Jeff’s 2021 AR Shad Reports

[Jeff C.]

I personally prefer to catch shad swinging for them. The low flow has resulted in the majority of the shad to hang in water that is slow and difficult to get a good swing. Most guides are using indos which have been producing for their clients. Fished a mid river run early this morning and only got a couple. Went further up river and got a handful using an intermediate sink tip. Didn’t see anyone else hook up.

[ErikB]

So now you have to use an indicator to catch shad?? Besides getting constantly pounded in low clear water, what do we surmise has caused these changes in shad behavior and shad fishing?

If it has come to the best/only way to catch shad on the American is an indo rig no thanks. The whole thing for me is getting that hard grab as that fly is swinging in the current is the reason to fish for these guys. Other rivers have good flows so that is where I will be. 7400 CFS on my spot right now. I can't see fishing the A unless we can get better flows plus the risk of vehicle break in almost makes it not worth it.

[Jeff C.]

You can still get them swinging on the A but the low flow has resulted only a few places with fast enough moving water. This has caused these spots to coveted and at sometimes crowded.

[Mark Kranhold]

The joy of the American Shad fishing, combat fishing. It’s almost as bad as the Salmon season, if not worse. Another reason I can’t get into Shad. How about a floating line with a 15-17 foot tapered mono leader for that slow moving Shad water
or go dry fly in the evening for those surface takes.

[Troutsource]

I've never targeted shad but last year ended up hitting a pod of them or something while fishing for blue backs. I was high-stick nymphing using a Frenchie (pheasant tail nymph w/ pink hot spot) and couldn't keep the shad off my line. It almost felt like fishing for bluegills with worms. I guess I was lucky(?).

[Jeff C.]

Solo float today. Got into double digits all swinging a T-11 MOW tip and a medium intermediate MOW tip. I watched Ben Thompson’s client yank a ton of shad using indo rigs and swinging.

[Jeff C.]

Another solo float today. A spot that was good yesterday was dead today. I only got a few so I decided to move down river. Found a mini bucket and got into double digits using the Perdigon Ronald and Perdigon Lipstick. Same MOW tips as yesterday.

[Jeff C.]

Solo float today and the upper part was slow. Got to the spot I did well at the past couple of days and started hooking them at a pretty good pace. A flotilla of kayakers went through the run and the shad scattered but I ended up in double digits. The shad are doing the late run thing and are not biting except for early and late in the day.

[Jeff C.]

Wet waded mid-day and the fishing was sporadically good. Got into double digits using an intermediate sink tip. The rafters didn’t really affect the bite because there only a few. This weekend is going to be another story. You’ll probably able to walk across the river on the rafts that will be clogging Sunrise.

[Jeff C.]

When out early this morning and fished 3 spots. Only landed one and had 2 other grabs in 4 hours of swinging. Andy told me Ethan Bush slayed em this morning nymphing before the raft hatch.