How many different rivers?

[Tony Buzolich]

I'm not familiar with the Rogue that well but are there any dams between where you fish and the ocean? Or natural barriers like waterfalls?

The reason being, shad won't go up and over fish ladders like salmon and steelhead do.

Examples of this would be the diversion dam at Red Bluff, I don't think I've ever heard of shad above Red Bluff.
The same is true of Daguerre Dam on the Yuba. You never see shad at Park's Bar or Sycramore.
Even on the Feather when the water is low at Shanghai Bend falls the shad will stack there too.
And the Russian at Healdsburg. Not a very big dam there and it has a nice fish ladder too but never a shad at Cloverdale or above.

Shad, because of this are all lower river fish with easy access to the ocean.
TONY

[sculpin]

Tony
That may be the reason we don't see them up river. Raine Falls in the Rogue Canyon may stop them and we also have the famous Savage Rapids Dam and Gold Ray Dam both have fish ladders. I've lived here almost 30yrs and have only heard rumors of Shad in the Rogue and have never talked to anyone in person who said they have caught them in the Rogue. That doesn't mean the aren't there. When the shad run I'm fishing up river. Maybe I never hear about Shad on the Rogue because everone who want's to fish for them goes to the Umpqua .It's a faster drive.

Mark

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Carl,

Can you describe the outfit and line, leader and flies you use to catch Shad on the Russian River?

[Tony Buzolich]

Obviously there are exceptions to everything but for the most part shad don't seem to use fish ladders like salmon do and "most" will stack up below an obsticle.

Now, those shad that are closest to the sea obviously have the greatest urge to get to where they want to spawn. Most of the Russian is only a hop and skip from the mouth at Jenner so I would guess those eager little guys shoot past anything that close.

In bigger rivers in the valley they've traveled a long way and maybe they're closer to an area that would be suitable for their spawning.

Whatever the case may be, they're really a fun fish and I've enjoyed them wherever they were taken.
TONY