Best place for a new Shad Fisherman????

[fishinfool]

Where is the best place for a new shad fisherperson to go get some of these? I have a boat so that is not an issue. Anchoring skills are not perfect but I can do it and have the right setup. I have read how to fish for them but where is the best place for a newbie to get some. Also I have read Coon Island, but where is Coon Island? Thankyou in advance. :grin:

[ 06-09-2002, 04:58 PM: Message edited by: fishinfool ]

[FishinMission]

Coho....I'd hit it just below the Camas Washougal area on the Columbia. Shad are still in good numbers in the Columbia. Just look for the boats about a mile or so downriver from the boat launch there, on the Washington side of the river.

Coon Island is a couple of miles up into the Multnomah Channel from St. Helens.

Mark

[live4fishing]

fishinfool, I was up at cascade locks on friday and just hammered the shad and the nookies. I got 20 shad and hooked into 4 beautiful springers. I think its still ashame that the fishery had closed down early again this year. I was not the only person hooking kings, saw 10 others hooked in the 4 hours that I was there. :smile:

[Rubber Robin]

Coon Island is probably one of the easiest places to shad fish. It is located in Multnomah Channel. I usually put in at Browns landing and go down to Coon Island.

You will have a lot less current to worry about and it is much easier for anchoring. Anchor across from the metal boat house there at the Coon Island marina. You will be in about 12 to 18 ft of water. Approx. 30 to 40 yds out from the dock.

Watch the other boats and when you see a hot one, re-anchor by them.

I fished at Bonneville on Saturday for shad and oversize and the current is ripping! Not good unless your anchoring skills border on expert.

We nailed the shad and caught several oversize at the end of the day!!! :grin:

[powerstrokincowboy]

Hey FF,

If you are lookin' to catch some shad for bait for the big guys, head to the Fisheries. I have only been up there twice for shad, relying on the info from this board, and have done great. After you put in, head up river almost a mile, and you will see several boats anchored in about 10'-20' of water just off of an island (I'm not sure the name, but you won't miss all of the boats). We were using tiny Dick Nites with either a 12" drop line to about 5 oz of weight, or a small Jet Diver.

Be careful, the current is ripping. Get in pretty close to the shore. There is less current and plenty of shad -- we were in 10' - 12' of water and the current was very manageable.

After you get your bait, head just down river of the boat ramp, and anchor on the far side of the river just beyond the screaming current and down stream of the big eddy. More than 3/4 of the boats we saw trying to anchor close in to the channel were dragging anchor and had to pull anchor several times. We anchored just outside of the strong current and got into the sturgeon without having to fight the current.

Be careful because the current is ripping, but you can be smart about it and avoid most of the headaches. Plus it 's fun to watch the idiots with tiny anchors and too little rope try and anchor right in the middle of the channel!

Good luck and have fun!

[choppers]

guys i just got off the water with some unemployed buddies and we were hooking shad. i looked at it as a blast and if cooked right taste down right good.

i would like to share with you about a kid who was nice enough to give us his shad just because he caught enough for bait. i said "cool we'll take them, thanks man" the kid ask what were doing with them and my buddy mentioned dinner. the kid said "yuk graemlins/berry.gif how can you eat something that slimy" i'm like when was the last time you hooked a coho. who out their really thinks a shad is slimier than a coho?

i'm working got to do something. hehehe