Shad on the Fly/first post on fly page(story)???

[Trout Tako]

I am looking for some pointers on how to catch shad on the fly in the Oregon City area. Any help would be appreciated.

Now the story:

I am a novece fly fisherman. I wade & flog the water for trout & usually do ok, but I usually toss spinning gear. last year I was invited to go to Alaska to fish the King run on lake creek. I borrowed my girlfriends 8 weight & on the last day we were there I walked up the river & began flogging the water. I soon found a hole with a bunch of kings in it. I managed to hook about 8 of them & in the 25 to 40 pound range & fought 1 for 2 miles down the river, having to be picked up by a guide in a boat to gain back line - i was about 60 yds into the backing. I managed to get that fish dragged up onto a gravel bank just in time to watch him twitch his head & pop the line. moral of the story - trying to fight a 30# king with an 8 weight is like trying to stop a greyhound bus with a wet noodle, All you can do is try and keep up untill ti breaks down on the side of the thuroughfare. Next year I'm bringing a tougher stick.

Thanks for the shad tips -

Tako

[AnotherBlindSquirrel]

Hey Tako,
You probably want to try the Clack above the first or second rifle. I have read about it but not fly fished for them. I will look for the article and let you know. What I remember is that they hold in water that is fairly fast moving and about 6 to 12 feet, midle of the run above the tailout. Use a med. fast sink line weighted fly, look at shad darts for ideas of what works, cast slighly upstreem, mend and swing.
Let us know how you do, it should be good fun.

[Otolith]

As a beginner, I would suggest staying away from any type of fishing that requires casting a sinking line. It is pretty tough for a novice to get that thing out of the water to make the next cast (at least it is for me). If you just want to FIGHT a shad on a flyrod, I would say anchor up with everybody else in Oregon City, then rig up some kind of makeshift downrigger with a cannon ball and monofilament to get your fly line down near the bottom.

[Trout Tako]

Thanks for the advece everyone. I may have misrepresented myself as a novice. I can can hold my own when it comes to casting & accuracy. I have trouble when it comes to getting the drift right & reading the hatch. I grew up spinner fishing so I read the water in a completely different way than is needed for an approach with a wet fly. I have the "above water" mechanics down pat & can read the water to see where the fish are holding. I am just not experienced enough to know where to cast my line in the current to get the correct presentation. I always get frustrated & grab my spinning rod.

Tako

[FeeshNurd]

Sounds like you had a great time in Alaska. The only opportunity I had in Alaska happened to be the only day in 2 weeks that my guide said "nothing is biting today". What a bummer... Maybe another day...

As for fishing in Oregon City, I would personally not fish there with a fly rod. It's very crowded and you'll be brawling for a spot that allows you the room you need.
I agree that the 2nd riffle or so up the Clackamas river is a better place.

I've been fishing Shad almost every season for quite a few years and I have to say that 90% of the shad I catch are within 4' of water. During this time they tend to migrate towards shallower water with a bit of current.
Granted, I see people catch shad in deeper water, but I never understood the reasoning for casting a mile and a half to catch a fish.

Try a chartreuse color shad fly ( any will do) about a size 8 or 10. Floating line with a longer leader will help you get the fly down to the proper depth. Make sure your fly has some sort of weight on it ( a bead, or a split shot up the tippet).

Shad are not very picky about what you try to offer them. So if you get discouraged with a certain fly, I'd say move to a different area before trying out all the flies in your box.

I'm sure people are going to scream about my opinions. =]

[AnotherBlindSquirrel]

Hey Tako,
Found that story on shad flyfishing. It is in "Fishing in Oregon's Best Fly Water, by Scott Richmond" The book i have is the 1998 edition. See if you can find one at the libary or favorite fly shop. If no luck you can borrow mine.
To fish for them is basicaly as described in the previous post's. Fish where they stack up bellow a dam or major rapids, moderate to strong current small fly 6 lbs leader, keep adding weight untill you get down to the fish, best times mornings or evenings.
Let me know how you do. It is one of those things I would like to do just not gotten to it yet.
SEF

[Trout Tako]

Thanks again everyone. I will see if I can get out there & try it this week - I 'll let you know how it goes

[TillamookChinook]

The current and previous newsletters from the FlyFishing Shop in Welches have stories about flyfishing for shad in the Columbia. Go to www.flyfishusa.com (http://www.flyfishusa.com) and click to their newsletters.

TC