shad run this spring

[dann]

Hi there my name is Dan and Im new to this forum. Ive been fishing the lower susquehanna for a long time now , and have fly fished it for 3 yrs targeting smallies walley musky and carp, I also fly fish the beaches of the gulf coast near St petes. FLA. I was wondering if anyone here fishes the shad run in the spring below the conowingo dam. Some guys at work hit it with spinning tackel and shad darts, and say that they have a blast; some times catching 100 a day....

 

[JakesLeakyWaders]

Up my way near York Haven, there are a bit less shad so it is like a bonus if you catch one. Kind of like catching a bass in an upper trout section of stream.

I rarely get down as far as Wrightsville on the river anymore but I would think the shad fishing should be pretty good directly below the other two dams down there too.

 

[skeeter]

Welcome Abroad Dann,

Your buddies are right and wrong. In my experience, shad are a hot/cold type fish. You will have alot more slow days then GREAT days down there. But when the shad are on, you know it.

Here is a great place to start and ask shad-related questions to some really knowledgeable guys. Not that they are not on here - but these guys (myself inc) are 24-7 shadaholics. Down at the bottom of the 2011 reports page there is a great write up about fly fishing for shad. It is well written and very detailed.

Here is what works for me down there:

Setup:
6wt rod, Sci Ang sinking line Type IV , 7' leader with a heavy taper, 3x FC tippet mostly sometimes 4x if the water is low/clear, tandem flies, 20" apart, weighted trailer fly, mickey finn-like flies in szs 6-12. Wading staff+++

When and where:
Depth, current, and time of day will consistently catch you fish.
Deeper the better (esp as the sun gets higher in the sky), find soft water (pockets and seams) in rapids in the morning and evening, deeper pools in the daytime.

Switch your presentation back and forth from swinging the flies to dead-drift w/ a little tension. Usually the take is at the end of a swing or on the up-swing. Or just hang it up in the current.

Switch your flies often if your not getting takes.

Plan on losing your flies, however tying these types of flies are simple and not time consuming.

Helps this gets you started
-Pat

 

[wgmiller]

Do I sense a "Shad mini-jam" in the works?

 

[dann]

Thanks for replies, I was thinking of hitting Deer Creek in MD.

Dan