Jeff's 2014 AR Shad Update

**Jeff C.** · 04-21-2014, 07:30 AM

Well it's been a long wait but it's on! Aron and I went on a shad hunt together on Saturday. We went to Verona early in the morning and the sandbar was packed with gear guys fishing for stripers so we couldn't fish there. We ended up back on the American where we checked out three different areas on the lower river. Aron caught a small male at the first spot we fished so the honor goes to him for catching the first shad of the year in the American on the fly.

I went back to the first spot yesterday about mid-day and caught over 30 during the afternoon. The first pic is the second shad caught on the American with a fly and the rest are some of the hens I caught and released. Most of the fish were 2-3 lbs but about a third of them were 3-4 lb hens. There were a couple of hens close to 5 lbs. Tried a bunch of different flies but they only wanted the Bloody Maria.

With the flows going up tomorrow night, more should come into the system and move further up river. By the time the flows drop back Thursday night they should be up to the mid-river. Let games begin!!

**Bill Kiene semi-retired** · 04-21-2014, 09:55 AM

Fantastic.........

**Randy Lee** · 04-21-2014, 08:01 PM

Back in the game! Go Shad Master.
Randy

**Bill Kiene semi-retired** · 04-21-2014, 08:15 PM

Right now Jeff Ching is the Lower American River 'Shad Master'.

Before Jeff, it was the late, great Dave Howard with his fly, the Wet Pinky.

**Jeff C.** · 04-22-2014, 07:25 AM

The bite slowed down last night. It was good in the afternoon with Aron and Garret (aka Guppy) trading hookups and some doubles. Aron ended up with 25. I caught the tail end of it and got 8. It went dead cold before sundown. The shad seem to be moving upriver pretty fast. Hope the bump in flow brings more in from the Sac.

**Mr.Matt** · 04-22-2014, 07:22 PM

Very nice!
Thanks for the report.

**Mike Stroud** · 04-28-2014, 09:30 AM

Awesome! Great post, Jeff!

**Jeff C.** · 04-30-2014, 09:13 PM

Slow this evening. Got 3 and didn't see anyone else catch one. Even slow for the bobber guys. Had to adjust tactics because the flow was so slow that I couldn't even get a good swing. Had to cast, do a count down and strip in.

**Jeff C.** · 05-01-2014, 09:14 PM

Headed down to the river after work and ran into Andy in his boat scouting for shad. I hopped in and we motored upstream to the next spot up river. No one was home so we went back to where he picked me up. Andy got 2 and I got 1. The shad were scattered all over. Even though we didn't catch a lot it was a enjoyable evening!