I'm going to be staying on Great Island for a weekend in September again. I'd like to catch a few hickory shad and see if I can parlay those puppies into a nice bass. I have heard that the Great Island Bridge can be a good spot for hickory shad.

Has anyone here ever caught hickories at the Great Island Bridge? Any suggestions for tactics, lures, time of day, etc?

Coincidentally, there was an article about live-lining hickory shad in Rhode Island this month in OTW. I'm looking for some more specific details.

Thanks,

Jamie

Jamie, I haven't fished from the bridge proper for them ( I'm on the other side of the pond and usually fish from a small boat). You certainly should be able to catch them there, though, they can be all over.

Best time is usually around sunset, if they're around you'll see them breaking and flipping on the surface. You can catch them sunrise and other times too. Any small tackle should work, but shad darts are probably best. Also can use small tins, small bucktails (1/4 to 3/8 oz), small rubber on jig (3 or 4" sluggo, fin-s, cocahoe), even a small swimmer like a crystal minnow will get them. (I don't fly fish, but thats another option).

Other spots to try are the short wall at Georges, or the State Pier in Jerusalem on the other side.

I haven't livelined them, YET :D

GIB is usually loaded with them. Go on the back side between the bridge & the ramp... Use small schoolie stuff, B-jigs & small plastics

Thanks guys.

Hey John (or anyone else) -

It occurred to me that I don't have a portable baitwell. Would one of the Keep-Alive portable baitwells be a good way to transport a few hickories around the Narragansett area?