NCC-TU Shad Report #3, plus update

[Mark Binsted]

Saturday's Shad Report is already old news but includes some useful links for those new to the fishery, and info about the Fletcher's Boathouse season pass.

As far as we know down at Fletcher's, the first hickory shad on a fly rod was caught Friday morning by Gregory Cook. Anyone catch one before that, there or at Chain Bridge? An American shad was caught on a fly Sunday evening but we don't know if it was the first. Spin fishers took several Americans at Gordon's Rock earlier on Sunday, including Gordon himself.

Mark

[Yambag Nelson]

I caught a huge hickory on a fly Saturday afternoon.  Had to be every bit of 4lbs.  I thought for sure it was an American but turned out to be a hickory.  Didn't know whether to be excited to catch a hickory that size or disappointed that it wasn't an American. 

[HeaveToo]

I fished the Occoquan the other day.  The hickory shad were running hard.  They seem bigger than normal this year.  Some of them are big and fat like a football.  They fight hard but don't jump like the Americans.  Fun times!

[Eric Lowney]

Can you catch American at the Occoquan as well?  I'm considering heading there in my kayak this weekend.  Thanks for the update!  I was able to get 2 american shad at Chain Bridge on Tuesday in about an hour with a full sink line and an extra fast sinking leader

On Monday, March 27, 2017 at 9:31:26 AM UTC-4, Mark Binsted wrote:

[HeaveToo]

Tough day of fishing!  I fished hard for 5 hours.  I caught 3 fish.  One hickory and two American Shad.  The bite was slow today and I fished hard to catch very few fish.  The river also claimed my landing net.  Ugh!

Yes, you can catch American Shad in the Occoquan.