Jeff’s 2023 American River Shad Reports

[Jeff C.]

It is scheduled to go to 5000 cfs by Sunday morning. A lot more water will open to wading.

[Charlie Gonzales]

Thankful for a heads up from Mr. Ching, I got out on the kayak last night and got a few. My third time fishing from the kayak and getting the anchor system dialed; the lower flows will make it easier. Its amazing how stable these things are. Even in these high flows i can anchor and stand up and cast. Looking forward to fishing out of it more, lots of spots in mind. Hoping for a halibut before the summer is over.

[Jeff C.]

Four boats ahead of me this morning and I couldn’t get to my favorite spot. Bill Quinn and one of his grooms, Carl, was anchored in the sweet spot with another boat above and close to them. They were already into double digits when I showed up. I rowed over to the other side of the river to check it out but didn’t get a bump. The other boat moved on so I when back and anchored near Bill. By then the bite did the lunch time slow down. Float tuber Tom was out but he didn’t anything in his hole I ended getting one swinging and a few nymphing the slack water. I bailed just as Andrew Foster showed up with clients. I ended up in double digits further down river.

[Jeff C.]

I had a pretty good day today. Not that many boats this morning. Happy and Jeff were in Brandon’s Clacka and they were targeting stripers. Happy got a 15 lb carp in the lagoon. There was an old cowboy in an aluminum boat above the hole so I got to anchor in a good spot below him out of his way. He landed a 23.5” shad that he thought was a striper at first. I got well into double digits by lunch. Mary Ellen and Erika showed up and I saw a few caught by them before I headed down river. I ran into Andy in his jet boat on the way down and he told me he had a great day with his client down river in the morning. I even caught more down river before taking out. Hot fly for me today was the Pink Firecracker!

[Jeff C.]

Short solo float today down lower and I’m glad I did because I heard it was very busy with lots of boats from a couple that bailed from the scrum and Bruce Porter who got my sweet spot early. Saw Garrett Smith who was heading down river and Nathan S. who was fishing on foot. Got double digits before lunch when it slowed down for me. Steve Sylvester showed up and gave a couple of his hot pink flies. He started hooking up swinging anchored next to me. I tried swinging his fly but only had a few grabs that didn’t stick

[Jeff C.]

Floated with Earle today and we got double digits to the boat. Eric and Rod were anchored next to each other and hooking fish. Ethan’s client caught a 24” hen. We picked up Smitty who was wet wading and got him a couple of shad before dropping him off. Stan Jorgensen floated by with his wife, son and dog. We saw him hook one. Finally we ran into Steve Sylvester in him pram and he was hooking them swinging and nymphing. He gave me one of his Bubba Gump shad flies. Thanks Steve!

[Jeff C.]

Solo float today but I was not alone. I forgot it was a holiday so there were 12+ other boats with 7 in the big hole that everyone wanted to fish. I didn’t last to long there and took off to find my own water. Ended up in double digits swinging a new Shad Worm fly that ended up getting shredded. Hope it’s not so crazy tomorrow but I’m not holding my breathed.

[Ephemera]

Hearing that the flows were being lowered to 5000 ft on Sunday I took the plunge (NOT literally!) and drove over from the South Bay on Monday morning. Flows were wadable. Fished that evening at Paradise and only saw two passing fisherman despite it being a holiday. Fished again this morning. Did not get one strike either day and saw no signs of shad chasing bugs come the evening. Have all the shad hightailed it upriver during the larger flows? I prefer to fish Paradise as it seems less amenable to thieves, but will follow the fish. Any recommendations as far as spots to wade?

[Jeff C.]

Wading is possible at every river access. I would fish mid to upper river but be warned that’s where the fishing pressure is.

Floated today and there were less boats but the action wasn’t red hot. I didn’t stay at the big hole because Bill Quinn with John and Rob had the good swinging spots so I headed down river. Got a few up top but got most of my fish further down river. My Shad Worm fly got all of my fish except for one and I ended up in double digits. Andy was headed out with clients and Andrew Foster was coming down river when I left.

[Jeff C.]

Another solo float today. A couple of drift boats at the big hole. I couldn’t anchor anywhere good so I headed down river. Ended up with double digits all on my new Shad Worm fly. Saw a float tuber trying to nymph with swinging shad flies so a gave him a couple of Perdigons. Mary Ellen’s truck got broken into at the Sunrise access. No where is safe on the Parkway so never leave anything valuable in your vehicle.