Jeff’s 2020 AR Shad Reports

[Pvillarr]

My father and I hit double digits yesterday fishing the middle part of the river wading. The hot fly was a #10 firecracker. The Shad still seem like they are moving in and are not quite packed up yet. Nonetheless, it was fun!

[winxp_man]

Yes flows are down big time compared to last years 5k minimum it was as high as 10k in June!

[Nmitch]

Had a good day sat with 6 fish in about an hour. Sunday got 10 total with a buddy in same general area. Both days the bite slowed down in the evening...don’t know if it was the fish or I needed to move spots.

[Jeff C.]

Fished early this morning with Smitty mid river and we got into some but it wasn’t lights out. Andy called me while I was fishing to ask if I wanted to do a recon in his jet Lowe. Obviously when Andy asked you I’d you want to go look for shad with him you jump on it. We launched his boat mid-river and it was initially slow but we stated to find one or two here and there. We finally found a bunch in some shallow water. Always great to fish with Capt. Andy.

[Keepemwet]

Fished early this morning with Smitty mid river and we got into some but it wasn’t lights out. Andy called me while I was fishing to ask if I wanted to do a recon in his jet Lowe. Obviously when Andy asked you I’d you want to go look for shad with him you jump on it. We launched his boat mid-river and it was initially slow but we stated to find one or two here and there. We finally found a bunch in some shallow water. Always great to fish with Capt. Andy.

Did you guys see any stripers chasing those Shad around or schools?

[Jeff C.]

We didn’t see any stripers and no big pods of shad and Andy has a keen eye for spotting stripers.

[Jeff C.]

Fished this morning midriver and did well until it got crowded with bobber anglers. Hot fly was the Firecracker

[Jeff C.]

Did a solo float (upper river to mid-river). Got one or two here and there from the top to the take-out but did pickup a half dozen in one mid-river hole that was a wind tunnel. The North wind was brutal in a few reaches. FYI, went by an angler who told me the Harrington was packed.

[Pvillarr]

Did a solo float (upper river to mid-river). Got one or two here and there from the top to the take-out but did pickup a half dozen in one mid-river hole that was a wind tunnel. The North wind was brutal in a few reaches. FYI, went by an angler who told me the Harrington was packed.

Thanks for the report Jeff. I saw a video someone took of Harringtons and it was almost shoulder to shoulder there.

[Skyler76]

Thanks for the report Jeff. I saw a video someone took of Harringtons and it was almost shoulder to shoulder there.

Yep, I walked the bank at Gristmill, both Harrington and Gristmill were both shoulder to shoulder. I didn't realize shad were only at that one riffle..

On a serious note, did a float from SB to Rossmoore today. No visible shad above Sunrise, but plenty all the way down from Sunrise.