Jeff’s 2022 AR Shad Reports

[Jeff C.]

Floated in the mini and got a handful swinging They were still scattered and weren’t concentrated anywhere except for a couple of pods in the flat above the run. Smitty was wet wading and he got several. Mary Ellen had a couple of gentlemen in her boat and I saw them get some nymphing.

[Jeff C.]

Launched the mini at 7:30 and there were 3 drift boats already on the water (Bruce Porter with a couple of young guys, Jared Shakin with Chops, and another with two guys didn’t know). Andy had started earlier and was further down river. They were all nymphing and got into fish when they moved to the drop off of a big hole. I stayed above them and ended up getting double digits swinging a Holo Ronald. Bruce was in the bucket and I got tired just watching them hook up on every drift.

[Jeff C.]

It wasn’t Bruce yesterday. I thought it was him because the boat looked like his and the guy on the sticks was about the same size and shape. Floated today in the heat and had the best day so far this run. Got well into double digits with all big hens except for a couple small males. There were no other boats and only Smitty and another guy wading. Everything caught on the Holo Ronald except for a couple on the Pink Lipstick.

[Pvillarr]

It wasn’t Bruce yesterday. I thought it was him because the boat looked like his and the guy on the sticks was about the same size and shape. Floated today in the heat and had the best day so far this run. Got well into double digits with all big hens except for a couple small males. There were no other boats and only Smitty and another guy wading. Everything caught on the Holo Ronald except for a couple on the Pink Lipstick.

Sounds like a killer day. Which fly is the Holo Ronald?

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I guess it is time to go out now?

What is the flow? I am too lazy to look it up.



Retired guys use to fish weekdays in the mornings.

Working stiffs use to fish on the weekday evenings, after work.

Then we left the weekends for the "out of town crowd."



At ~15 I use to ride my bike a few miles in south Sacramento to the famous "Minnow Hole" for Shad....1960.

I believe it was the outflow of the sewage treatment plant into the Sacramento river.

There would be 20 to 30 anglers lined up from the outflow, down stream, standing just above the water line.

The Shad would come through in schools so after a while I would just wait till the guys below men started hooking fish.

Everyone used spinning rods and reels with maybe 6# mono and a "Shad jig" that you could buy at Thrifty's.

I was where I learned how to play fish that actually took out the drag so I was already prepared for bigger gamefish.


Then in about few years my brother Dick and I moved to the lower America river and fly fished for Shad from then on.

The staff at the famous "Sports Unlimited" sporting goods store set me up with my first 9 weight outfit for Shad.



Dick and I joined the CFFU and we both were the News Letter editors for a while.

Joining the club was the best thing we ever did because it had members who were really top fly fishers of the day.

We met Joe Shirshac, Walt Bennett, Neil Hansen, Joe Patterson, George Martin, Chuck Campana and a few others.

These fine men of the Greatest Generation treated us 'young punks' like they were our Uncles.

They taught us how to be "Outdoorsmen" and how to be men too by their fine examples.

We both went on the CFFU's fantastic monthly "Outings", fishing all over Northern California.


Fly fishing for Shad was/is a great "stepping stone" for fly fishers so they can move on the Steelhead, Stripers and salmon.

.

[Jeff C.]

The Holo Ronald is a Firecracker with yellow holographic tinsel and a silver bead.

[Pvillarr]

The Holo Ronald is a Firecracker with yellow holographic tinsel and a silver bead.

Thanks for the description.

[Jeff C.]

Floated with Earle mid day and we got into double digits. Earle out fished me 3:1. I must have used all my mojo up yesterday when I had the best day so far this run. It was Earle’s best day so far!

[Jeff C.]

Floated again with Earle today and we got double digits to the boat. I got my mojo back, Earle and I caught almost the same number of fish. Hot fly was the Holo Ronald. Andy was below us with clients and they were hooking big hens nymphing.

[Jeff C.]

Solo float today in the strong North wind. There was no one else fishing except for a couple of spin guys wet wading. They didn’t last too long because it was cold in the wind (I was cold in my boat). More anglers started showing up when it started to warm up around noon. Got into double digits but it was work because the shad were scattered all over the place.