FLYMPH FORUM

I didn't know where to put these guys. John feel free to move them if you feel they muddy the waters. Going out on my first shad trip next week. A completely new fishery to me. The fishery has been going on for a while now in Florida. After about 4 years in the ocean these fish migrate up the St. Johns River and land in spawning water about 45 minutes from me. Tactics are similar to winter steelhead fishing. Drift and swing small (approx 1") flies through holes about 6'-10' deep. 5wt. setups. I know some guys use soft hackled flies and I use to use comets, bosses etc to get down in steelhead holes so I figured mini versions of comet flies with some wilted spinach influence would be worth having in the box. I've been thinking about this fishery for while. I know someone on here sent me a photo of a great shad fly about a year ago. I could use that again.

oh, that's right. You have shad now. I fished them when I was in Maryland while in the Navy and also made a couple trips to the Columbia by John Day dam. You will enjoy catching those. Boyd Pfeiffer (if I got the name right) put out a book on shad fishing and flies a number of years ago.

I've heard they put up a good fight. I'm looking forward to it.

Old/New Hat, Howdy;

Used to do Shad every Spring time on the Delaware River near where I grew up.
They'd come all the way up past Washington's Crossing. I was using spin-cast and
bait-casting equip. and we used what are referred to as Shad Darts. Jigs with
Buck tail tails. Good fun and taste fairly well if I remember correctly.

hank

Very nice, Carl.......reminiscent of "Crazy Charlie", a favorite of mine for bones, etc. I think I sent you a pink one........

Dana

I was thinking the same thing, Dana.
I tie something similar with an estaz body and calf tail wing.
Swing them on a sinktip through the thalwag and hang on.
We had a banner run last spring on the upper Delaware.
Shad were in the Beaverkill and a few were caught in the Willow too.

Since American Shad are Anadromos, many eastern states require you to have a
valid marine fishing registration card. Even if you are 330 miles up the river

On a side note, "Crazy" Charlie Smith passed away last December.

You're on the right track. As Hank hinted, google "shad dart" and copy those as closely as you can.

A lot of my friends pursue shad in the Potomac and the Susquehanna & tribs, but the run always seems to coincide with the Hendrickson hatch. which I can't seem to tear myself away from.