Catching Herring

[Rabun]

Hi Guy's, I'm sure this topic has probably been beat to death...

How would I go about catching herring on a NE GA lake? Would prefer to just buy them, but options are very limited if at all and I am not set up to transport them...keep the boat on the lake. I was thinking a fish light at night and sabiki them? Where should I set up...forebay of the dam?

 

[j_seph]

Lights work great and from what I have seen the brighter the better. Once they start circling, have a way to flip light off. Get castnet ready, as you throw flip the light off. They tend to come to the surface when light goes out. Have heard them sound like rain on the water. Have caught them on the rigs also but never tried em at night.

 

[Rabun]

Lights work great and from what I have seen the brighter the better. Once they start circling, have a way to flip light off. Get castnet ready, as you throw flip the light off. They tend to come to the surface when light goes out. Have heard them sound like rain on the water. Have caught them on the rigs also but never tried em at night.

Thank jseph! I'll try that method.

 

[Coenen]

Lights work great and from what I have seen the brighter the better. Once they start circling, have a way to flip light off. Get castnet ready, as you throw flip the light off. They tend to come to the surface when light goes out. Have heard them sound like rain on the water. Have caught them on the rigs also but never tried em at night.

I've seen talk of catching them with Sabikis too is there a specific size/weight/color? Could you link us to the right thing? I'm interested in trying to catch some bait with the rig, but pretty much completely clueless on where to start.

 

[j_seph]

Don't really know what size or much about em, we just bought some small ones we seen at the bait store years ago. They have beads on them that you can shine a light on for a few minutes and the beads glow in the dark. I would tie a 1 ox weight to the bottom, then jig it up and down. Sometimes we'd catch one sometimes 5.

 

[spurrs and racks]

#12 gold hooks with 6 lb flurocarbon line

 

[Rabun]

If I have any luck with them this weekend I will try and get some video. I usually use them in salt water with pretty good success...pinfish and pogies. Have caught some herring on them in the past, but have not tried recently.

 

[j_seph]

I got lucky and went to Bargain Hunt in Gville couple years ago. Bought like 4 rigs at $1 a piece lol

 

[SLC Recurve]

I've tried a sabiki rig over on Rabun but haven't had any luck. I have no problems catching bait in the salt, but these freshwater herring seem to move around a lot and are pretty deep in the summer, so getting a rig down in time is hard to do. I'd look into a submersible dock light.

 

[The mtn man]

I've put out lights twice in the past week in nottley and chatuge, only had 1 inch shad come in.

 

[JackSprat]

There used to be several boats that would catch herring on Sabiki rigs near the dam on Hartwell. Typically they had massive light systems. I don't know anything about their fishing equipment.

 

[Rabun]

Thanks for the replies...going to try dropping a light this weekend and see what pop's up. I'll let y'all know how it goes.