Skip jack location

[primitivefrn]

Where in missouri, can you find skip jacks. In Missouri? thin fin shad and hickory shad I am familiar with, Have caught some large minnows, that look like little tarpon. dont know what they, are.

[TOPS]

Jim, do you have a dam that generates electricity close to where you live? skips love to hang around a dam that have the turbines running. Also, is there a nuclear plant close to you. the hot water outlet is a prime spot in the winter. :D :D

[flathunter]

Skipjack look like small tarpons, maybe that is what you caught?

[TOPS]

Jim, go to the Arkansas thread arkansas talk skip jack there are some photos ther of skips.

[primitivefrn]

Thanks Verlon montrose has a warm water dis charge.
Will check it out .

[spoonfish]

Skipjack Herring
(Alosa chrysochloris)


Aid to ID: Readily distinguished from other herrings by their elongate and much compressed body, silvery coloration, protruding lower jaw and the presence of teeth in both jaws. Adult length: 12-16 inches (30.5-40.7cm).

Habitat: Prefer clear, fast waters over sand and gravel in large rivers.


Food Habits: Skipjacks eat plankton, minnows and larvae of mayflies and caddisflies. They feed in large schools, leaping out of the water while pursuing prey. This name-giving habit starts at dusk and continues until long after dark, when the skipping of many specimens is nearly impossible to follow with the naked eye.

Natural History: A migratory species, skipjacks assemble below dams in spring (probably in an attempt to return upstream from the gulf or the lower Mississippi to spawn). They spawn from late April to mid June, during which time they can be captured by dip or throw nets.

[primitivefrn]

Ok Troy where do we find them, close.................
Lets rent a school bus, and take a load of catters from Warsaw, and catch a 55 gal barrel full. we could rent the seats out to catters and tell them they could keep anything over 5 inches and anything under to throw in the barrel.
The minnow that looks like the skip that ive caught has a lot larger scales.
have not caught many. the ones I put om a trot line didnt work that good,

[spoonfish]

Where do you get them Jim?
They tell me theres plenty in Arkansas LOL. We might need a bus to go get some. I know the Mo. river has them, I have caught a few here but a guy would starve to death if he was relying on them for bait here. Thats why I use shad or carp......

[TOPS]

I found the skips, check this link out



http://www.catfish1.com/forums/showpost.php?p=18222&postcount=7

[spoonfish]

Ahhh Haaa, See Jim all we gotta do is drive down to Tops house.
There all on his tailgate.... ;)
Nice picture Top... Hope you catch some big ones off them...

[Bigmagic]

I sure wouldn't complain about using carp. I didn't use to have much faith in it but year before last I caught three large Blues one morning and lost the biggest Blue I've ever seen in person. All on carp. I fish mostly with shad but when I'm throwing that net and spot a carp cruising the shadows he's coming with me. I cut a large strip about 6 to 8 inches and an 1" thick out of them after I scale em and I use that. If a big fish is around they get on it pretty quick. I have witnessed large Blues hammering schooling shad stuffing their gullets and breaking the surface when they do. They don't eat just one they are eating multiple shad with each pass. Big fish, big bait! I wish we could get some skips, someone told me they can be had in the mouth of feeder creeks in the KC area. Tight lines.

[Willy]

I have found a few in the Kansas City area but not consistant enough to say there is a large population of them, the one time I got several in a cast net was a fluke as I saw something workin the surface on a dike and got in position to net them but the net caught on a rod holder and only got a half dozen of them when I expected nothin on that throw. Kinda like seein a big school of 10 in shad on top and throwin a bananna net at them when ya really need a perfect throw.:mad:

[timpndr20]

I catch skipjack below Bagnel dam on the osage river,I anchor in the current of the house turbine and cast an unweighted minnow across the current and let it drift down river.I will either catch whitw bass,crappie or most often skipjack.