Shad flies

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N Elgas

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Jan 16, 2018, 4:23:45 PM1/16/18
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I hit the shad run for the first time at fletcher's last year using conventional gear,  but would love to try it with the long rod.  Since everything is frozen I figured i would spend some quality time at the bench getting ready for spring.  Does anyone have some favorite shad patterns they would share?

Jim Boryan

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Jan 16, 2018, 7:05:01 PM1/16/18
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Shad puff and Rob Snowhite's Damsel fly nymph are a killer tandem for the spring run

tperkins

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Jan 17, 2018, 10:00:31 AM1/17/18
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Nothing too crazy or complicated, tandem rig, my lead fly is usual a size 4 or 6 streamer hook with a marabou tail and estaz body with bead chain eyes. Chartruese or pink typically. Followed by an Rob Snowhite Damsel. The key is the sinking fly line to get the flies deep. 

N Elgas

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Jan 17, 2018, 10:25:16 AM1/17/18
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thanks i will look into the damsel pattern,  i was thinking also about tying a shad dart type on a trout magnet head as a lead fly.  

Andrew Sarcinello

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Jan 17, 2018, 10:45:37 AM1/17/18
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What others have said - shad flies are pretty simple, they just need to be bright and shiny.  One thing I'll say is try not to put too much material on the hook, if you crowd the bend of the hook too much you will miss a lot of fish.  Use the bare minimum to get the color you want.

I tend to like flies that you can also use year round for other species once the shad leave, I've found Rob's shad jigs in chartreuse to also be smallmouth and panfish killers in the summer and fall.  Even caught a channel cat on one.  For some unknown reason I haven't gotten around to trying the damsel pattern mentioned above but just by reading some of the reports I see here, EVERYTHING eats that fly.

Rob Snowhite

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Jan 17, 2018, 10:57:17 AM1/17/18
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We will tie shad flies at March Beer Tie. 

My shad flies all have YouTube tutorials or online step by step instructions. 

Sent from my iPhone
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Howard Shade

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Jan 17, 2018, 11:54:05 AM1/17/18
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If your looking for simple, cheap and effective go with the Shad Dart fly you can find the recipe on you tube under Tying the shad dart fly with Ed Huff
 
JRH


Richard Farino

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Jan 17, 2018, 6:05:38 PM1/17/18
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Shad flies are as easy and varied as you can imagine.  They’re also simple and easy to tweak and modify for your needs.

Most of us here at the shop like to use Steele’s Shad Fly or the Ultimate Shad pattern.  #6.  Choose your favorite color cone or bead head, pick a tail color, add some flash, and tie on a body color either contrasting or matching.  Don’t be afraid to play with colors.

Some days they’ll work better than anything anyone has on the river.  Other days they won’t even catch your or had or fishing buddy on a bad back cast.

Regards,

R

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Carl Z.

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Jan 17, 2018, 7:16:46 PM1/17/18
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There's no reason not to tie your own, but now is a good time to stock up on shad darts and shad spoons at Dicks sporting goods.
I keep thinking I have a life-time supply and then I try to fish from shore along all the riprap/rocks and remember why I buy so many.

Rob, do you have a link to your videos?

Carl

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On Wed, Jan 17, 2018 at 11:53 AM, 'Howard Shade' via Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders <tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
If your looking for simple, cheap and effective go with the Shad Dart fly you can find the recipe on you tube under Tying the shad dart fly with Ed Huff
 
JRH
On Wednesday, January 17, 2018 10:57 AM, Rob Snowhite <r...@robsnowhite.com> wrote:


We will tie shad flies at March Beer Tie. 

My shad flies all have YouTube tutorials or online step by step instructions. 

Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 17, 2018, at 10:25 AM, N Elgas <caca...@gmail.com> wrote:

thanks i will look into the damsel pattern,  i was thinking also about tying a shad dart type on a trout magnet head as a lead fly.  


On Wednesday, January 17, 2018 at 10:00:31 AM UTC-5, tperkins wrote:
Nothing too crazy or complicated, tandem rig, my lead fly is usual a size 4 or 6 streamer hook with a marabou tail and estaz body with bead chain eyes. Chartruese or pink typically. Followed by an Rob Snowhite Damsel. The key is the sinking fly line to get the flies deep. 

On Tuesday, January 16, 2018 at 7:05:01 PM UTC-5, Jim Boryan wrote:
Shad puff and Rob Snowhite's Damsel fly nymph are a killer tandem for the spring run

On Tuesday, January 16, 2018 at 4:23:45 PM UTC-5, N Elgas wrote:
I hit the shad run for the first time at fletcher's last year using conventional gear,  but would love to try it with the long rod.  Since everything is frozen I figured i would spend some quality time at the bench getting ready for spring.  Does anyone have some favorite shad patterns they would share?
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Rob Snowhite

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Jan 17, 2018, 7:36:14 PM1/17/18
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N Elgas

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Jan 23, 2018, 3:53:38 PM1/23/18
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Thanks for the advice.....that killed about 35 mins of my winter blues....  tied on trout magnet jig heads,  think they should do the trick at fletchers in the spring



On Tuesday, January 16, 2018 at 4:23:45 PM UTC-5, N Elgas wrote:
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