The Cottonwood Is Bloomin' Everywhere

[Tony Buzolich]

I just got in from the Feather and ran into a couple of friends fishing shad below Shang Hai. They said they really did good over on the Sac the day before near Butte City.

They anchored their boat above a well know run while I continued on in pursuit of stripers. It wasn't long before I could hear their shouting and they got their first shad of the evening.

Upstream there were several people fishing the falls for shad as well. I did see several landed while my friends had seven to their boat.

The water is still a bit off color and running at 58 degrees, but they've started to show and it'll just keep getting better.

My wife called me on the boat about 6:30 an said "dinner's ready" so I guess it was time to quit anyway. I had already taken five stripers in the last hour and the mosquitos were starting to show as well, so I guess it's time to head in.
Tony

[mattv-mcfly]

Does clarity affect the shad run? I was out there eariler today as well and with the high flows and low clarity I called it quits thinking it is going to be a bust on the bank this year.

[Luckee]

Was wondering the same . . . I anchored at a few spots around the Feather/Sac confluence that have really produced in times past, and got nada. Saw one guy in a boat of three nearby get one shad, and concluded they weren't really in.

Maybe the run is just spotty, or thin so far?

[Tony Buzolich]

I have no doubt the run is just getting started, and definitely yes the cloudy water would have a big affect on seeing a fly. Lastly, was the water's temperature at 58 - 59 degrees. That's still pretty cold. I remember a year or two ago the shad were stacked thick from Hallwood all the way to DeGuarre Dam but they wouldn't bite worth a dam. It was just too cold.

Once the Yuba clears up a little I bet everything will turn on.
Tony