Occoquan yak + Rappahannock Shore Report

[tj06sti]

Hello! Had a couple of friends in town so I took them fishing on the Occoquan for shad in my spare kayaks on Tuesday. We saw them jumping and splashing everywhere, water was still stained. I tried trolling the gold cast master that comeonfish hooked me up with when I ran into him last week but I was not having much luck, so started casting around the 123 bridge. I nailed one there, and then up around the big tires and old docking platform. I had a couple hit -right- at the kayak, not sure what that is about. Then we went up past the foot bridge and Derek nailed two or three real quick after throwing a dart/jighead with a white trout worm on it. Darkness was setting in at that point and we had to paddle out, right after figuring out what they would hit. The next morning and morning after that, I took them down to the Rappahannock to try some shore fishing for them. Much better luck! Derek and his girlfriend Amy both caught shad on various lures. They seemed to be hitting anything that was put into the right hole where they held. Darts, silver spoons, round heads with curly tails, and the trout worm combo. I used a silver/blue phoebe after I broke off all my spoons. Derek beat me by catching 12 hickories the second day and Amy beat me the first day for sure by catching at least 6. I know I caught less then that but I lost count. I did manage to snag a little catfish, catch a sunfish of some sort and two smallies. As well as my third white shad in my life! I really think and hope that the run is just starting, I saw lots of herring still in the river on Occoquan at least. Last year I caught my two white shad on May 5th though..so who knows. Friends were from Ohio and so had never seen a shad before this, they loved the fight they put up. I believe we were all using 6lb test or less, I was using my little 5' ultralight and that white shad certainly was fun. Tight lines!

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[ictalurus]

Nice work, TJ, and it's good to hear from you. It's a good feeling to put your friends on fish. Congrats on the American, too. I hope they stick around this year because I don't know when I'll be able to make a trip.

[tj06sti]

Nice work, TJ, and it's good to hear from you. It's a good feeling to put your friends on fish. Congrats on the American, too. I hope they stick around this year because I don't know when I'll be able to make a trip.

Thanks Bill! I believe the run is just starting as its still a bit slow. I went out around March 25 which is when I started catching them in decent numbers last year, and got skunked, and it still seems slow now. But I can only guess, I am still seeing herring. I certainly hope you are able to make it out while they are here! Shad are a very nice treat for this area.

TJ