Swinging for Shad

[Jeff Putnam]

As most of you already know the American River is providing us with some awesome fly fishing opportunities right now for shad and stripers. This video was filmed over the Memorial Day weekend while I was fishing with my buddy. Great day and great company. The shad run will last until mid July. Water flows are perfect for wading. Good luck and stay safe! -JP

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmeCyaCF33Y

[STEELIES/26c3]

As most of you already know the American River is providing us with some awesome fly fishing opportunities right now for shad and stripers. This video was filmed over the Memorial Day weekend while I was fishing with my buddy. Great day and great company. The shad run will last until mid July. Water flows are perfect for wading. Good luck and stay safe! -JP

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmeCyaCF33Y

Good Job! Did you see any big striper while shad fishing? I have caught some monsters there over the years...

[Jeff Putnam]

I didnt see any over 6-8 lbs. I kept an eye open for em but the water was pretty murky. Unfortunately, this week the spear fishermen are back on the middle/lower river doing damage to the big hens. I rowed within a few feet of one diver and mentioned how few large stripers I see compared to the 80's/90's he said that's a good thing and that they're helping out the salmon population by removing large spawning stripers. I tried to point out that historical fish counting numbers show healthy salmon populations when stripers populations were also strong. He didn't want to hear and dove back underwater while I was in mid sentence.
I think we need to spend some time and research historical populations of migratory fish from California valley rivers to gain a better understanding of the impact we've had on them in the last 100 years. Fish and Game website has information. Currently, there are less than 1% of historical numbers of fish including salmon and steelhead migrating into CA rivers! That number haunts me every day. This goes far beyond catch and release (which is very important) to matters associated with environmental issues including allocated water flows, impacts of dams, politics and much more. Hopefully we'll change our attitudes from: There is an endless supply of fish for me to instead preserving the last remaining fish stocks. See ya on the water. -JP

[winxp_man]

I didnt see any over 6-8 lbs. I kept an eye open for em but the water was pretty murky. Unfortunately, this week the spear fishermen are back on the middle/lower river doing damage to the big hens. I rowed within a few feet of one diver and mentioned how few large stripers I see compared to the 80's/90's he said that's a good thing and that they're helping out the salmon population by removing large spawning stripers. I tried to point out that historical fish counting numbers show healthy salmon populations when stripers populations were also strong. He didn't want to hear and dove back underwater while I was in mid sentence.
I think we need to spend some time and research historical populations of migratory fish from California valley rivers to gain a better understanding of the impact we've had on them in the last 100 years. Fish and Game website has information. Currently, there are less than 1% of historical numbers of fish including salmon and steelhead migrating into CA rivers! That number haunts me every day. This goes far beyond catch and release (which is very important) to matters associated with environmental issues including allocated water flows, impacts of dams, politics and much more. Hopefully we'll change our attitudes from: There is an endless supply of fish for me to instead preserving the last remaining fish stocks. See ya on the water. -JP

Ignorance because of media feed intelligence sure is bliss!!!!!!! Gets my blood boiling! I will say it trophy hunting spear guys sure are assholes! Dont give me the it will be eaten. JP the statement of what the past was for fishing rings so true and its happening not only to the salmon, stripers, steelhead and shad (yes shad)... Its happening to a multitude of fish! Heck in AU they are trying to figure out how to breed tuna in captivity. If that does not tell you something I do not know what will.


Sad times when no one cares to do some truth seeking research! A majority of selfish people is what this world is coming to.


Thanks for the post JP!

[Jeff C.]

Great video JP! Shad fishing has been stellar so far for me!

[STEELIES/26c3]

I didnt see any over 6-8 lbs. I kept an eye open for em but the water was pretty murky. Unfortunately, this week the spear fishermen are back on the middle/lower river doing damage to the big hens. I rowed within a few feet of one diver and mentioned how few large stripers I see compared to the 80's/90's he said that's a good thing and that they're helping out the salmon population by removing large spawning stripers. I tried to point out that historical fish counting numbers show healthy salmon populations when stripers populations were also strong. He didn't want to hear and dove back underwater while I was in mid sentence.
I think we need to spend some time and research historical populations of migratory fish from California valley rivers to gain a better understanding of the impact we've had on them in the last 100 years. Fish and Game website has information. Currently, there are less than 1% of historical numbers of fish including salmon and steelhead migrating into CA rivers! That number haunts me every day. This goes far beyond catch and release (which is very important) to matters associated with environmental issues including allocated water flows, impacts of dams, politics and much more. Hopefully we'll change our attitudes from: There is an endless supply of fish for me to instead preserving the last remaining fish stocks. See ya on the water. -JP

There are lots of holes in the logic of the pro-striper-eradication mentality. But, even if you isolate his argument about helping salmonids... it is flawed logic because in actuality, the larger hens eat very few salmon smolts. The energy equation just does not favor it... A 30lb bass cannot afford to expend 500 calories of energy to catch and eat a 20 calorie fish. She would starve.

Large hens tend to eat slower moving fish and invertebrates (pike minnow, suckers, sunfish, trout, lamprey eels, crawdads, etc...) In fact, during this time of year when salmon smolts are most prevalent in the river, there are also a million, stupid shad in the river, all hyped up on hormones and predisposed to do the stupid shit we animals often do when we're so fixated on sex... as such, they are a much easier-to-catch and calorie-rewarding fodder for large stripers to pursue.

The smaller 'schoolie which is far more maneuverable and which has much lower caloric needs is more successful at sucking up smolts but since its smaller body size requires fewer fish daily to sustain it, the dynamic balance between predator and prey is maintained and the two species are able to successfully coexist.

Unfortunately, the spear-gunner (not fisher) wants nothing to do with the schoolies which can tolerate a considerable harvest, s/he wants to stalk and kill all of the largest, and most fecund, trophy-sized stripers in the system.

And the spear gunner also wants nothing to do with the facts and chooses instead to turn a blind eye to science because they do not support his selfish, ego-driven desires...

Sadly, the agencies we rely upon to protect our fisheries, CDFW, USFWS, DWR, BOR are complicit in the striper-eradication mentality because they too have selfish, ego-driven motives...

Who's right and who's wrong? I find that with most issues... credence goes to the side whose agenda has no benefactor or benefits the most rather than towards the self-serving agenda...

Clearly, spear gunners and the agencies bought and sold by Governor Brown have that self-serving agenda thing down to a (no not science)

[OceanSunfish]

I didnt see any over 6-8 lbs. I kept an eye open for em but the water was pretty murky. Unfortunately, this week the spear fishermen are back on the middle/lower river doing damage to the big hens. I rowed within a few feet of one diver and mentioned how few large stripers I see compared to the 80's/90's he said that's a good thing and that they're helping out the salmon population by removing large spawning stripers. I tried to point out that historical fish counting numbers show healthy salmon populations when stripers populations were also strong. He didn't want to hear and dove back underwater while I was in mid sentence.

Instead, ask the person how many letters they send or meetings they attend that support legislative work to improve the habitat for Salmon, Steelhead, et. al.

Lowest common denominator........ Thanks for trying to educate, nonetheless.