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Shad Fishing Starter Kit

May 6, 2009 By JD 22 Comments

shad-man

Okay it’s spring and that means many West Coast rivers are getting invaded, at this very minute, by big waves of jumbo-sized, fresh from the sea mutant herring…American Shad.

If you’ve never caught these scrappy bad boys, you owe it to yourself to give it a try this year! You won’t find too many 1- to 6-pound fish that fight any better. Here’s a super basic look at how to get in on the fun…

Tackle

One of the true beauties of shad fishing is the simplicity. Grab a light-action spinning rod (I like 7 footers) and a reel with a smooth drag system and load it up with 4-pound mono. All you really need for shad fishing in the terminal gear department is a few different sizes of shot, some 1/32-ounce jig heads and a few colors of 1- to 2-inch grubs. Keep it simple!

Take a look at my personal shad box and you’ll get the idea…

Keep 'er simple...don't over-think shad too much!

Keep ‘er simple…don’t over-think shad too much!

My all-around favorite shad rig…

Just add enough splitshot to get near the bottom and you're good to go.

Just add enough splitshot to get near the bottom and you’re good to go.

Technique

From an anchored boat or the bank, the down-and-across swing is the best method:
shad-bite-zone

As your lure drifts, give the rod tip an occasional “pop” just to give the bait a little extra action.

Where to look

Shad aren’t big fans of whitewater, so try fishing below any sort of barrier in the river — dams, rapids and falls. They also really like nice slow flats that are 6-12 feet deep.

Fish here!

Fish here!

Generally, shad fishing is best early and late in the day, but you can also whack ’em pretty good in the afternoon too. For the most action, hit the river in the late afternoon and fish right until dark.

Filed Under: Shad Tagged With: american river, columbia river, Feather River shad fishing, sacramento river, Shad, Shad fishing techniques, shad fishing tips, yuba river

The Ultimate Guide to Shad Fishing

March 31, 2008 By JD 34 Comments

Nice Shad
American Shad ascend rivers on both the West and East Coasts in the spring months and are an absolute blast to catch on light tackle! While not a super sophisticated fish, there are a few things you need to know to consistently score. Here are some tips and tricks to help you catch a bunch of shad this season. By the way, if you’d like to go on a guided shad fishing trip in the Sacramento area, be sure to click on my website www.theportfisher.com

Getting to Know the American Shad

For the uninitiated, shad are over-grown members of the herring family that spend most of their life in the ocean and then return to freshwater rivers to spawn (like salmon, only most shad don’t die after spawning).

Native to the East Coast, shad were transplanted to the West in the 1800’s and have flourished since. Out West, the Columbia River plays host to the largest runs followed by the Sacramento River and her main tributaries, the American, Feather and Yuba rivers. Back East, shad roam the Atlantic from Florida to Nova Scotia and spawn in many drainages in-between, including the Delaware, Susquehanna, Juniata, Delaware, Schuylkill and Lehigh rivers.

Shad are cool...deep bodied, with silvery flanks and a purple back.

Shad are cool…deep bodied, with silvery flanks and a purple back.

Depending on the location and temperature, the first waves of American Shad arrive sometime April and fishing can last through June and into July in some streams.

Click here to read more…

Filed Under: Best of FishwithJD, Shad Tagged With: american shad, Shad, shad fishing tips, spring, Techniques

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