10 Tips For Catching Shellcracker

Shellcracker ( a small freshwater drum) can be caught in a variety of different ways, but no matter how you catch them there are certain things that make it more fun and help you to catch more fish.

This is a list of simple techniques that you can easily do to make things more enjoyable and successful.

1. A shellcracker’s diet typically consists of mollusks, worms and smaller fish. An occasional cricket or grasshopper might also make an appearance in their diet.Go into nature and collect some caterpillars, centipedes, beetles, and other creepy crawly things. After you catch a shellcracker throw in some of the insects and let them swim around for about 10 minutes before feeding the fish.

The next time you go fishing take your jar with you and when you catch a shellcracker feed him a few of his friends, the shellcracker will remember that and every time you throw in some creepy crawlers he will swim eagerly to get them.  

2.Shellcrackers are naturally very aggressive towards one another. If you find a school of shellcracker try butting heads with the biggest and meanest looking fish in the group. You can do this by reaching into the water, grabbing your fish by the tail then swinging him up and down in an arc while saying "boohh-yah". This may sound ridiculous but it works.

After you have intimidated the fish, feed all your caught fish some of their friends and they will become very eager to eat them in the next catch.

3.When fishing for shellcrackers try basting yourself with bug repellent (or something that smells like it ), attract a school of them by waving your arms and yelling then jump in and catch as many as you can before they realize that the smell is coming from you.

4. If you have a small pond or lake that has an abundance of muck, weeds, and other junk at the bottom shellcracker will use that as a place to lay their eggs. If you find a spot like this try catching some fish then putting them back in the water with their mouth held shut.

This suffocates the fish and makes them unable to breath, forcing them to swim at the surface where other species of fish can see them.

You will be surprised how quickly you catch more shellcracker this way.

5. Sometimes shellcrackers will lay their eggs near a patch of grass or underwater vegetation. You can find the eggs by looking for small air bubbles rising up from the vegetation and then slowly submerging your face into the water to look at what is directly below you.

Once you find where the eggs are, catch some fish and put them in that area and you’ll be surprised how fast your catch will increase.

6. If you find a school of shellcracker always try to stay as far away from them as possible. This will make the fish feel safe and secure so when they are hiding underwater they won’t notice you, allowing you to catch more of them.

7. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different baits and lures for shellcracker fishing. Try using a crayfish, frog or even small fish as bait on your hook and see what happens. Don’t forget about the insects either, they work just as well as bait!

8. Use a fishing pole that has a long thin wire on top and use it to jab the bottom of the pond or lake at night then hold a flashlight in your other hand and look for shellcrackers by the glow they give off as they search for food.  

9. If you’re fishing in a small pond, lake or river and do not have a net with you, tie a rock to your line and see if that doesn’t work just as well. If the rocks too big try tying a bunch of smaller ones together on your line.

Deep-Water Bream

10. If you’re fishing for shellcrackers at night and know there are some in the vicinity but can’t see any, try using a flashlight to attract them to your line. Hold the light very still and shine it into the water with the beam aimed directly down.

You will be surprised how many shellcracker are attracted to the light and will swim right into your fishing line.

Final Thought:

 If you are dedicated and persistent at catching shellcracker by all means continue doing it. It’s a fun little hobby and an interesting way to feed yourself, but if I was you be sure to catch some other fish while you’re out there too. 

If you have any other tips to share about catching shellcracker please feel free to leave a comment below! I hope this helped, good luck on your hunting and fishing adventures!

 

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