Jeff's 2015 AR Shad Reports

[Jeff C.]

Finally found a few shad this past weekend after covering quite a bit of water on foot. All were big hens except for one small male. Not a whole lot of them but enough to make me start hitting it every evening. Seems like they are just moving up and not holding. Type 6 sink tip and the usual flies. Had a steel head slam my shad fly on the swing Sat evening and I almost landed it but it straighten out my heavy wire hook. That was more exciting than any shad I caught this weekend!

[FattMerro]

I went out to give it a shot late last week near CSUS. Hooked in to two big brown sucker fish, but no shad yet! Will be out again this week looking for those big hens. Thanks for all the reports Jeff!

[Jeff C.]

Had a good time a couple of evenings ago when I found a small pod and had some non-stop action for about 20 minutes. Landed a few, LDRed a few, and missed a few grabs and then they moved. Got chased off the water last night by thunder and lightning. From what I've heard the AR has been generally slow but there have been a few caught mostly in the lower river. A friend sent me a message that he got about 30 in 3 hours last weekend which is the best report so far!

[Jeff C.]

Still slow but things are picking up. Floated yesterday with Earle Sloan and we put 6 to the boat with twice as many misssed grabs and LDRs. Fished with Travis A and Dan (aka Alosa) Sat evening. Travis got a couple and Dan got his first one this year on his new Echo glass switch rod. I wiggled the rod and it is nice and flexy if you like slow action rods.

[Alosa]

It was great to get out and to fish alongside you and Travis A. Hope to see you again in a few weeks.

[Jeff C.]

Fished last night and Andy Guibord was out in his drift boat with an older gentleman and what looked like his grandson. Andy got them into several shad before they moved down river. Andy is a fishy guy! Scott V was out in his kayak too and got a couple. It was slow for me wading but I did get one with my line dangling down while I was talking to Scott. I hook a lot that way when you're not paying attention so answer that cell phone call, smoke a cigarette, or eat a sandwich!

[Jeff C.]

A litlle better last night with the flow going up a little but still not red hot. Had a couple of grabs, landed a couple and LDRed a couple. One was a large fish that I had to put on the reel (I normally hand strip them in fast) and it put a big bend in my rod pulling hard. Thought I was going to land a hog but it popped off!

[Jeff C.]

Fished the lower river yesterday. Only caught small makes. Met Keith from LA at the last spot I fished. He sure traveled a long way to fish for shad. Went back out in the evening and only got one but a bunch of LDRs. Thought maybe my hooked opened up and when I checked it was. Can't be as bad as Scott who was out when I got there and he was fishing for who knows how long without a fly. Been there!

[hwchubb]

Was on the lower river this morning, caught as many as the eight guys below me combined - zero. I've been fishing shad here for almost 30 years, and have never seen it this quiet on Memorial Day weekend, even in the low flows of the early 90's. Pretty disappointing.

[Jeff C.]

Finally a decent day! Got into double digits with one a 4 lb plus hen. It helps to be in a drift boat. Thanks Earle Sloane for the ride!