# The ladys



## drum junky (Jan 23, 2008)

hearing reports of lady fish in the surf around topsail. Just wondering what tackle and bait would i use to target the ladys in the surf?


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## Ryan Y (Dec 1, 2005)

small live baits on the surface.

Lures like the x rap are good at night under lights. FUn fighters..


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

*Ladies*

Good shark bait too!!!


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## dmaaero (Jan 27, 2008)

firespyder"s right there surface feeders an will eat small minnows, but there here for the shrimp!!!


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## drum junky (Jan 23, 2008)

Thanks fellas, im gonna hit lea island on friday i hope... found alot of menhaden so i will chunk a few of them out there. One question though, how will i get the bait on top?....Fishfinder with a long hook leader??


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## Ryan Y (Dec 1, 2005)

You can flat line it you want to. Also, depending on where you are, if the water is shallow, just use a flounder rig with an extra long leader, the bait will get up to the top.


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## drum junky (Jan 23, 2008)

NICE!! I will give it a try and give you a report back friday or saturday! Would like to meet you guys, hit the fort something!


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## Ryan Y (Dec 1, 2005)

*Here you go DrumJunky*

Here is one my brother got today.



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Ladyfish.


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## uncdub13 (Aug 9, 2003)

you mean to tell me you didnt save that thing for bait??


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## kyoung490 (May 21, 2007)

uncdub13 said:


> you mean to tell me you didnt save that thing for bait??


I told him the sharks would eat it up.


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## drum junky (Jan 23, 2008)

nice work fellas! hope i can give a good report after the weekend at lea. Mabey i will drive out to the fort saturday.


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## tunadog (Feb 2, 2008)

*a story or two on the ladies*

Hey guys,
Not Carolina local stories, but thought I would share in this post. The first ladies I every caught where on the pacific coast of Mexico in a small town called La Manzanilla (not to be confused with Manzanilla) just north of Barra de Navidad. There they call the fish "Machete" because if you hold it by the tail it looks like, well... I was traveling the country with my girlfriend on the cheap and trying to catch dinner when I could. One night I caught a few two footers and thought I would cook them on the beach out of a grill I made from re-bar found around the small town. After a good amount of prep and time I came to find that the ladyfish are bony as hell and don't taste all that great. Needless to say, we where a little hungry that night. After seeing my valiant but failed attempt, a local man patiently helped me realize the bait potential. The next ladies I took were chunked up and used to catch 5- 10 lb jacks ("toros" because the black spot was like a horn, and their strong fight) some 4-5 foot needlefish and trumpet fish (that have dark meat and green bones by the way) and a host of other fish. By the way, when you are hungry, a smoked Jack Crevalle is a fine dinner.

A few years later I was fishing in the gulf, from St. George island in florida. I was after seatrout, had a shrimp below a cork and was just busting the ladies. During a lull in the bite I was following a Peregrine as it swooped through the sky, looked down and found my float was gone. I set the hook, fought the fish for a few seconds and suddenly...I'm sure you know... That goosehawk dropped into a nosedive and snagged my lady. Now I'm playing tug o war with a bird. after a few seconds of screaming and pulling, the falcon released its grip and I reeled in a stunned ladyfish. It had talon marks in its back, and if you thought they had large eyes to start with, this one had pupils so dial lated you thought it had been hanging with Timothy Leary. 

Anyway, to make two long stories short, they taste like S#$% but have every right to share in the great lore that is fishing.

I love them ladies
TD


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## NC-Norm-WB (Jul 25, 2008)

I caught a lady lastnight in wb and it was a whopper. About 5 lbs/30'' plus. It was my first time with a lady....what a fight!!!


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## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

Caught one in a castnet in the hook at Hatteras 2 years ago


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## Mark Law (Sep 17, 2006)

*Lady fish in the Gulf*

Hey yall,
I'm goin down to panama city beach next month, I hear that they have lots of Lady Fish there. They sound like alot of fun to catch, prob cause they are related to Tarpon  . Do any of yall know what they will hit down there? I'll be using the spinning rod and reel, and my fly rod. Thanks for the advice in advance. Great fishin to all! 
Mark <::><


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## Rastabluegrass37 (Mar 21, 2007)

*Flies*

If you are using flies for gulf ladies, definately a shrimp imitation and of course a yellow and white clouser. For live bait, I have had tremendous success with pilchards live-lined near a bridge or off a pier. 

I tell ya, catching ladies all day long satisfies me just fine, especially if you get into the 4-5 pound fish which will give you a workout and quite a show of acrobatics as well.


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## Ryan Y (Dec 1, 2005)

*Mark...*



Mark Law said:


> Hey yall,
> I'm goin down to panama city beach next month, I hear that they have lots of Lady Fish there. They sound like alot of fun to catch, prob cause they are related to Tarpon  . Do any of yall know what they will hit down there? I'll be using the spinning rod and reel, and my fly rod. Thanks for the advice in advance. Great fishin to all!
> Mark <::><


Post this question with a link to this thread over in the florida board. They should be able to help you there.


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## kyoung490 (May 21, 2007)

I can tell you from experience that live shrimp under a popping cork will catch ladyfish around grass flats day in day out.


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## Mark Law (Sep 17, 2006)

*Thanks*

Thanks for the info guys, I'll repost on the Fl board firespyder7. Thanks again. Great fishin to all! 
mark <::><


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## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

i have seen them caught on got-cha plugs from piers while fishing for spanish and bluefish


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Ran into a school of them in Hatteras Inlet a few yrs back.. At first I thought it was a school of spainish,so I slung a stingsilver at them.. Well to my amazment they were ladyfish,and they had no problem eating stingsilvers,caught quite a few before they stopped biting...


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