Jeff's 2016 AR Shad Reports

[Jeff C.]

Very slow evening for me! Only got 6 but the morning was ok and I ended up with about 20 for the day. Hope it not the sign that we have turned the corner on this run. I personally haven't seen any spawning action at dusk but maybe with the full moon they are doing it later at night. The water is still cold in the upper river for spawning but I know they have done their thing even when the temps were not optional (>62 degrees) and split. Hope to get another month of action.

[itsbenlong]

We fished yesterday between 6p-8:30p and caught around 40 fish between two of us in the lower river. We have noticed in the past week that we have been catching more Hen's than usual. The fishing was steady but we didn't slay them like the night before. It sure was hot with very little wind in the afternoon.

[Jeff C.]

Nice to hear Ben. Those shad will end up heading my way eventually.

[itsbenlong]

Jeff....I am also hoping we get another month in. I will probably keep fishing where I have been until it dies out. I figure if fish are being caught in the lower river they are most likely moving up. I haven't noticed any of the fish we have been catching are spawned out. Although, I don't care what direction they are going, as long as they keep biting.....lol

[fishingolf]

what line setup do you guys use? I usually use a sinking tip line with my 6wt 9ft rod but was thinking of using a floating switch line with my 6wt switch rod. What are your opinions on this?

[itsbenlong]

What I have seen with my 6wt Switch/Floating line is, your fly doesn't stay down in the zone as long and it comes up pretty high at the end of the drift. I catch fish on it but have had better luck with other setups. I mainly use it in the evening when the fish are a little higher in the water column. I do use that setup you are talking about quite often though and it works....

I have used 3 different rods this season, normally carry two......the first one is my 6wt Switch w/ the Switch Chucker line and I switch between a 10' Superfast Sinking Polyleader, T-14 & T-11. The T-14 is difficult to cast but the results are better. Personally, I would just start with the heaviest sink tip the run can handle with whatever rod you can get it out there correctly.

I have also been using my Streamer Tip line that I use for Striper. This is my best setup so far.....It is a 26ft 350gr sink tip.......which I have on a single hand 8wt....not ideal, would rather use a lighter rod but I have been killing it with that setup.

Before I started using the 8wt, I was using my 5wt with a floating line and a superfast poly tip (can't remember which one), I also used a T-14 mo tip on it, which was impossible to cast far, but I was killing it with that setup too......

It also really depends on where you are fishing......so bring lots of tips and if you have them....try 12.5' tips over 10' ones first.....

Bottom line for me is: I am using the wrong line/tips if I am not snagging clam shells from time to time.

I probably would use more appropriate setups if I could afford to buy more tips......however sometime you just have to make due. lol

[Jeff C.]

Getting your fly down to the depth that they are holding at is very important. An inexpensive way to get a set of different tips (instead of buying MOW tips) is to make them yourself. Buy T-11, T-14, T-17 and T-20 off a bulk spool. Put a welded loop on one end and nail knot a butt section on the other end. If you can't weld a loop, make a loop with two 8-10 lb mono nail knots. The other option for a loop is a braided loop. When casting the heavier tips you need a stouter rod and a line (like a Skagit) that can handle the extra mass.

[itsbenlong]

Thanks Jeff, I really need to do that on my Switch rod......I have the perfect setup for my 7wt Spey but I don't like using that rod for Shad fishing.....are you using a Skagit line with that LC tip?

[Jeff C.]

Yes, a 500 grain iFlight head on my 6126 Method Spey. Got 10 tonite and Nathan got over 30. He was in the bucket using T-14.

[Jeff C.]

Gear guys are still fishing up there but not as many because it's been slow. Benny and Reggie fished all afternoon and only caught 7 in 5 hours. I showed up after work and didn't get a single bump for 2 hours. In the third hour I caught 2. During the 3 hours I watched Nathan catch almost 20 because he was in the bucket. I ended up getting 15 more in the last 30-40 minutes because Nathan gave up his bucket.