Shad fishing basics

[johny p]

Hi folk,

I am moving from spinning rod to fly fishing and am very excited for
the shad run.

Can you good folks give me a run down on a good set up for shade (rod,
reel, line, flys, etc.?

Greatly appreciated!

[Dan Davala - Founder]

Beau Beasley did an excellent job covering this question and others on
an "Ask About Fly Fishing" internet radio program in 2008.

http://www.askaboutflyfishing.com/speakers/beau_beasley/beau_beasley.cfm
(Lots of other great programs on this website too!)

Everyone new to fly fishing for Shad should listen to this program, as
should the seasoned veterans. Keep in mind this program is
specifically about the Rappahannock, and there are a few differences
when fishing the run upstream of Fletcher's on the Potomac.

The Rappahannock near Fredericksburg is relatively shallow, and allows
the angler to wade right up to the channel where the Shad are
concentrated. Therefore, two-handed rods and big casts are not as
necessary. Also, there is plenty of room for back casts.

In the Potomac, the water is MUCH deeper, and safe "wading" is not an
option. This means you either rent a boat from Fletcher's, fish from
the rocks with a single hand rod and a stripping basket in areas where
a back cast can be made, or use a two-hander and fish the whole
stretch on either side of the river with no need for a back cast. You
all know my choice!

Regardless of rods/reels, you must use a sinking line or a long sink
tip to reliably get your fly down to the fish.

-Dan

[Dan Davala - Founder]

Beau Beasley did an excellent job covering this question and others on
an "Ask About Fly Fishing" internet radio program in 2008.

http://www.askaboutflyfishing.com/speakers/beau_beasley/beau_beasley.cfm
(Lots of other great programs on this website too!)

Everyone new to fly fishing for Shad should listen to this program, as
should the seasoned veterans. Keep in mind this program is
specifically about the Rappahannock, and there are a few differences
when fishing the run upstream of Fletcher's on the Potomac.

The Rappahannock near Fredericksburg is relatively shallow, and allows
the angler to wade right up to the channel where the Shad are
concentrated. Therefore, two-handed rods and big casts are not as
necessary. Also, there is plenty of room for back casts. In the
Potomac, the water is MUCH deeper, and safe "wading" is not an
option. This means you either rent a boat from Fletcher's, fish from
the rocks with a single hand rod and a stripping basket in areas where
a back cast can be made, or use a two-hander and fish the whole
stretch on either side of the river with no need for a back cast. You
all know my choice!

Regardless of rods/reels, you must use a sinking line or a long sink
tip to reliably get your fly down to the fish.

-Dan

On Mar 16, 1:17 pm, johny p <johnpett...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Bert Brehm]

Everyone is looking forward to the shad run in a couple of weeks. You can bet that this group will light up when the fish are in.There are at least three rivers nearby that are accessible to the fly fishing angler.

• The Potomac near Fletcher's Cove by Georgetown. http://www.fletcherscove.com/
• The Rappahanock near Fredericksburg, VA under the Highway 1 bridge. http://www.ffflyfishers.org/discus/messages/2/2.html?1266358597
  
• Susquehanna River near the mouth of Deer Creek.. http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/recreational/fwhotdeercr.html

Fletcher's Cove is our closest fishery. As a new angler, please consider renting a boat. Wading access is limited and potentially dangerous. 

From a boat at Fletcher's, you need a shooting head line that sinks about 5 to 10 feet. The ideal rig is 9 ft 6 wt fly rod with 200 grain full sink fly line and 50 yds of backing. Add a 4 to 6 foot leader. 2x tippet and a small colorful fly #6 or #4. 

Pay attention to the tides. When the water is dropping, an obvious current seams appears at the edge of the eddy in front of the boat docks. Anchor the boat just inside the seam, make a long cast into the moving water. When the line lands on the surface, make  a strong upstream mend to straighten the line and leader. Let the fly sink on the swing until it is on the dangle in the soft water straight below the boat. Retrieve your line until the shooting head is near the tip-top of the fly rod, make a short hard roll cast to bring the remaining line up to the surface, and cast again. 

With sinking lines, you do not need heavily weighted flies. Most anglers use a small version of a freshwater Clouser Deep Minnow or something similar in contrasting colors, like red/white, chart/white or even black/white. Plan to lose a few flies.

If you don't catch fish, you are either anchored in the wrong spot or not fishing deep enough. The tidal current concentrates the shad near the seams. Don't hesitate to move the boat a few feet until you find them.

Practice your double-haul. Practice your roll cast.

[Bert Brehm]

Beau details the Rappahannock fishery is this article from 2005. 

http://www.chesapeake-angler.com/storymay05-rappahannockriver.htm

[john pettway]

I really appreciate the advise.

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[Alek]

not such a hypothetical question: if my friend had to choose between
april 3 or 10 to get in some shad fishing, which date would those in
the know recommend?

On Mar 16, 4:12 pm, john pettway <johnpett...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I really appreciate the advise.
>

> On Tue, Mar 16, 2010 at 3:15 PM, Bert Brehm <bertbr...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Everyone is looking forward to the shad run in a couple of weeks. You can
> > bet that this group will light up when the fish are in.There are at least
> > three rivers nearby that are accessible to the fly fishing angler.
>

> >    - The Potomac near Fletcher's Cove by Georgetown.
> >    http://www.fletcherscove.com/
> >    - The Rappahanock near Fredericksburg, VA under the Highway 1 bridge.
> >    http://www.ffflyfishers.org/discus/messages/2/2.html?1266358597
> >    - Susquehanna River near the mouth of Deer Creek..

> >    http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/recreational/fwhotdeercr.html
>
> > Fletcher's Cove is our closest fishery. As a new angler, please consider
> > renting a boat. Wading access is limited and potentially dangerous.
>
> > From a boat at Fletcher's, you need a shooting head line that sinks about 5
> > to 10 feet. The ideal rig is 9 ft 6 wt fly rod with 200 grain full sink fly
> > line and 50 yds of backing. Add a 4 to 6 foot leader. 2x tippet and a small
> > colorful fly #6 or #4.
>
> > Pay attention to the tides. When the water is dropping, an obvious current
> > seams appears at the edge of the eddy in front of the boat docks. Anchor the
> > boat just inside the seam, make a long cast into the moving water. When the
> > line lands on the surface, make  a strong upstream mend to straighten the
> > line and leader. Let the fly sink on the swing until it is on the dangle in
> > the soft water straight below the boat. Retrieve your line until the
> > shooting head is near the tip-top of the fly rod, make a short hard roll
> > cast to bring the remaining line up to the surface, and cast again.
>
> > With sinking lines, you do not need heavily weighted flies. Most anglers
> > use a small version of a freshwater Clouser Deep Minnow or something similar
> > in contrasting colors, like red/white, chart/white or even black/white. Plan
> > to lose a few flies.
>
> > If you don't catch fish, you are either anchored in the wrong spot or not
> > fishing deep enough. The tidal current concentrates the shad near the
> > seams. Don't hesitate to move the boat a few feet until you find them.
>
> > Practice your double-haul. Practice your roll cast.
>

> > On Tue, Mar 16, 2010 at 13:17, johny p <johnpett...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >> Can you good folks give me a run down on a good set up for shade
> >> (rod, reel, line, flys, etc.?
>
> >  --
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> > "Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders" group.
> > To post to this group, send email to
> > tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com.
> > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to

> > tidal-potomac-fly-...@googlegroups.com<tidal-potomac-fly-rodders%2Bunsu...@googlegroups.com>

[Bert Brehm]

Either will work. I might chose the later date because you might hit some American Shad by then. In any case, one river or the other will be fishing well by then. Especially if the Potomac has another high water event right in the middle of the run.

Remember our earlier discussion about sequencing. Perch, Herring, Gizzard Shad, Hickory Shad, American Shad, and then Stripers.  The Americans are the shiny big boys. They can get up to six pounds.

[Rob Snowhite]

I keep it simple with a 9' or 10' 8wt, sinking line (orvis density
comp) or depth charge 350 grain. I either fish lead head jig flies,
small bonefish flies, or nymphs. My leader is usually a straight piece
of mono around 12lb.
I cast up stream and mend to get the fly down before its swept down
stream. The great thing about the spring run is the cast does not have
to be pretty.

A couple of quick retrieves and then I bring the line up and do it
again.

Looking forward to tossing the switch rod this year as I bought it
after the run last year.

don't forget to check in with the Shad Cam http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/shadcam/
if the fish are moving on there its a good bet they will be doing the
same up here.

[Chris W.]

Good to know re: the bonefish flies; I had been looking at a some
recently and throught that ones like pink Gotchas (a small clouser
essentially) and similar might make good shad flies too. Hmm...

Chris

On Mar 17, 8:09 am, Rob Snowhite <r...@robsnowhite.com> wrote:
> I keep it simple with a 9' or 10' 8wt, sinking line (orvis density
> comp) or depth charge 350 grain. I either fish lead head jig flies,
> small bonefish flies, or nymphs. My leader is usually a straight piece
> of mono around 12lb.
> I cast up stream and mend to get the fly down before its swept down
> stream. The great thing about the spring run is the cast does not have
> to be pretty.
>
> A couple of quick retrieves and then I bring the line up and do it
> again.
>
> Looking forward to tossing the switch rod this year as I bought it
> after the run last year.
>

> don't forget to check in with the Shad Camhttp://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/shadcam/