Shad: Are we there yet?

[Douglas R]

The cold weather this weekend caused my mind to wander and had me wishing to fish.  It reminded me of being a kid piled in a station wagon pleading "Are we there yet!"

I was researching historic and forecasted cherry blossom bloom dates and began to wonder if a similar record existed for the first shad caught of the season?  Do any of the Fletcher's Boathouse reports or Shad Updates contain a historic record of the first shad each year?  If not, it would be cool to start tracking the first catch (for American and Hickory of course), the peak time, and the last of the season.  With that data collected, it may be possible to predict arrival of the shad based upon the cherry blossom forecast!

Any help collecting prior years first shad of the season data would be much appreciated.

-Doug

[Scott Stankus]

Ask and you shall receive...

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1eKbAnb3SX6TR2w7wZIpQv2z5XmxqcfIoRNudifKalhA/edit

From Mike Bailey's 2014 post here:

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/tidal-potomac-fly-rodders/First$20Bite$20records/tidal-potomac-fly-rodders/193IUhYQ9T8/bEWRUojQkboJ

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================================================

"There are 10 types of people in this world, those who know binary, and those who don't"

[Rex Moore]

This conversation also reminds me of TPFR's collaborative Google Excel sheets resource: 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1aKmCyJIvwrmZJdu-AwaAFq2YbFaqEjFIY9W1qlyDdyk/edit?hl=en#gid=0

I had to do a lot of searching to find this again... glad to see it's still there! Anyone can contribute.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tidal-potomac-fly-rodders/CAONredhu4Fxbha5hJnZOv_AiX%2BXuDSN3kz68w_muox32W1LP7Q%40mail.gmail.com.

[Alex Binsted]

Last year the first hickory was caught on March 27 with a river temp of 47º and the first American on April 2 at 53º.

[Bob Smith]

Roughly 15-20 degrees to go.

[TurbineBlade]

Kelvin?

On Wednesday, February 17, 2016 at 1:32:15 PM UTC-5, Bob Smith wrote:

Roughly 15-20 degrees to go.

[Bob Smith]

Fahrenheit

[Douglas R]

A big thank you for the data!  I took some time to graph and analyze.  Check out the attachment for the results.

-Doug

On Wednesday, February 17, 2016 at 2:13:02 PM UTC-5, Bob Smith wrote:

Fahrenheit

[namfos]

Nice work, Doug.

Mark

[Carl Smolka]

Nice job!

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[Patrick Ottenhoff]

This is awesome - thanks much!

On Thursday, February 18, 2016 at 10:23:20 PM UTC-5, Douglas R wrote:

[TurbineBlade]

Agreed.  This is pretty neat Doug.  Thanks for posting this - 

Gene

[Jim Boryan]

Douglas,

This post reminded me of my father telling me that the shad would come in as soon as the dogwoods start blooming. I wonder if there's any scientific data to back that up...
Great post.

Jim

[TurbineBlade]

My father used to tell us kids that Christmas comes only after the tax returns came in April.  Do you guys think that's true?

Gene

[ALarge]

TurbineBlade and father during the shad run: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us3i_1V1Q_A

[Jim Boryan]

Gene,

Am I missing something? I thought that maybe if Douglas was interested in looking into a correlation between the cherry blossoms and shad, then he would've been equally as interested in one between shad and dogwood trees.

[TurbineBlade]

Oh, no Jim -- I'm just messing around ;).  I'm sure if you plotted the blooming against the shad run you could probably correlate the two for sure, possibly with some noise depending upon the year.  That's a totally reasonable comment to make.  

I had a sarcastic friend as a child (hard to believe right?) whose Dad used to always say that Christmas came in April and I just happened to remember it when I read your post.  

Gene ("ADHD") TB

[Douglas R]

After some number crunching, I've updated the latest shad forecast.  My preliminary estimate is for March 19th!

Jim, I looked but could not find any historic data to support the dogwood correlation.  The NPS is supposed to release their first bloom forecast of 2016 tomorrow, so keep an eye out for more updates in the future.

-Doug

[arthur noglak]

Thanks Douglass.This is both helpful and entertaining. After work on March 19th im going to run down to Fletchers with a spey rod and see if I cant stick a shad biased on your prediction.
If I get one I owe you a drink my friend.

When do they start renting boats?

Art

[arthur noglak]

[Douglas R]

Attached is your weekly shad prediction update.  Recent cormorant sightings and warm temperature forecasts signal that the shad run is just around the corner!

Art, I'll keep an eye out for you on Saturday.  I'm not exactly sure when Fletcher's starts renting boats, but if I recall correctly it's not until the last weekend in March or the first weekend in April.  Does any body know the exact date?

[Douglas R]

Attached is your weekly shad prediction update.  Recent cormorant sightings and warm temperature forecasts signal that the shad run is just around the corner!

Art, I'll keep an eye out for you on Saturday.  I'm not exactly sure when Fletcher's starts renting boats, but if I recall correctly it's not until the last weekend in March or the first weekend in April.  Does any body know the exact date?

On Tuesday, March 1, 2016 at 10:40:23 PM UTC-5, arthur noglak wrote:

[Douglas R]

They're here!!  Signing off with the last prediction report for 2016.  It's been fun, until next year!

[andrewm...@gmail.com]

I tried getting to Fletcher's yesterday from SW DC around 430. 20 minutes later at 7 and Independence SW, I turned around and went home. Anybody make it?

[Steven Butler]

Amazing day for sure, wanted to get out there but Accotink Creek made a casualty of my wading boots so in the market for those before I get back to it.

Another question to anyone willing to offer the advice, I've read a lot of old posts and consensus seems to be mixed, for shore fishing for shad in the area btwn Fletcher and Chain Bridge, is it more easily accessible to walk down at Chain Bridge or up from Fletcher's? I know CB has the rocks people perch on, are there areas coming up from and closer to fletcher's with similar room to cast? Not asking for specifics on spots, just general ease of access.

[Yambag Nelson]

If I am targeting shad from shore I prefer to go to fletchers and walk up.  There are only a handful of spots with easy backcasting room so you need to get a bit creative or use a spey rod since the easy spots are frequently taken.  If I am fishing for schoolies or whatever other species I like chain bridge better.  

[Adam Soller]

Get a spey rod and its fairly easy to access from the shore from Fletcher's to CB.  Just be careful around the rocks at CB on both the DC & VA sides - I always wear a inflatable PFD or traditional vest. 

[Andrew Sarcinello]

Friend and I tried CB on the VA side for an hour. No action from any fish. Saw 3 splashes in slow eddies in that time - species unknown.

[andrewm...@gmail.com]

Went out yesterday. Just a couple of folks out. Didn't see anyone pull anything in, including the cormorants. one splash. 

Water temps spiked today. http://waterdata.usgs.gov/md/nwis/uv?site_no=01646500

 

Tomorrow afternoon, my team is leaving for Chicago for the rest of the week and leaving me here alone. Tomorrow may be an an early Irish exit from work. 

[Forrest Allen]

I made my first Fletchers outing of the year yesterday after work. I fished the incoming tide for about an hour/hour and a half, and hooked into my first few shad of the year! I use my 5 weight out there, which makes casting tough, and catching extra fun. I managed to bring in 5, and missed a few sets and lost a couple of flies. So the fishing isnt hot, but its certainly heating up. There were a handful of folks out there but I only saw one other person with a spin reel actually catch a few. 

One comment on the flies. Do most of you use the shad darts? That's what I typically use, but I was thinking of using the clouser more this year for better chances of hooking other species too. I caught shad on both the dart and the clouser yesterday (unsurprisingly). 

I took a couple of pictures that I think the group will appreciate! 

[Lane Thurgood]

Forrest,

I prefer clousers and bucktails to the conehead darts. I generally fish a bright clouser on point and a Mickey Finn or something similar off a blood-knot dropper.

My shad box always includes chartreuse, orange, purple and pink clousers in descending order of my favorites. I generally fish size 6s for shad.

But I fish 7- and 8- weights.

[Lane Thurgood]

[Rob Snowhite]

Size 1 Clouser with a Shad fly dropper should do the trick. There is a minnow fly at Orvis that looks just like the shiners that stack up to eat the Shad eggs. It's weightless so you can toss it with a 5wt on that depth charge. 

Sent from my iPhone

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[TurbineBlade]

I don't know about flies, but I do know that each and every person fishing for shad is a monster.  Do you really think the shad want to be out there struggling against their will, having to move your nasty flies away from their spawning area just for your selfish amusement? 

It's disgusting and indefensible people!  Hang your heads -- and remember how poor of a sportsman you are.

There -- that ought to free up a boat in a couple of weeks for me that would have otherwise been occupied by one or more vegetarians reading this!

Gene

On Thursday, March 24, 2016 at 9:37:31 AM UTC-4, Rob Snowhite wrote:

Size 1 Clouser with a Shad fly dropper should do the trick. There is a minnow fly at Orvis that looks just like the shiners that stack up to eat the Shad eggs. It's weightless so you can toss it with a 5wt on that depth charge. 

Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 24, 2016, at 8:37 AM, Forrest Allen <gforres...@gmail.com> wrote:

I made my first Fletchers outing of the year yesterday after work. I fished the incoming tide for about an hour/hour and a half, and hooked into my first few shad of the year! I use my 5 weight out there, which makes casting tough, and catching extra fun. I managed to bring in 5, and missed a few sets and lost a couple of flies. So the fishing isnt hot, but its certainly heating up. There were a handful of folks out there but I only saw one other person with a spin reel actually catch a few. 

One comment on the flies. Do most of you use the shad darts? That's what I typically use, but I was thinking of using the clouser more this year for better chances of hooking other species too. I caught shad on both the dart and the clouser yesterday (unsurprisingly). 

I took a couple of pictures that I think the group will appreciate! 

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[Melser Bonilla]

Lol! Hopefully we have about 50 vegetarians reading this.

[namfos]

LOL!

[TurbineBlade]

Look to your sins!  The night is dark and full of terrors. 

Gene

[Andrew Sarcinello]

NICE!! Not that easy to land shad on a 5 wt.  Hoping to get my first of the year later today.

[Andrew LaVigne]

Shad. (ring ring) 

Shad. (ring ring)

Shad. (ring ring)

Shad. (ring ring)

[Adam Soller]

Landed three this morning during 1.5 hours (7:20 - 8:45ish) with the two hander upriver from Fletchers.  Healthy Hickories this year.

[Rob Snowhite]

Not enough of a catch rate to get me out there yet. I want a tug every few casts. 

Sent from my iPhone

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[Alex Large]

I caught about 20 or so hicks in a couple hours at sunset yesterday, same spot. Lost half as many to shoddy 5wt rod work, too. Drop a white-dominant clouser off a bright any-colored shad fly and you'll get all the tugs your heard desires. 

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[Terry C]

At this point we have seen enough pictures of shad so no fish porn today, they are there in numbers, if I give you a number, you wouldn't believe me. Let's say in 5 hrs of fishing I had only a handful of casts without a hookup. Use those sink tip shooting heads, quarter down , and strip. Got a few nice Americans and some very bid hickories. The Potomac is an amazing place. Go get em.

[Andrew Sarcinello]

Landed 3 hickories tonight a good ways downstream of CB, on VA side. Spent too much time too close to the bridge, but was happy to finally get into them at the end of the evening. Felt like we were chasing small pods of fish. Would catch one, then all quiet until i would move to the next point. Saw an enormous hickory jump at one point, but the ones I landed were on the small side. One nice 13-14". Herring are thick at the bridge.

Only gonna get better from here on! Woooo!

[arthur noglak]

Terry and I put some big numbers on the board again today at Fletchers.

Art

[Jeffrey Silvan]

Anyone know boathouse hours?

On Sun, Mar 27, 2016 at 10:06 PM, arthur noglak <arthur...@gmail.com> wrote:

Terry and I put some big numbers on the board again today at Fletchers.

Art

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[TurbineBlade]

Darn - Rain Thursday and/or Friday. C'est la vie.  

Gene

On Sunday, March 27, 2016 at 10:13:20 PM UTC-4, Jeff Silvan wrote:

Anyone know boathouse hours?

On Sun, Mar 27, 2016 at 10:06 PM, arthur noglak <arthur...@gmail.com> wrote:

Terry and I put some big numbers on the board again today at Fletchers.

Art

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[Yambag Nelson]

I got a bunch yesterday as well.  Faster retrieve drew the more committed takes.  Lost two large Americans at the side of the boat.  I hate nets but may need to start using one when fishing solo at Fletchers.

[Terry C]

I think you were next to us yesterday. 

[Douglas R]

Sounds like the overcast sky was great for fishing yesterday!

Was able to get out there Saturday afternoon.  Consistent action during the moving tide.  Slack sinking line hanging directly behind the boat produced fewer fish than a fast retrieve, but the ones that did hit a straight line were some of the bigger fish.

Also, saw one boat hook up with a nice striper while jigging/trolling.

My buddy brought a Go-Pro and I edited a little video.  First attempt, so I'm sure it's rough

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6-NXBfQJcs

[TurbineBlade]

Thank you guys for the reports -- 

I'll speak for myself and the other 1,000 parasites who use this as litmus paper to plan their own trip ;).  

Gene

[Yambag Nelson]

Probably. There were two guys who were doing particularly well, guessing that was you. 

A little while after you left I moved up to where you were and started hitting them pretty good.  There was a lull until 4:45 or so and then it got awfully good (fish probably 2/3 casts). 

On Monday, March 28, 2016 at 4:23:44 PM UTC-4, Terry C wrote:

[Alexei Silverman]

Solid shad day on Saturday, then last nights's cold snap seriously slowed things down as connected w very few this am and most of the boats seemed to be similar straits.

[Andrew Sarcinello]

I was out both last night and tonight in my usual after work spot, CB on the VA side. None yesterday, 1 shad tonight. Hoping tomorrow with the clouds will be a good day

[Andrew LaVigne]

Slow today. I was fishing on the Fletcher's side, upstream from the Cove from shore. Very few splashes, caught 2 shad around 9:00am, then nothing for 2 hours. Did catch what google tells me was a quillback sucker - hooked him in the face, not sure if he was trying to eat the shad fly or I just fouled him. 

[Yambag Nelson]

I fished above fletchers from 6:00-645 pm yesterday.  Got three, had a couple others on.  I don't know if it is the low water or just where I was, but the fish seemed to all be quite a ways out from shore.  I was chucking a decent bit of line and if they didn't hit it within the first couple strips I didn't get anything. 

[tperkins]

Wonder what next weeks weather will do to the run. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2016/04/01/next-weeks-wild-weather-will-test-washingtonians-patience-and-grit/

[kylef...@gmail.com]

I'd say we're there. I fished 3.5 hours this morning at Walkers point- 30 hickory and 1 American Shad landed. Sometimes I'd get them on every cast for 3-4 in a row.

This cold front coming in tonight will probably push the Shad deeper and make them sluggish.

[TurbineBlade]

Man, I'd like to make a trip.  I'll have to see with Bethy though -- she was pretty tired earlier.  

Gene

[John R]

Hey TPFR. I haven't been in the area for two years now, but made it back this weekend and had the chance to fish above Chain Bridge at the helicopter pad for two hours Saturday morning.

Tons of Hickory Shad in the big eddy right below the heli pad. I landed between 15 and 20 fish, getting a tug every two or three swings. Fair to say the Hickory Shad are in the river in good numbers.

-John Riccio

[Andrew Sarcinello]

Was out with two friends at CB yesterday. Fished DC side. Good action below the bridge but definitely not peaking yet. One American caught and a bunch of hickories. Above helipad the eddies are jam packed with hickory and gizzard shad, but the hickories up there did not seem interested in chasing anything but each other. Friend actually got 3 gizzard shad to take the flies but they didn't like my dart. Did not fish between the helipad and the bridge, too many other anglers.

[Rob Snowhite]

Pics from yesterday

[namfos]

Point of information: you dip the darts in the Cutty?

Mark

On Sunday, April 3, 2016 at 12:35:51 PM UTC-4, Rob Snowhite wrote:

Pics from yesterday

[Rusty Shackleford]

Anybody had any luck in this cold?  A buddy and I are planning to go out Friday.  

[Rob Snowhite]

Water temps at 52 right now. Metabolically the shad won't be spawning. When they spawn they chase flies. The fish will most likely drop back down river. No fish to chase flies. 

Bottom bounce some big Clouser for walleye. 

Watch the shad cam. No activity 

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/shadcam/

Sent from my iPhone

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[Dalton Terrell]

We were out this morning chasing stripers with no luck on that front, but people were wailing on shad right out from the cove. There's no telling how the bite will be Friday, but I say give it a go.

Dalton

[Rusty Shackleford]

We've been planning on going out, so we'll still try.

Rob, where do I find the river temp, and at what temp and above is ideal for shad?

On Wednesday, April 6, 2016 at 11:52:56 AM UTC-4, Rob Snowhite wrote:

Water temps at 52 right now. Metabolically the shad won't be spawning. When they spawn they chase flies. The fish will most likely drop back down river. No fish to chase flies. 

Bottom bounce some big Clouser for walleye. 

Watch the shad cam. No activity 

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/shadcam/

Sent from my iPhone

On Apr 6, 2016, at 10:34 AM, Rusty Shackleford <rusty.sha...@gmail.com> wrote:

Anybody had any luck in this cold?  A buddy and I are planning to go out Friday.  

On Sunday, April 3, 2016 at 1:05:05 PM UTC-4, namfos wrote:

Point of information: you dip the darts in the Cutty?

Mark

On Sunday, April 3, 2016 at 12:35:51 PM UTC-4, Rob Snowhite wrote:

Pics from yesterday

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[Scott Stankus]

Water data from Little Falls gauge is available here:

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/md/nwis/uv?01646500

I think the ideal range for Shad is 55-65 degrees. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong... 

--Scott

On Wed, Apr 6, 2016 at 12:09 PM, Rusty Shackleford <rusty.sha...@gmail.com> wrote:

We've been planning on going out, so we'll still try.

Rob, where do I find the river temp, and at what temp and above is ideal for shad?

On Wednesday, April 6, 2016 at 11:52:56 AM UTC-4, Rob Snowhite wrote:

Water temps at 52 right now. Metabolically the shad won't be spawning. When they spawn they chase flies. The fish will most likely drop back down river. No fish to chase flies. 

Bottom bounce some big Clouser for walleye. 

Watch the shad cam. No activity 

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/shadcam/

Sent from my iPhone

On Apr 6, 2016, at 10:34 AM, Rusty Shackleford <rusty.sha...@gmail.com> wrote:

Anybody had any luck in this cold?  A buddy and I are planning to go out Friday.  

On Sunday, April 3, 2016 at 1:05:05 PM UTC-4, namfos wrote:

Point of information: you dip the darts in the Cutty?

Mark

On Sunday, April 3, 2016 at 12:35:51 PM UTC-4, Rob Snowhite wrote:

Pics from yesterday

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================================================

"There are 10 types of people in this world, those who know binary, and those who don't"

[Bob Smith]

"We were out this morning chasing stripers with no luck on that front, but people were wailing on shad right out from the cove. There's no telling how the bite will be Friday, but I say give it a go.

Dalton"

Must have been fishing on the warm side of the seam. 😁

[Yambag Nelson]

Just got done at fletchers. It was slowing during the afternoon but from 430 on it was a fish on most casts. I don't know what the water temp was but there are plenty of fish. I don't see them going anywhere by Friday. Hopefully it will be less windy than it was today.

Also, I caught a lot of females today that looked like they were going to burst. Not sure what that means as far as how long the rum will go.

[Bob Smith]

They come in waves of different schools

[Rusty Shackleford]

Thanks for the info!  Even with the cold, do I need to be there at 6am to get a boat?

[Matthew Longley]

Went out on Sunday, Fletchers wasn't renting so we brought the canoe. Caught an American within 10 minutes, then all hickories for the rest of the day, some of them slabs though. We probably hooked into 40 or so fish -- interestingly, they were in out of the current and mostly took moving flies. At least half of my takes were on a pretty fast strip, and many chased the fly up to within a few feet of the surface.

So they're out there, and if you aren't having luck switch up your tactics. We had to catch a few by mistake before we caught on.

On Tuesday, February 16, 2016 at 11:37:53 AM UTC-5, Douglas R wrote:

The cold weather this weekend caused my mind to wander and had me wishing to fish.  It reminded me of being a kid piled in a station wagon pleading "Are we there yet!"

I was researching historic and forecasted cherry blossom bloom dates and began to wonder if a similar record existed for the first shad caught of the season?  Do any of the Fletcher's Boathouse reports or Shad Updates contain a historic record of the first shad each year?  If not, it would be cool to start tracking the first catch (for American and Hickory of course), the peak time, and the last of the season.  With that data collected, it may be possible to predict arrival of the shad based upon the cherry blossom forecast!

Any help collecting prior years first shad of the season data would be much appreciated.

-Doug

[Rusty Shackleford]

I went out Friday and the fishing was great.  I did a write up with about 70 photos here:

http://bonvivantva.com/?p=16446

Thanks for the great advice everybody, couldn't have gotten my first shad without y'all.

[Dave Marcus]

Crushed it this mornings in the incoming tide, fished from 830-12 with a buddy, easily 100+ fish day, cold temps in the air weren't stopping these fish. Get out there!!!

David

[Terry C]

It's awesome when it's like that.

On Sunday, April 10, 2016, Dave Marcus <dhma...@gmail.com> wrote:

Crushed it this mornings in the incoming tide, fished from 830-12 with a buddy, easily 100+ fish day, cold temps in the air weren't stopping these fish. Get out there!!!

David

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[tperkins]

Dave, I think I ran into you and your buddy as you were walking off the dock. If so, thanks for the location advice. Had a fantastic day. Caught fish constantly from noon to 5:30. Only moved the boat once.

[Bob Sivinski]

I fished the incoming today from about 2-4. The first half hour was slowish, but then it was hits every cast. I had two doubles in a row, which was fun. Mostly Americans but a couple of very large hickories too.

[Neil Mockler]

Went out on the 10th fishing the outgoing 4-730ish af chain bridge some periods were slow some were on fire with a few periods of catching fish every catch. I was catching some monster hickories but no herring or American, any suggestions on Americans?

[Neil Mockler]

Caught about 40 that day , all hickories

[Bob Smith]

"Went out on the 10th fishing the outgoing 4-730ish af chain bridge some periods were slow some were on fire with a few periods ....any suggestions on Americans?"

Warmer water temps.

[Jamie Carracher]

Sort of related question, which is more my own curiosity than anything. When do the alewife etc. start running -- when the water warms? Last spring there were countless in Rock Creek around this time but when I went out yesterday I did not see any evidence of them (or any other fish for that matter). I recall it happening during the shad run. I tried to get them to bite last year and they were fixated just on swimming up-stream. I probably won't bother trying again but they are fun to watch.

[tperkins]

Jamie, 

They've been in Rock Creek a couple of weeks now. Saw them as recently as last Monday.Not sure if they have moved up further up or what. 

[Yambag Nelson]

Try fishing very slowly and deep. In my experience hickories are more inclined to hit a faster stripped fly than Americans. You may have to be Willing to sacrifice numbers a bit.

[Lisa Kaplan Gordon]

Are you guys fishing from boats?

On Sunday, April 10, 2016 at 6:11:09 PM UTC-4, Terry C wrote:

It's awesome when it's like that.

On Sunday, April 10, 2016, Dave Marcus <dhma...@gmail.com> wrote:

Crushed it this mornings in the incoming tide, fished from 830-12 with a buddy, easily 100+ fish day, cold temps in the air weren't stopping these fish. Get out there!!!

David

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[tperkins]

Hi Lisa, I was out in a boat on Sunday. But I have also had amazing days (just not yet this year) from shore. 

[Jeffrey Silvan]

Do we think some of these 100 fish days people are having can be partly attributed to the generally lower flows? In the past, it seems we're always bordering the 5' mark at the Little Falls gauge, but this season we're typically under 4', which translates to roughly have the flow as normal. Do you think the fish are perhaps stacking up more tightly due to the lower flow?

On Tue, Apr 12, 2016 at 9:20 AM, tperkins <thomas....@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Lisa, I was out in a boat on Sunday. But I have also had amazing days (just not yet this year) from shore. 

On Tuesday, April 12, 2016 at 9:16:34 AM UTC-4, Lisa Kaplan Gordon wrote:

Are you guys fishing from boats?

On Sunday, April 10, 2016 at 6:11:09 PM UTC-4, Terry C wrote:

It's awesome when it's like that.

On Sunday, April 10, 2016, Dave Marcus <dhma...@gmail.com> wrote:

Crushed it this mornings in the incoming tide, fished from 830-12 with a buddy, easily 100+ fish day, cold temps in the air weren't stopping these fish. Get out there!!!

David

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[Bob Smith]

"Do we think some of these 100 fish days people are having can be partly attributed to the generally lower flows? In the past, it seems we're always bordering the 5' mark at the Little Falls gauge, but this season we're typically under 4', which translates to roughly have the flow as normal. Do you think the fish are perhaps stacking up more tightly due to the lower flow?"

No. 100 fish days are typical when hickories are running strong.

[andrewm...@gmail.com]

Some of y'all were out there when my son caught this, not last weekend, but weekend before last. Is this an American? It was huge. This was caught on his little Mr. crappie rod, which made it turn into an interesting fight, especially since I left the net in the car. 

P.S. My buddy had rolled up my window on the tip of my 8 wt. so we were throwing spinning gear. But I figured for the kids, it was ok. ;)

Don't fret. got it replaced last week with a TFO rod on sale from Cabelas. Had fun with on Sunday. All hickories. 

[TurbineBlade]

That's a great shad and something the kid will NEVER forget.  Not a chance.  

Great job man ;).  

Gene

[andrewm...@gmail.com]

Thanks, G. So, just a big fat pig of a Hickory? This is as big as they got on Sunday for me. 

[peter odell]

My friend Andy was in town from Seattle, and we fished Fletchers from a boat both Friday and Monday (decided to skip the weekend rush).  Friday very steady all day, no real drop in the bite and we caught around 100 in 5.5 hours.  Monday incredibly windy (thought the boat was going to flip a couple of times), but the sun came out and it got really warm.  Really slow start, but from 2-5:30, we were killing it, easily over 125 fish for 6 hours fishing.   (all on the fly - 6 wts)

I was fishing 2 flies, but never got a double, though I've seen many on spinning gear.  Shad took both top and bottom fly, and at end of day seemed to love a very small shiny bonefish fly.  Monday water was really clear.   

My friend was hooked more than the shad.  He'll be back next year, already making plans. 

[Misha Gill]

Andrew, kiddo's shad is definitely an American. Your shad is a hickory aka blueback herring. The hickories have a more blueish tint to their scales, and you can see more spots on their sides. The Americans we get in the Potomac are yellowish and have fewer spots, in addition to being monstrously big.

[Rob Snowhite]

Blueback is a separate species from a shad. As they are difficult to distinguish with the naked eye from alewife both alewife and blueback are communally refered to as 'river herring'

Hickory have an underbite, Americans do not. 

That kids fish is impressive. 

Sent from my iPhone

On Apr 13, 2016, at 12:05 PM, Misha Gill <mish...@gmail.com> wrote:

Andrew, kiddo's shad is definitely an American. Your shad is a hickory aka blueback herring. The hickories have a more blueish tint to their scales, and you can see more spots on their sides. The Americans we get in the Potomac are yellowish and have fewer spots, in addition to being monstrously big.

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[Alex Large]

Whoever said the Hickories are endangered has clearly not seen this thread. Billy Joe caught something in the neighborhood of 1,300 yesterday. Bobby Sue had her hands full with a solid 750+ fish day. 

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[tperkins]

Jamie, FYI just saw  a bunch of river herring in Rock Creek. 

On Monday, April 11, 2016 at 2:14:40 PM UTC-4, Jamie Carracher wrote: