Last Night Report

[Jeff C.]

Went out for a couple of hours last night and got 4. I didn't see too many being caught by other anglers but at least they are still around. It seemed like they disappeared overnight when the flow was dropped but apparently they just moved to deeper water. With the flow bumped back up a little, they are coming in close to shore at dark. A spin guy below me caught a 8-10 lb striper right at dark on a small shad jig. Jeff C.

[David Lee]

Hey Jeff -

I just wanted to thank you for the consistent reports , I notice that when you're finished for the season , the run is done (seems like you have the July thing down !) .

Any tips you'd care to pass along for late-season Shad fishing ? I get into 'em pretty good in the lower river but have yet to crack the upper-river/late season code ....

Thanks again !

David :)

[Jeff C.]

Hi David,

Got 5 last night and missed about the same because of short strikes. I'm suprised that I've been the only one posting reports regularly. Usually, there are tons of reports throughout the season. Either nobody is fishing for them or they are being tight-lipped about their "spot". It's no secret that certain areas on the A. that are easiy accessed can be very productive. Anyway, here's my tip for late season shad fishing: Don't even bother until the sun gets off of the water. It's been good only during the last hour of light.

Jeff C.

P.S. I've been experimenting with flies tied with photoluminescent tinsel and got 3 grabs in 5 casts when I put one on last night.

[jlmelend]

Ditto the thanks Jeff C. for letting us know the fish are still in the A. I am new to fishing shad in the A but am still landing a fish or two per outing. No matter how seldom, it's till pretty amazing on a fly rod. Would you believe I managed to hook one this early AM at the most upstream part of upper sunrise from the middle of the river?
I too have been fishing mostly the evenings; typical shad stuff, a bunch of anglers are lining up 20 feet apart and one spin rod guy is hitting like crazy while the rest of us are pulling up only one or two. Last Wednesday there were about 8 spin casters fishing off the north bank of Upper sunrise and five of us waded into the middle river from the south bank. I was the only one casting flies. Felt like an alien out there.
Last week, I saw three spin rod guys in a boat planting themselves at the lowest part of Sailor bar and hitting like crazy by casting well down stream. They bagged about 8 or so in the hour I was there. They weren't releasing them either. Later that week they did the same again from the same spot. So much for next season.
When does shad fishing start slowing down here? Do fly fishermen fish for trout, half pounders or stripers for the rest of the summer on the A? Any special protocol...like does a flag go up somewhere or something? Just kidding.
Regards and good fishing,
Joe

[Jeff C.]

Hey Joe,

Must be quite a drive from Davis to Sunrise. I do it every day since I live in Citrus Heights and work at UC Davis. The shad numbers just start tapering down until you get none. This has been happening at the end of July or the first week in August for the last couple of years. Bill has posted that they have caught them in September fishing for halfpounders at Sailor Bar. When the shad are done, I normally fish for stripers and halfpounders. I caught a shad on a clouser in mid-August last year at Goethe.

Jeff C.

[jlmelend]

The secret to cutting the drive from Davis to Sunrise is to work in Sacramento and fish before or after work!
Interesting idea catching shad with a clouser!
Do you think they'll bite on a deceiver? California Fly fisher had an article in which they described shad biting on a nickel hook or a dry caddis fly of all things. Anybody try this?
Joe

[Anne Vitale]

Joe...I have never caught a shad on a plain nickel hook but I have caught many a shad skating a large dry caddis or even a large stimulator just as darkness sets in. They don't hit it with the explosiveness of a Largemouth bass hitting a popper but it is fun to see the take anyway. 8) 8)

Anne