Thread: Spadefish help

Can someone help me with how to catch those aggravating things. I have tried on several trips and just can't figure it out. I will be down there in a couple of weeks, again.

I've always had the best luck on the big spades late at night around the shadows of the lights. Piece of shrimp on fresh squid, number 6 hook and a split shot. Jig it in front of them by about 10 foot. Also you will find big pompano under the lights as well on the octi, especially during a full moon. Limitid several times like that

I've never fished for them at night, only in the daytime. I use small chunks of fresh shrimp or pink Fishbites on a small (#4 baitholder) hook, and a couple of split shot. Follow the schools around and cast in front of them, let the bait sink down to their level. If they are hungry, they will eat. But many days they just seem more interested in swimming around and frustrating fishermen. When I was down the last week of June, they were biting well.
BTW, there is no size or bag limit on spades.

Two ways: sight cast or blind drop.

Be sure to not use too much weight or too large a hook or piece of bait ;-)
Most folkses just use tiny pieces of shrimp, but squid stays on the hook better.
And orange or pink Fishbites may work well at times too and stay on the hook very well.

A float helps detect the bite, but sometimes they are too finicky for that.
Don't throw into a school when sightcasting, rather try to 'lead' them and place your bait in their path.

I use blind drop between or close to the piling when schools are not visible.
A drop rig works better to detect a bite than a carolina rig.
Most of the fish are smaller than those in the free ranging schools so I prefer to sight fish if possible.

Hope this helps.

I am currently near the Chesapeake bay and the local baits for spades and triggers are small bits of clam [salted or fresh] or bits of gulp! Fishbites are popular here for spot and kingfish (by which they mean northern whiting). Of course out here striped bass are rockfish and reds are channel bass.

What pier #er said... Although when I was there last summer tossing a whole peeled shrimp out in front of the big free swimming spades was the only way I saw them caught. They didn't want my small pieces or fishbites. I did catch plenty of small to medium sized spades next to the pilings though, and one or two that were not quite pie plate sized.

Just the redneck in me, but... bow fishing a spade would be pretty cool...

Originally Posted by Mr. Cleland

Just the redneck in me, but... bow fishing a spade would be pretty cool...

Add a few of the resident sharks to that list and I'm in.

Anchor on the right wreck or rig offshore and you could bow fish until your arms hurt.

I've caught the heck out of 'em before and then there's days like the other day when I caught ONE medium sized one. I just couldn't get the big ones to bite. I tried both fishbites and fresh-dead shrimp pieces (fluorocarbon leader, small hook). They're like that.