Shad fishing

[AndyP]

Frederick - I live in the area and would like to give it a shot. Working alot so it would be a weekend option. Let me know.

 

[addictedangler]

I think tying shad flys and darts brings out the kid in all of us. The bright colors and easy to tie patterns are fun after tying dark and dreary colored trout flys it is like the Easter bunny came to our fly tying bench.

 

[marcq]

tried to shad today in the Schuylkill no luck yet. everything looked good just not there. did foul hook like four or five suckers. I guess they are spawning or something. maybe another week or so.

 

[sandfly]

shad can be taken on drys after the spawn when they go back to feeding. the upper "D" and lower beaverkill you can get them on wets and drys. Only bad thing then is they don't fight like the fresh run. Kinda tired from doing the thing with the oppisite sex...lol

 

[Mike]

American shad are already in the Delaware at least from Easton down, but probably as far upstream by now as the Delaware Water Gap. The first electrofishing run at Raubsville produced a very low 3 per hour late last week, but the survey did indicate that the fish are there. Likewise, they should now be in the Schuylkill. With the cold water temps it just means that they are unlikely to hit.

 

[marcq]

I agree with you mike went out today just to pick up some gear for the shad and threw a few darts. Earlier in the day the water was 48 degrees went up to 50 . I think they need water temps at 50 for them to start spawning. I saw a few schools of fish but they wouldn't hit so I assume they are not spawning yet. Once this warm weather kicks in and the fish start spawning it will be tight lines for everyone.

 

[jay348]

I kept hearing spoon flies work well for shad, so I had to give one a shot last night. I swore they were going to be a huge pain to make, but it actually wasn't so bad. Hoping to give it a test swim tomorrow.

 

[marcq]

Good luck jay. It's got to be anyone of These days when they turn on. The thing I know about shad is their is no real set lures for them. They hit out of aggression. Someone told me that they do it because they think you fly or lure is going after their row. I've seen them hit really small lures to those rubber storm shad which was like 3 inches.

Bright colors and a lot of motion gets them. Also fast movement.

 

[icyguides]

Nice looking spoon fly jay. Hopefully it wobbles and flutters well. my experience has been that it's hard to get spoons to run right, but when you do they're great flies. I'd suggest trying to incorporate some glitter so it flashes more.

Water temps on the lower sus q are rapidly approaching the magic 50 degree mark and guys are starting to report catching a few. any day now... http://buoybay.noaa.gov/locations/susquehanna.html

 

[marcq]

I'm probably just going to use spoons intended for spin fishing. Your could probably pull off darts if they are light enough, I need to pick up some smaller salt hooks so I can tie something up.

 

[jay348]

icyguides wrote:
Nice looking spoon fly jay. Hopefully it wobbles and flutters well. my experience has been that it's hard to get spoons to run right, but when you do they're great flies. I'd suggest trying to incorporate some glitter so it flashes more.

Yeah I'm thinking the action could be hit or miss. Next one I may try and make a little bit wider. I guess I'll see how this one moves first though.

And you read my mind w/ the glitter. Probably won't get to a craft store anytime soon so I may just cut up some krystal flash or angel hair and mix it into the next one.

 

[Fredrick]

Nice looking fly Jay . I know a guy that once he ties a fly with the desired action he wants he uses silly putty and makes a mold of the spoon of the fly so he always gets close to the same action of the fly plus its speeds up tying the fly . I would also use some glitter and I also know some guys use some sort of weighted keel to get more action out of the fly. Terry Peach from Marblehead fly fisher in Del. ties these flies all the time and fishes for shad like its his job i'm sure he would give you a few pointers.
http://www.amarbleheadflyfisher.com/index.html

 

[tulenkot]

Delaware at Trenton hit 49.5 degrees today. Maybe tomorrow it wil get into the 50's...

 

[jay348]

Thanks Fred. Most of the videos I saw used the putty too. It actually makes perfect sense for getting a consistent shape. I didn't have any so I went with the mono skeleton/frame route.

Not actually shad fishing tomorrow, but yeah I've got a good feeling this week will bring good things w/ the warm temps.

 

[FGSIII]

I do alot of shad fishing down at conowingo and deer creek this time of year. Nothing like migratory fish on the fly!! I typically get them on the swing at Deer Creek. Almost like swinging flies for steelhead except the flies and the fish are smaller.

I fish a mix of bright flies and drab flies. One of my favorites is a small brown speyish type fly with orange mallard flank fibers for the wing.

Hoping to head down tomorrow morning or afternoon. Already caught a few in the susky, but not in big numbers. This warm weather should help to break things wide open.

Frank

 

[marcq]

Shad update. Went down to the river today cause temps have been up. Got my first shad of the season. Not on a fly but that will come soon. A nice American about 18 inches. It should be tight lines for now. A few other guys there but I didn't see them get anything. Only fished for about 45minutes cause I got there late and the tide was moving up fast.

Marc

 

[icyguides]

Fished below conowingo at the mill tonight. The trip got off to an inauspicious start when I realized I forgot my paddle, luckily I had an emergency paddle stowed in the kayak. It was really crowded and without a decent paddle I didn't have the cajones or time to get away from the crowds. I ended up landing 1 hickory shad, which as you can see from the picture was quickly released, missed a few shad, and landed the biggest channel cat of my life. It just about took me into the backing on the initial run, I worked it back up river, and it swam right into my anchor line. After hand lining it out of the anchor line I got it beside the kayak and struggled to land it. I couldn't get it in the net on my first try, then I thought about trying to lip lock it, but thought better and used the net more tactfully. It was hard to get an accurate measurement with it flopping around in the kayak, but I got it at 31 inches and estimate it was 8lbs+.

 

[Fredrick]

Nice cattie . It seems like evertime I hit the lower susky I always get a big cattie on my line but I never caught one as big as yours . Sounds like he gave you a good fight also .

 

[marcq]

Gonna try tomorrow with the fly if I can. Not sure who packed it will be.

Marc

 

[icyguides]

Fished Conowingo tonight. Started at the mill in my kayak. The water was high, about 80,000 cfs. Only had 1-2 bumps in the kayak. There was a couple other guys in boats out. They weren't getting anything either, but the guys on shore were getting a steady pick. After striking out and battling the raging current for 3 hours I swallowed my pride, loaded up my kayak, drove up to fisherman's park, and fished from shore.

I immediately got into a steady pick of fish. It got progressively better while I was there and by the end of the night it was nearly every cast. I probably ended with a little shy of 50, all hicks, before I got hungry and tired of catching them. I landed a double on my last cast and figured that was a good note to call it day.