Shad yet?

[WOOD YAK]

Tunnel

One other thing. If you have a large SUV and car top a yak you probably won't make it through the stone tunnel. You would have to park in upper lot and it will be a challenge to drag yak down stairs across bridge over C&O and then down again to boathouse/river. Don't know height of tunnel, guess about 8 1/2'. Call the boathouse, they can probably help, good people.

[baitball]

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

So I'm trying to get smart on all things Shad in the runup to getting on the water.
Are American and Hickories protected in Virginia and DC waters as well? I can't seem to find the language in the Virginia Marine Commissions webpage.
From what I did find, it seems some commercial licenses are issued in VA, but it was unclear as to what the regs were for us weekend warriors.
Can anybody set me straight?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[sega]

[QUOTE=Financeguru;127346]

I did okay last year with my UL setup. With 6lb line I could launch that shad dart. I didn't catch any hickories but I caught plenty of Americans around this size. So much fun


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk[/QUOTE

Awesome pic of a pretty fish on a kayak...was that at Fletcher's? If so, what's your experience and feedback of navigating those deep waters with its current in April?

I've gone to Fletcher's during the busy shad run and have often thought how it would be like fishing for shad from my Hobie Revo 13. I keep hearing about how treacherous the Fletcher's area can be with high waters and current but then I also see folks out there in kayaks fishing fairly relaxed.

Would love to hear from folks who have tried this at Fletcher's.

Thanks.

I've gone there a handful of times (was actually just there yesterday without much luck). It's really not all that dangerous what so ever. I think some guys who are used to fishing flat water get a little wigged out by the main channel, but really the only rule is to not drop an anchor in the main channel. There's plenty of pools beside the banks that you can hop into real quick, paddle up river, and be out of the current. You could also drop anchor in areas where there isn't any current at all (the little coves and such).

It's 100% doable in a kayak. Especially at slack tide. I've drifted up River before during an incoming tide.

Also if you're really a newbie to River fishing, I wouldn't recommend going too far above fletchers. The closer you get to chain bridge the better you have to be at eddy hopping n such.

For a beginner going there for shad or cats or what not, I'd recommend going out of fletchers, and going down River to the first little cove where you can get out of the current, park your boat in the slack water and cast into the deep water/current.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[sega]

So I'm trying to get smart on all things Shad in the runup to getting on the water.
Are American and Hickories protected in Virginia and DC waters as well? I can't seem to find the language in the Virginia Marine Commissions webpage.
From what I did find, it seems some commercial licenses are issued in VA, but it was unclear as to what the regs were for us weekend warriors.
Can anybody set me straight?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I believe Americans and hickories are protected by the Atlantic protection whatever organization. They can't be kept anywhere along the coast in any state.
As far as I understand.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[therevolution]

I stopped by this morning for about an hour. There was 1 guy out in a kayak that I saw land 1 shad. I didn't have any luck from shore yet.

[HJS]

I went shad fished at Fletchers from shore yesterday, 3-16-16, 11:30am-1:30pm. I caught 2 hickories. This early in the year I wasn’t expected much… and that’s exactly what I got. Water vis was about 2+’, water temp 55F. There were only about 3-4 shore based shadders in sight. Shad action should be hopping around April 1, weather permitting.

[Photocat]

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

You bought 3 off a guy? I'm hoping they were gizzard shad, and not Hickory or American shad...

[Hobie Matt]

The shad are there now in decent numbers, I was there today,
One guy got 10 in 1 hour, and my buddy got 21 in 1.5 hrs near sunset!
They are I. There now so should be a good weekend.!



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[baitball]

The shad are there now in decent numbers, I was there today,
One guy got 10 in 1 hour, and my buddy got 21 in 1.5 hrs near sunset!
They are I. There now so should be a good weekend.!



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm going on Saturday to Fletcher's to try my hand at Shad fishing. I've never tried it before so I'm very excited about finding out what all the buzz is over this "poor man's tarpon".

I should be there around 10am and plan on sticking around 'till the late afternoon/early evening.

Hopefully, if enough folks can make it out, we can turn this into an impromptu M&G.

Hope to see you out there!

[Hobie Matt]

Also bring some deep diving pugs like a rapala super shad, or a cotton cordell redefin which they sell at the tackle shop. You can troll for rockfish in the current,
but its a tough paddle.
Oh yeah, and you will need to buy a DC fishing license, I would do that online if you can. They sell them at the tackle shop but it's cash only. (as of right now their credit machine is down)

[jsnyd86]

I'll be there Saturday morning until early afternoon. See you out there, Manny


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Oldbayrunner]

At Deer Creek I usually use a shad dart with a pet spoon trailer.

[baitball]

I'll be there Saturday morning until early afternoon. See you out there, Manny


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

ill be looking for ya, Jon

[jsnyd86]

Shad yet?

I'll just add here if those in the thread are still following. I had a blast until about noon and then it seemed to slow down or maybe I just started loosing focus and not fishing that great.
I didn't catch too many shad but I got interested in making it a multi-species day. 1/2 jig head with a paddle tail does damage around chain bridge.
I also tried for perch but only got one. Not sure why I wasn't connecting with those.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DanMarino]

That is outstanding Jon!