Jeff's 2016 AR Shad Reports

[JAWallace]

Fished the upper section Monday night, fortunate to have been with a friend on his jet. Boaters and bankers very polite as were we, slowing down and giving everyone room, but not too crowded. Between us we got around 40, and towards the end landed a very nice striper, my PB on the American, great way to end up a good evening. I was using my usual glass rods, but couldn't find my T200 so used an OBS WF8 on a 7 wt. Fenwick, completely inappropriate for the rod and hard on the shoulder, but it did work well getting the flies down fast. The stripe gave the Fenwick a good test. Fun times with classic glass.

[Jeff C.]

Nathan and I both got double digits. It was slow until the light got low. More gear than fly guys tonite. Nathan is going to Truckee this weekend to work at Northstar.

[itsbenlong]

Hey Jeff, I went out yesterday (Wed) as well and it was the slowest afternoon so far....however, the evening picked up pretty well and the majority of our fish were Hen's w/ a lot of fight and all good sized. Not sure what that means but thought I would mention it. lol

[ZWhit]

Fingers crossed Jeff has a 50 fish day! Good sign for the rest of us.

[Jeff C.]

Very crowded this evening! 2-3 times more gear guys than fly. No one caught anything except for me until the sun went down. Ended up with double digits. I don't think it's ending but the catching has dropped by half. We'll see if this downward trend continues. Boaters are doing good!

[Jeff C.]

Very slow during the day. Had a little action after the sun went down and ended up with 11. Looks like it's winding down. Boats were catching them occasionally but it wasn't on fire!

[ZWhit]

Same for me this evening. Although last year if I only had three in one evening I would have been glowing all the way home. LOL. My question for Jeff C's Shad University faculty is: Based on the shad I caught tonight, it seemed spent. Weak. Not even trying to resist. Might that be from being caught multiple times or is that from doing their business and they're tired? (BTW, using a 4 wt Echo glass switch with fast sink versa. So fun fish or no fish. )

[kbarton]

Saturday morning I fished upper Sunrise with the Shock Troops from Geartown. One two handed fellow, myself, and 15 gear anglers. I hooked 6 and landed 5 using Andy Guibord's Green Caddis Pupa (size #12), used white and orange top flies, and did not get a grab on anything other than the #12.

Not a single fish landed by the 15 gear anglers. Activity was between 630AM and 700AM, then doldrums there after. Each time I moved to a different spot I would get grabs or a couple fish, if I stayed in one spot I got nothing but fluorescent styrofoam floating about me. Most of the anglers were using gelatinous grubs or tubes on a jig head, not darts.

Left about 10AM when two families with kids started dancing with my back casts - didn't want to risk a 9 year old on a 2X tippet ... I'm pretty sure I could've landed him, but Mom looked a little heavy for such a light tippet.

[winxp_man]

Had a decent morning. Was only around one other single hand fly guy. Nice person for sure!! Left with 11 in hand 6 ldr's and numerous missed hits. The fish will be around a bit longer for sure. Saw a roe sack from a fish someone gutted and it was till full, and no spawing actions that I can see going on. Something else is killing the bite for sure. Fished one of the other days and a striper once it started chasing they where gone. But get out and deep during the day because they are down with this heat for sure.

[kbarton]

I think that was me friend Aron, as I saw the roe sack at the edge of the water. I went further downstream. Managed a few more down below.

This is entirely conjecture, but I'm with Aron ... the fish seem to be there ... they just go off the feed abruptly. In some cases it may be noise and gear pressure, but there doesn't seem to be less of them - just less of them feeding. Full moon? Was exactly the same way last weekend AM as well.