Shad yet?

[therevolution]

Was thinking about checking out fletcher's on foot tomorrow for some shad. Is it way to early or is it possible there will be some around?

[WOOD YAK]

Last year I went out a few times for shad out of Fletchers. On April 10th it was pretty much peak as I caught a couple dozen in 2 hours. Every year the National Capital Chapter of Trout Unlimited sends out 5 or 6 Shad report emails in the early spring. If you go to their web page you can subscribe at the bottom right. I just looked and last year the first shad of the year was March 28, so you are perhaps early. But who knows the weather sure is terrific!

[Hobie Matt]

Yes your a bit early, and yes last year they didn't start till march 28th, I went out there yesterday and also attended the national shad meeting night. Really interesting info and speakers.
Alex and his dad who basically run the boat house are friends and they haven't even started fishing yet, but who knows!!
They usually post updates on the website for fletchers boathouse.

I actually fished there yesterday but we went just for some catfish


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[therevolution]

Yes your a bit early, and yes last year they didn't start till march 28th, I went out there yesterday and also attended the national shad meeting night. Really interesting info and speakers.
Alex and his dad who basically run the boat house are friends and they haven't even started fishing yet, but who knows!!
They usually post updates on the website for fletchers boathouse.

I actually fished there yesterday but we went just for some catfish


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As a follow up, I went today. Did not catch or see any shad running. Also did not see any comorrants. They seem to always be around when the shad are.

It was a great day to walk around and get some fresh air though!

[D3NAL1]

As a follow up, I went today. Did not catch or see any shad running. Also did not see any comorrants. They seem to always be around when the shad are.

It was a great day to walk around and get some fresh air though!

Shad are in the lower potomac. I bought 3 off a guy that was gill netting in chapel point.

[HJS]

March of 2012 was equally as warm and dry as this March. So yeah, the shad runs at Fletchers may start at least a week earlier. Following are some details from my fishing notes recorded for March 2012:

==================================
The earliest I’ve caught hickories at Fletchers was during the very warm & dry March of 2012 on the following dates:
- March 16: 3 caught, flow 4’, clarity 5’, water temp 58F.
- March 21: 3 caught, flow 3.8’, clarity 6’-8’, temp 64F.
- March 26: 13 caught, flow 4.2’, clarity 5’, temp 63F.
- March 28: 30 caught, flow 4.7’, clarity 3’, temp 59F.
==================================

March of 2012 was so uncharacteristically warm that the Bradford Pear trees that grow profusely along the highways reached full bloom around March 17-18, that's reeeeally early.

So we'll just have to wait to see when they first arrive at Fletchers this year... I'm guessing the first hickories will show any day now... maybe they are already there.

[mepps3]

Shad are in the lower potomac. I bought 3 off a guy that was gill netting in chapel point.

You mean gizzard/mud shad.....right?? We are talking about migratory hickory shad which are protected and can't be harvested.

[D3NAL1]

You mean gizzard/mud shad.....right?? We are talking about migratory hickory shad which are protected and can't be harvested.

Yes, gizzard shad. Thought you might have been looking for bait

[Hobie Matt]

Great notes and insight HJS thanks for posting, now it's time to find out what day they will be at fletchers and who will be the first to get one!
I would say March 16 is looking like a good day to start.
Last year we had snow at this time right?


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[HJS]

Great notes and insight HJS thanks for posting, now it's time to find out what day they will be at fletchers and who will be the first to get one!
Last year we had snow at this time right?

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Matt - For this time last year, 2015, my fishing log showed I didn’t get to Fletchers for the first time until April 1, 2015...all due to weeks of cold miserable air/water temps. That’s unusually late for my decade long tract record at Fletchers. My notes show that I called March “The March from Hell”. So yeah, last year March was a miserable month for fishing. BTW, on that first trip to Fletchers, April 1, 2015, I caught 32 very nice females hickories from shore. So it’s hard to say how long the shad had been biting before before April 1.

As a side note: Early last March I started watching an Eagle Cam of a nest near York, PA... cool site. The day after the last snow storm of 2015, the cam showed a snow covered eagles nest. Only the top of the mamma eagle's head protruded above the snow... and yet, a few weeks later, both eggs hatched and mom, pop, and the kids lived happy ever after. That's my story and I sticking to it.

[thalaja1]

If you're looking to catch shad try Marley Creek. I've been snagging them for 2 weeks while striper fishing. I've seen them breaking all around the banks. You can put in right behind the gateway apartments.

[HJS]

thalaja1 - Based on your descriptions and location the shad activity you are seeing is most likely being made by gizzard shad. Gizzard shad are considered a trash shad and are not pursued by fishermen except for bait. They rarely if ever hit a lure and must be snagged. They are slimy/stinky buggers too. On certain sections the Potomac River near Chain Bridge in DC the gizzards run so thick that they interfere with hickory fishing because you'll snag gizzards almost every cast.

[jbrown]

Last year at Conowingo on the last day of April I caught several Hickories and two very large American shad. The water was literally boiling with fish... but as suggested above I was snagging large Gizzard shad by the dozen- Several were 12-14 inches and nearly two pounds- A great fight. I really wanted to keep several to freeze and later use for cut bait/ cat fishing at Fletchers. But my understanding is that it is highly illegal to keep these Gizzard shad as well- I know you cannot keep or net any of the blue back herring etc...that come up swimming between your feet. But can you keep the Gizzard? Ironically the MD DNR pamphlet that you get with your fishing license mentions every other species than the Gizzard for these stated waters?- Can someone clarify?

[sega]

First shad was caught yesterday. Both hickories and American. I'll be down there this week.

It's my understanding you can't keep/use any type of shad/herring due to the Atlantic Coastal Whatever laws or something. That being said, laws are more lenient with white perch.


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[therevolution]

First shad was caught yesterday. Both hickories and American. I'll be down there this week.

It's my understanding you can't keep/use any type of shad/herring due to the Atlantic Coastal Whatever laws or something. That being said, laws are more lenient with white perch.


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Caught at Fletcher's?!