hatcheries throughout the state and an aggressive program…….the boat ramps in North Carolina are very well constructed, handicap accessible and maintained….its truly a pleasure to fish in this region…….the Shellcrackers I’m posting this year are a result of these programs…

Comment by tracy willis on October 1, 2024 at 1:54pm

very nice fish and great conservation.  hats of to ya.  anything over 11" here is considered a trophy fish.  ky lake and barkley has been getting hammered the last couple of years and the bluegill have just bounced back a bit, shellcracker was outstanding this year and hope it continues.

Comment by Jeffrey D. Abney on September 30, 2024 at 4:14pm

Twenty five years here and this is the best I’ve done in public water in North Carolina…I don’t fish the lakes as they are mostly west of Interstate 95 and I’m near the coast…..so it’s all river fishing……and I’ve released all of these larger fish in hopes of some thing special….there’s a park in Virginia with a great population but it’s kayak/canoe only, so I won’t be in there anytime soon…I prefer to stand and fish….thanks Troy….our Redbreast are growing too but not near as fast as these Shellcrackers…

Comment by Troy Dorman on September 30, 2024 at 3:20pm

Wow, I don't remember you having such shellcracker success!!