Shad Fishing

[sisyphusmpn]

I sat in on a presentation about shad fishing on Valley rivers today at the Fly Fishing Show in Pleasanton. I was curious as I've never fished for shad. The presenter was a local guide and seemed quite knowledgeable. Each time I started to get a bit intrigued he would show a slide with a ridiculous lineup of anglers standing cheek-to-jowel. I just couldn't see myself fishing like this and got to wondering if these shots were localized to a few places, say on the weekend, or were the norm. I also didn't see anyone swinging a two-hander in any of his slides and wondered if that was a function of his preferences or the clients he guides or if folks don't use spey rods for these fish. (I guess if you're standing in a lineup a spey rod would be hazardous to a number of folks' lives.)

So, is that what I should expect to encounter on the American in May or June if I wet a line for these fish? Or was I seeing a hyperbolic presentation to extol the virtues and popularity of these fish?

[Mark Kranhold]

You do get line ups in the popular ,close to parking spots. There is plenty of spots to go if you feel like a walk... which I do to have that solitude of swinging a fly and just to be out there alone. Just look for the buckets along the seamline below a run, even long deep slow runs.

[tacocat]

He hasn't posted in awhile, but go to theangle.net and see his posts on shad.

[royewest]

I bit last summer when Hogan Brown offered a discount afternoon float. He took me out and put me on a few shad on the Sacramento.

It was a lot of fun and it really didn't matter what rod I was using -- seems like the key is to know what buckets they're likely to be sitting in and hit those with a shiny-bright shad fly until you find the shad.

It was a blast spending an afternoon with Hogan -- what a nice guy -- and interesting to try something new. If I lived 15-20 minutes from a shad river and had a boat I'd probably take some beer and a friend and try it again one day...

[Dan Harrison]

Long story short is yes it can get really really crowded at the well known shad spots, these are normally near a access point, but believe it or not shad don't just school up near access points. First time out for shad on the american I went to Rossmore in the morning and didn't see anyone didn't have a clue where to start so I just was walking and looking into the water with my polarized glasses and seen a flash. Caught 8 that morning and didn't see anyone went back that night a was offended that there was a 20 person gear line up in my spot. That is just the way it is but I have found solitude and fish at times as well.

P.S. Could someone explain these "buckets" to me not familiar with the terminology.

[Ed Wahl]

Wow, everyone in this thread is using an alias.

Are you all hiding from the law?

Anyhoo, shad fishing is all of the above, crowded at the known hot spots most of the time and yes there are spots you can find that you will have all to yourself.

On the American there are several well known spots that do get crowded once the word gets out. They get crowded because they produce. They are well known to locals and out of towners alike.

Most shad fishing is pretty social, you're only feet away from the next guy. It's not really a big deal once you know how it's done. I've fished in many a shad line-up and it's actually quite pleasant, once you reconcile yourself to the fact that you're going to have company.

You want to use a shooting head on a sinking or intermediate running line. In a line up a floating running line will prevent anyone downstream from you from casting until you complete your swing and strip it back in.
You will be hated for that.
With a sinking line like Amnesia you cast, then the next person downstream casts, then the next and so on down the line. Very few tangles occur with other fishermen this way.

You have to get your mindset ready to fish in a line up but it's really not that bad.

If you have a pram you have it made, the whole rivers open to you.

Ed

[Hogan Brown]

I can only speak for the Sac as that is where I do most of my shad fishing. The only spot I really see anything resembling a line up is maybe at the washout out side of chico. With the possibility of lower water this spring there will most likely be some really nice wading along the sac where if you are willing to walk a bit you can have runs all to yourself. Knowing the access points or finding the trails off the road may take a bit of leg work but this is the year to do it with lower water. I don't know a ton of them as I am usually in a boat when I am doing my shad fishing. River Rd. outside of chico and Hwy 45 would be two places to start looking though.

Should be a good shad year as the old timers always say high water years are good striper years and low water years are good shad years.

Thanks for the kind words Roy

[Frank Alessio]

I know the spots we used to use big silver shinny bobbers with a pump and a handle kind of thing on top... We tried to not create a foam line by resting the bobber before use....It is amazing anyone actually graduated.... Those were some good times....Gotta Love Chico..