My saltwater fly friends do well with shad because they are comfortable with heavier tackle, longer casts, sinking lines etc. I don't break out my fly gear until later in the season above the Gap if the water is low, medium. Then I can get by with a floating line and a smallie outfit. BTW, one of my best shad on a fly days was in the Beaverkill by Trout Bk. If I have to cast far or fish deeper than 2 or 3 ft its spinning tackle for me.
Shad travel upstream in a line following a certain path. Find that path and you can have a good day; miss the path and you go without. In my opinion, above the Gap they stage more for spawning and can spread out. Then put the fly in front of their face to annoy them, they may be a foot or two off the bottom. My shad crazy friend for a while used a fish finder to find the depth the shad were cruising and then fished flutter spoons behind a trolling ball to get exact depth. That is the far end, but need to get weight and swing adjusted to get the right depth. Don't bottom bounce! You shouldn't lose that much tackle if you get the drift right. They don't pick up lures off the bottom.
Shad travel upstream in a line following a certain path. Find that path and you can have a good day; miss the path and you go without. In my opinion, above the Gap they stage more for spawning and can spread out. Then put the fly in front of their face to annoy them, they may be a foot or two off the bottom. My shad crazy friend for a while used a fish finder to find the depth the shad were cruising and then fished flutter spoons behind a trolling ball to get exact depth. That is the far end, but need to get weight and swing adjusted to get the right depth. Don't bottom bounce! You shouldn't lose that much tackle if you get the drift right. They don't pick up lures off the bottom.
