Trip Report: American (Shad)

I've always wanted to try fishing for Shad, but I've never taken the plunge. On Monday evening, I took up an offer to be shown where to go on the American for these feisty fish.

We weren't to meet until 6pm, so I arrived a little early around 3:30 for some potential half pounder action. The temp was in the high 90's and thank goodness for leaky waders, cause I was pretty miserable. I waded and walked down some riffles and pools, but didn't get anything more than a bite. So much for steelhead.

I met Aaron a little after six and we walked for a few minutes upriver. He knew exactly where to go. Aaron started flicking out his jig (he wasn't using a fly rod) trying to locate the fish. I watched for a few casts and then started trying to get my line out there. We were in a section without much current, and frankly, I was struggling. I couldn't get the fly out very far and without the current swinging the line downriver, it was awkward at best.

Aaron didn't have the same problem and it wasn't long before he caught his first fish. He offered to give up his spot and I stepped in and didn't have any luck. Aaron seemed to catch fish wherever he was, so I knew they were there, I just couldn't get 'em.

I'm not sure how much time went by, but we moved downstream. Eventually and smartly I took off the longer scandi line and put on the short compact skagit with a 10 foot sinking leader. This allowed me to strip in further each time. We were now in a place with more current and swinging was possible.

Aaron needed to take off, and before he left, he gave me the jig that he was using. I thought I'd try it. My shad flies didn't seem to be working (upon further review, I think it was the presentation, not the fly) anyway.

Not more than a few minutes later, I was getting casts out 60-70 feet. Flicking it slightly upstream, I'd let it sink for a bit then twitch the rod here and there, followed by a strip. I finally got a bump! The next cast, I caught my first shad. He wasn't real big (maybe 15 inches), but inch for inch, he gave up a decent fight.

It was getting late and I was just now discovering a method that worked. Too bad it took me until then to figure it out! By dark, I caught 3 shad and hooked a bunch more. Whatever I was doing - worked. I'll be back to try again. Thanks Aaron!