I know too well what a zoo it can be near that marina at the Feather/Sac confluence, but when you're looking for that first shad of a new springtime, you'll do desperate things :)
Any word of shad-catching going on up there? Thanks!
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I know too well what a zoo it can be near that marina at the Feather/Sac confluence, but when you're looking for that first shad of a new springtime, you'll do desperate things :)
Any word of shad-catching going on up there? Thanks!
May is traditionally the top month to fish the mouth of the Feather River from an anchored boat.
Some Stripers are caught then too.
If the Sacramento and Feather rivers get low enough you can wade the sandbar which is pretty cool.
The Lower Feather River down there is all sand and is great for summer swimming and has Smallmouth bass too.
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No doubt, May is the happy time for shad :) As well as a chunk of June!
But if anyone hears a credible report of shad showing up at Verona in these last days of April, I'd love a heads-up. Bit of a drive for me, but I'll make it for some shad pulls.
Very high water levels.............. The turn-about that funnels boat/trailers down to the ramp/water is underwater currently. There is actual current rushing by as your boat would sit on the trailer backed down on the very short ramp..... (what is left of the ramp, not underwater.) The river level is just under the tall walkway/skyway to the outer dock and houseboats. The temporary dock is tied to the base/ramp of the tall skyway, but water is rushing under it............ you fall in and your're going for a ride.
The parking lot closest to the ramp is a pond that may not drain or dry up for quite some time. The Sacto is mud...... Feather kind of green and the Yuba was mud.
Bypasses are flooded.
Bank access flooded as water is up past the trees along the river bank.
A real good flushing.
Quite sure the little Shad are hustling upriver........... they probably will not stop until they find a nice soft spot to hold......... way upriver.
Thanks OceanSunfish!
How funny, just an hour ago a buddy sent a picture of the very situations you accurately describe. Sounds like launching and operating out of the usual marina at Verona is not going to work well in the short term.
The question of where they hold and/or get into striking moods is not a simple one though, in my experience. I've done expeditions with a friend of mine whose boat is outfitted with three different fish finders, and while we could find very shaddy-looking groupings of fish, we very rarely were able to get grabs -- that is, outside of the known areas that seem to produce, like the Feather/Sac confluence and a few other spots.
Who knows, maybe we just suck :) But I've found location to be very very important, and have been mystified when run A, about 9 feet deep at walking pace, one medium cast out from the levee, vastly outfishes run B of the same description just two bends up or down river. Why wouldn't they spread out? But they don't seem to do so afaict.
Luckee..... Yes, location is vital. Time of day/sun angle, flows, air temps, etc. River bottom changes affect locations, year to year. For example, Log Hole is much different vs. the late 90's and early 2000's. The confluences have dramatically changed the past decades with a lot of silting, etc.
Mostly FF for the Shad, but past several years enjoyed employing very different tactical approaches while drifting down the rivers, which has been more fun and challenging. Fun fish and need not spend a lot of time demystifying them................ just enjoy
Hearing reports of Shad being caught at Miller Park. Nothing at Verona. Waiting for them to show up at the Log Hole
Fished Verona yesterday. River is still higher than normal and brownish. Two hours w/out a hit. Just a few boats out, most fishing for stripers. Didn't see a very many fish caught by anyone. Game warden said only saw one small shad. I know some have gone by already. I'm sure that it will get better.