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Bill Kiene semi-retired
03-26-2006, 05:37 PM
How many different rivers have you caught a Shad on?

We have only White or American Shad on the West Coast which were planted around 1877 along with the Stripped Bass from the East Coast.

I have caught them in:

American
Sacramento
Feather
Yuba
Saint Johns - FL

They are in the Klamath and Umpqua up north.

sculpin
03-26-2006, 08:04 PM
I have only caught them in the Umpqua River. The only placve I have fished for them. Fun fish.

Mark

Tony Buzolich
03-26-2006, 11:51 PM
Don't forget the Russian, at Cassini Ranch and Johnson's Beach in Guernville.
TONY

Bill Kiene semi-retired
03-27-2006, 12:52 AM
Tony,

What rivers have you caught shad in so far?

Tony Buzolich
03-28-2006, 09:50 PM
Bill,
I've taken shad in all of the California rivers mentioned, the American, Feather, Yuba, Sac, and the Russian.

Gotta love'm. They're just like baby tarpon only a bit smaller.
TONY

Bill Kiene semi-retired
03-28-2006, 10:12 PM
I think it would be fun to catch them in lots of different rivers all over the country.

I see where they are trying to 'rebuild' some of the eastern streams now too.

Tony Buzolich
03-29-2006, 09:37 PM
A couple of years ago my wife and I were fishing shad at Verona when her pole really bent over. She immediately yelled she had a good one as it took off accross the river. All of the other boats pulled in their lines so as to not tangle her and I pulled anchor to follow the fish.
With a lot of coaxing and a big net, she was able to land a bright 12lb king salmon.
Caught it on all sixes,,,,6 weight Sage that I had just bought from Bill, number 6 hook, and 6 pound test leader.
TONY

Bill Kiene semi-retired
03-29-2006, 10:45 PM
We have seen and heard of people catching spring salmon, stripers and smaller steelhead while shad fishing over the years.

Our friend Ron Hayashi caught a 44 pound Striper at the mouth of the Feather River from an anchored pram on 8 pound test with a Shad fly.

Sadly it pushed out Al Perryman's world record of 26 pounds caught on 8 pound in December on the Lower American River on a striper fly in the '70s.

I am not sure if Ron's record is still there or not?

MSP
03-29-2006, 10:51 PM
I remember catching Shad on Coos River with my grand parents. That was a while ago, maybe in the late 50's or early 60's, hell I don't know. I can't believe I can remember things from that long ago.

sculpin
03-30-2006, 06:48 AM
Carl
It's interesting you mention the Rogue having Shad. I have heard this before but have always discounted it. It makes sense because they are in river systems above and below it. They must hang out in the lower river, because I have never caught or heard of one being caught in the upper river.

Mark

Tony Buzolich
03-30-2006, 07:21 AM
I'm not familiar with the Rogue that well but are there any dams between where you fish and the ocean? Or natural barriers like waterfalls?

The reason being, shad won't go up and over fish ladders like salmon and steelhead do.

Examples of this would be the diversion dam at Red Bluff, I don't think I've ever heard of shad above Red Bluff.
The same is true of Daguerre Dam on the Yuba. You never see shad at Park's Bar or Sycramore.
Even on the Feather when the water is low at Shanghai Bend falls the shad will stack there too.
And the Russian at Healdsburg. Not a very big dam there and it has a nice fish ladder too but never a shad at Cloverdale or above.

Shad, because of this are all lower river fish with easy access to the ocean.
TONY

sculpin
03-30-2006, 09:24 AM
Tony
That may be the reason we don't see them up river. Raine Falls in the Rogue Canyon may stop them and we also have the famous Savage Rapids Dam and Gold Ray Dam both have fish ladders. I've lived here almost 30yrs and have only heard rumors of Shad in the Rogue and have never talked to anyone in person who said they have caught them in the Rogue. That doesn't mean the aren't there. When the shad run I'm fishing up river. Maybe I never hear about Shad on the Rogue because everone who want's to fish for them goes to the Umpqua .It's a faster drive.

Mark

Bill Kiene semi-retired
03-31-2006, 01:09 AM
Carl,

Can you describe the outfit and line, leader and flies you use to catch Shad on the Russian River?

Tony Buzolich
04-01-2006, 07:24 AM
Obviously there are exceptions to everything but for the most part shad don't seem to use fish ladders like salmon do and "most" will stack up below an obsticle.

Now, those shad that are closest to the sea obviously have the greatest urge to get to where they want to spawn. Most of the Russian is only a hop and skip from the mouth at Jenner so I would guess those eager little guys shoot past anything that close.

In bigger rivers in the valley they've traveled a long way and maybe they're closer to an area that would be suitable for their spawning.

Whatever the case may be, they're really a fun fish and I've enjoyed them wherever they were taken.
TONY