shad run up the delaware

[nealfish]

i was wondering if any of you either flyfish or spinfish for the shad run in the delaware or nearby rivers, and if so, what type of gear and flies do you use?

 

[afishinado]

Here is a thread about shad fishing that should help, and it all happens in your back yard (Bucks County).


Shad info thread

Here is a cc of my post in the thread:

For FFing, a 6, 7 or 8wt 9' +/- rod with a sink tip line and/or weighted streamers works well. A weighted Mickey Finn type streamer or a Clouser does the job. Try different colors mixing white with red, pink, chart., yellow, green, etc.

Cast up and across to let the fly sink, but stay in contact with it and let it swing across the current. Mending to slow the swing may be needed in faster water. Letting you fly hang in the current works too, but that is usually best done from a boat. Try to get and maintain your fly fairly deep. Try different depths, drifts, and swings until you get into them.

Since the fish are active, they are moving (migrating) so the "honey hole" is any sort of pinch point with the current, structure, or bottom directing the fish through a certain area. Keep trying different spots and different drifts to find "your" spot. When you do begin catching them, stay with it, more fish should be moving through. As Mike said, low light periods (early AM & late PM) are usually best, but on a good day you can catch them anytime.

Give it a try, they really are fighters and jumpers. C&R all fish, but a quick pic would be nice.

Here's a great article from Sandy's (Sandfly) site (Big Meadows Fly Shop) about shad fishing on the Delaware River.

http://bigmeadowsflyshop.com/files/flyfishingforshadinthelowerDelawareRiver.pdf

Good luck.

 

[nealfish]

i have only kept 1 fish, when i was 4. and thanks for the info!

 

[marcq]

I only spin fished it in the past but I'm gonna try fly this spring. For gear I use my trout rod with 4 lb test. I think you could get away with a 5 wt. this past year all the fish I caught were 18+ inches. It's a real fun fish to fish for. For flies anything char or white with a lot of flash.

 

[sandfly]

a few flies;

 

[iceyguides]

I've never fished the delaware for shad, but i do fish for them on the sus q. What others have said is sound advice. I usually use sink tips to get the flies deep. For flies i use a spoon fly (like the ones they use for redfish) above something small and flashy. Sandfly's flies look good, clousers work, or if you're lazy like me you can just buy crappie jigs. I usually use 10lb test fluro. You could go lighter, but i'm not sure it matters much and with 10lb you'll lose fewer flies. Watch the fish ladders...http://fishandboat.com/shad.htm and read reports...http://www.woofish.com/FISHREPORTS.html

 

[AFISHN]

I fly fished fished frequently for shad on the Delaware River from 1981-1991.The info above is right on.

If you are looking for spots that have produced in the past fishing from a boat,PM and I'll direct you to where I used to go launching from Smithfield Beach