Jeff's 2017 AR Shad Reports

[Jeff C.]

It should still be good late June Jay!

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

In the 1950s and 1960s I started spin fishing for American Shad at south Sacramento's "Minnow Hole".

I started fly fishing the Lower American River in the 1960s when at upper Goethe Park run, now River Bend Park, on the weekends in the spring had a line up of 50 to 100 anglers with 90% being fly fishers.

There were so many American Shad then that everyone who had a clue was catching Shad.

The Shad Addicts use to report "100 fish days" back then.

Flies were size #4 and 6 back then.

Rods were usually 9' #9 line 2 piece fiberglass fly rods with mono shooting line and 30' shooting heads.


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I all my 50 years in the fishing business near the Lower American River we had some "top Shad anglers" but none compare to the dedication and contribution of today's Jeff Ching.

The late Dave Howard would be the only other person that would be in Jeff's league that I can recall.

Old timers like Walt Bennett, Henry Starr and Joe Shirshac did their share of Shad fishing.

Tournament caster and rod designer Jimmy Green from Fenwick and outdoor writer Ted Trueblood use to come fly fish the Lower American River in the 1950s and 1960s with local Shad fly fishing pioneer Walt Bennett.

At that time the Lower American River was one of the most famous and best US rivers for wading and fly fishing for American Shad.

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[Jeff C.]

No shad in the upper river yet on a recon float with a Earle Slone. Lots of good looking water along with lots of changes. This is the first time you could see the changes to the river bottom. It's going to be really interesting to see what it looks like at 3000 cfs. A few shad are being caught mid river but it's not red hot yet. I think it will be good in a week!

[STEELIES/26c3]

Be a long time before we see 3,000
I bet the river goes back up to 15,000 soon.

[Bryan Morgan]

Flows are at 9500 and the access to Watt Ave is blocked off. Sometimes wonder why I bother buying a pass.

[STEELIES/26c3]

County Parks can't control Mother Nature...
I've fished the AR 4-7 days a week all winter and spring and though I've spent a lot of time scouting and relearning water, I've caught fish about 60% of my outings... and gotten in great shape doing it

[Jeff C.]

Went out after work and fished the middle river in the middle of all the gear guys. Caught my first shad of the season on a Too sexy and a small striper about the same size on the Pearl Mirror. It was slow even for the gear guys!

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

May 8th....2017.....cool.

[Jeff C.]

It's still not red hot on the American. The middle river has been sporadically good for spin guys but a sea lion showed up yesterday according to Mr. Matt and shut the bit down. The upper river is still not producing but Earle Sloane caught a big hen last night so they are slowing trickling in. If you are traveling far to get to the American I would wait a week or two. I can hit it every day since it's on my way home from work and I live 10 minutes from the upper river.

[FlyFishingNewb]

im getting my butt back into fishing this year but i have never dealt with this type of river level. i use a half sink do i need to go to a full sink for this? i work in the rancho cordova area and can easily access el manto river access, when do they start showing up around that area?