Evolution of Shad flys?

[Matt Z.]

As recent as 5 years ago it seems like most Shad flies were bigger and more towards, chartreuse, green, pink... etc... and now the flies fished with greater success are smaller with a bead head with an emphasis on red along the lines of the Mahalo or Albino Wino used at Pyramid Lake (Credit/Tip of the hat to Jeff C.!) Why the change? Shad diets or "just" innovation by Jeff c. or ?

[MHeuch]

Obviously I cannot speak to Jeff's intent, but when i searched for the foods that Shad eat, I found Mysida; a shrimp-like crustaceans on the list. These are small 0.2 - 1 inches and their general shape is much closer to Jeff's flies than other common shad patterns.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mysida#Distribution

[Jeff C.]

The Maria style flies were cooked up by me mashing up a whole lots of different flies. Serendipitously, they turned out to be in the shape of Mysis shrimp which is part of shad diet. It was not my intent to tie a mysis shrimp pattern. Dumb luck I guess!

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

My brother Dick and I started fly fishing for Shad in the 1960s at upper Goethe Park / River Bend Park way before the bridge was built.

Shad flies then were huge by today's standards......tied in size 4 and 6 on a 1x long nickel platted Eagle Claw 1197 hook.

I think they worked pretty well because there will "trillions" of Shad back then. Maybe thousands?


Over the years they started getting smaller and smaller.

[MHeuch]

I found the rough comparison of these images interesting.

15728

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Every river you go to on the East Coast or West Coast the popular Shad flies or jigs are slightly different.

[Terry Thomas]

Yep, those flies that we used 30 years ago couldn’t possibly work today. ��

[Mr T]

Yep, those flies that we used 30 years ago couldn’t possibly work today. ��

Well crap then Guess I need to throw em out then! I hate when my fly box becomes obsolete.

[David Lee]

I recall that a shiny , bare hook was a go-to back in the 1940's and 50's . Not sure what size ?

D.~

[Tony Buzolich]

You're not that old David.

In the fifties my dad and I would stop at the Saving Center on the corner of Arden and Howe. We'd pick lead bodied shad darts about a size #2. It was nothing more than a single white hackle wrapped around the neck above the lead. I've even had them eat a 3/0 Clouser while striper fishing in the Yuba.
Tony

[Mr T]

You're not that old David.

In the fifties my dad and I would stop at the Saving Center on the corner of Arden and Howe. We'd pick lead bodied shad darts about a size #2. It was nothing more than a single white hackle wrapped around the neck above the lead. I've even had them eat a 3/0 Clouser while striper fishing in the Yuba.
Tony

That was one of my favorite stores EVER. They had everything!

[MHeuch]

From the paper "Behavior of American Shad during Spawning Migration in the York River, Virginia" by the American Fisheries Society

It shows that during migration up river Shad eat plant matter and wood detritus, which kinda suggest they might eat anything interesting that floats in front of them.

15729

[David Lee]

Sorry , Tony - I meant I recall READING about it . My mistake !!

D.~

[Double_Haul]

Maybe the smaller flies work better on the American due to the very clear water. I've only fished the American a few times and did find they preferred something smaller. On the Sac I still use the original Mustad 3908 chrome shad hook in size 4. Chain eyes, orange head, pink body. And yes it works very well. I had a 100 fish day on Thursday. It has been my understanding the shad bite out of aggression, not that they are feeding.

[MHeuch]

I am curious. What is the smallest fly that someone has used to catch or try to catch Shad on? Jeff C's patterns are appox. #10.
Has anyone tried small to the extreme, ie midge sized?