Finding shell beds around rigs isn’t all that difficult to do as long as you know a few tricks. John Falterman says these three tips for finding them will quickly put you on the fish.
1. Drop a Cajun Anchor – When a Cajun anchor hits bottom, Falterman says you can tell what it hits by the sound and vibrations. If it hits a hard bottom, he knows he’s over shell. Then he’ll pull it in, move 30 yards, then throw it again. When he eventually hits mud, he knows he just went over the edge.
2. Deploy Pole Anchors – Falterman runs Minn Kota Talons on his boat, and he sometimes drops them down to find shell beds. He knows he’s in the right spot when he hears them scraping on the shells When the scraping goes away, he knows he’s over mud bottom. That puts him right on the edge where he wants to be.
3. Fan Cast Heavy Weight – Carolina rigs and drop shots work so well because they usually have heavy weights that stay in constant contact with the bottom. Dragging these heavy weights transmits every little tick and bump into your hands. When you’re in shell, you’ll feel your weight bumping around and have a sensation like something hard is dragging on something hard. When it gets in the mud, you’ll feel a soft, mushy sensation.
