Gear

Schlapper’s shellbed tacklebox

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Photography by
Kyle Jessie
Over the course of his Bassmaster Elite Series career, Wisconsin’s Pat Schlapper has found success fishing offshore shellbeds. This type of offshore structure can be found across the country, but Florida has always been staple for shellbeds/bars.
“Shellbeds are typically related to current in some form or fashion,” he said. “When you begin your search for shellbeds, keep in mind that a lot of times they’re going to be on the front-facing side of a dropoff, steep break or hump.”
“Once you get a feel for the types of places you find shellbeds, you will find that they’re not as hard to find as you might think.”
Schlapper pulls out of a few of his favorites.
A full lineup of St. Croix rods line the deck with great choices for shellbeds.
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OSP Blitz Crankbait (mid-diving crankbait)
“I typically try to throw a crankbait over the shellbed first,” Schlapper said. “I want a crankbait that is going to get down to the bottom and grind through the shellbed to trigger a reaction bite. Also, an advantage of throwing the crankbait first is that it allows you to figure out if the shellbed is fresh with a clean bottom or if it’s been silted over.”
Lipless Crankbait
“A trap is almost always going to be my second choice,” he said. “I will wind the bait a little bit, but a yo-yo action is typically the way to go when fishing shellbeds. This is honestly one of my favorite ways to catch them.”
Carolina Rig
“I really love throwing a Carolina rig anywhere, but especially on shellbeds,” said Schlapper. “The Carolina rig really allows you to identify where the hard-bottom areas are which is key. Once I’ve worked through an area with a crankbait and a trap, I can use the Carolina rig to pick up a few extra bites.”
Squarebill Crankbait
“A lot of shellbeds are going to be too deep for a squarebill, but the shallower ones can be great for it,” he said.
Jerkbait
“A lot of times, a jerkbait can be a great choice just because it gives the fish an entirely different look at a bait that is off the bottom,” Schlapper said. “You can definitely work the bait down to the bottom, but a lot of times those fish will rise up to get the bait.”
Drop Shot
“A drop shot is more or less my last resort bait,” he said. “A lot of times as the fish become more pressured, you might have to resort to finesse tactics like a drop shot.”

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