fly fishing shad?????

saltchucker · 03-11-2008, 02:02 PM

Any tips on finding shad on flies. I fish Yellow creek on the umpqua from the bank and it is a bit too crowded to sling shooting heads - so I fish spinning gear. I gave the columbia a try last June launching from the ramp downstream from Bonneville on the WA side, anchoring and hanging lures was moderately effective for my partner, but the fish were clearly traveling quickly in heavy current on the fish finder and I did not have any luck finding fish in easier water where casting would be effective. Any tips on camas slough or lady island area? I am confident that I can catch em on flies if I can find concentrations (prefereably hanging out briefely) in slow enough current. Crowded rip rap (e.g. bonneville and John Day dams) is no fun to fly fish....

Will

Djflyfish · 03-11-2008, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saltchucker

Any tips on finding shad on flies. I fish Yellow creek on the umpqua from the bank and it is a bit too crowded to sling shooting heads - so I fish spinning gear. I gave the columbia a try last June launching from the ramp downstream from Bonneville on the WA side, anchoring and hanging lures was moderately effective for my partner, but the fish were clearly traveling quickly in heavy current on the fish finder and I did not have any luck finding fish in easier water where casting would be effective. Any tips on camas slough or lady island area? I am confident that I can catch em on flies if I can find concentrations (prefereably hanging out briefely) in slow enough current. Crowded rip rap (e.g. bonneville and John Day dams) is no fun to fly fish....

Will

I usually use a slow sink tip with a shad dart. I fish them just below the dam. I usually have pretty good success.

uhmw · 03-12-2008, 08:26 AM

You can fish below willamett falls in complete solitude from the island sholes that are abundand and public domain. There are several public parks that offer hike in fishing no people and parks that you can drive up to with lots of folks. I find a spot that goes from shallow to deep -sand bars and fish those areas with lots of sucess for about two months. I absolutly love catching mini tarpon on my 5 wt.

Nick6547 · 03-12-2008, 09:25 AM

Most effective for me in the Bonneville area is to use a very fast sinking shooting head and the smallest size of shad dart. So long as you can get down to the fish you'll catch them.

cheeseburger · 03-12-2008, 10:41 AM

Hey Uhmw...you ever want company with you go shad fishing? I just started about a year ago fly fishing and love it. Have caught lots a trout. But never fished for shad with a fly rod. Sold my boat last year, so only have the toon now, but i would love to tag along sometime and catch a few with ya if your up for it...would return the favor with some private trout fishing..
Thanks!

Skunked · 03-14-2008, 09:54 AM

Hey this sounds like fun, I think I'll give it a try in the willy this year.
Anyone know what time of day is best for chasing shad?

cheeseburger · 03-14-2008, 10:00 AM

any time of day is good for shad, as long as they are in...you can catch them any time. They come through in schools,,so it will be hot then cold,,,but when they are running pretty good, it only gets slow for about 5 to 10 minutes before rods start going off again

PayDay · 03-14-2008, 10:31 AM

I usually make a few trips up to Bonneville with a drift rod but being new to flyfishing I agree it looks like it would be really tough to do with a fly rod in the heavy current and very crowded conditions there. Shad will be an absolute blast with a flyrod in the right place. Thanks for the hints UHMW. I'm going to start exploring before the season starts. Anybody who wants to compare notes send me a pm. I'm in Canby.

saltchucker · 03-15-2008, 10:26 AM

The interest out there suggest we 'might oughta' keep in touch and compare notes to develop a fly fishery and info network on flow and fish numbers. They are one of the worlds great fly rods fish. I think that we may have more shad than anywhere in the world (east coast runs are all suppressed, and I don't think CA rivers are returning 6 million fish in a big year like the columbia).

cheers
WR

Paddlefish · 03-17-2008, 07:29 PM

Back when we rode dinosaurs to go fishing I had great June success below Bonneville, fishing the downstream, Washington side of Bradford Island. Moderate depth and moderate current. I usually outfished my "conventional" gear buddy, using, for example, tinsel-bodied, flame chenille-headed, white bucktails. I've caught steelhead through the years, all on smaller streams. None of them gave me the "Tour de Backing" that I got from some of those Columbia River shad.

Since the construction of the new Washington-side second powerhouse, the same area, now totally reconstructed, has struck me as too deep for wading and too fast, so I confess that I haven't tried it.

You never know, though. I caught my first shad plunking a nightcrawler near PDX.

Good luck. Exploring can be half the fun.

Dan360 · 03-17-2008, 09:36 PM

I find that I don't have to go too deep with my spinning gear. Most people use two inches of hollow-core, but I use about 3/4 of an inch with the smallest chartreuse/green dart I can find (gold hooks had the best luck). I then use a 7 foot light/medium rod and 6 lb test, flip the rig upstream and close the bail, only winding in enough line to keep the line tight. I don't ever snag and catch a lot more fish. I want to use my new fly rod this year, but am afraid of fishing near a certain demographic that can be super hostile. You know, the ones that talk like Ivan Drago from Rocky IV. I wouldn't dare fish around them with a fly rod. They'd probably cut your line. Fish from a boat or on the Oregon side. The Oregon side seems faster though.

Carp4Fun · 03-18-2008, 11:59 AM

I fish with the crowds below Bonneville and do great with a fly rod and super short shooting heads on a flat mono running line. No backcast is required, you can just do a Belgium cast and shoot the whole thing out. It's a ton of fun and you can elbow in with the gear guys, just need about fifteen feet clearance on your downstream side. We didn't catch as many last year as previous years, although we did get into more salmon.

Thunnus · 03-22-2008, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carp4Fun

I fish with the crowds below Bonneville and do great with a fly rod and super short shooting heads on a flat mono running line. No backcast is required, you can just do a Belgium cast and shoot the whole thing out. It's a ton of fun and you can elbow in with the gear guys, just need about fifteen feet clearance on your downstream side. We didn't catch as many last year as previous years, although we did get into more salmon.

Any references for the Belgium cast?

hooksetter1 · 03-22-2008, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thunnus

Any references for the Belgium cast?

Here's one, I was curious too.

http://www.midcurrent.com/articles/t...d_belgian.aspx

Ephraim Hackett · 03-23-2008, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saltchucker

Any tips on finding shad on flies. I fish Yellow creek on the umpqua from the bank and it is a bit too crowded to sling shooting heads - so I fish spinning gear. I gave the columbia a try last June launching from the ramp downstream from Bonneville on the WA side, anchoring and hanging lures was moderately effective for my partner, but the fish were clearly traveling quickly in heavy current on the fish finder and I did not have any luck finding fish in easier water where casting would be effective. Any tips on camas slough or lady island area? I am confident that I can catch em on flies if I can find concentrations (prefereably hanging out briefely) in slow enough current. Crowded rip rap (e.g. bonneville and John Day dams) is no fun to fly fish....

Will

Here are a couple of suggestions. Below Rainy Falls on the Rogue river is a especially fly fisher friendly spot. It is quite a drive and about a 1 1/2 mile hike from the end of the road.
I had good luck years ago at the Cleveland Rapids area on the Umpqua and I think you could find several spots on that river with a little scouting.
The Willamette across from the mouth of the Clackamas--Goat Island I think--could be a great fly fishing spot if you can get a ride over to the island.
The shad fly we used to tie was very simple--silver tinsel body with a little white hackle behind a bead of red or green floss. Lately (from a boat) we have had excellent results with #6 nickel siwash hook attached to a nickel plated swivel. No other lure needed. Sometimes a small red or green bead on the line resting on the swivel improves the bit but usually seems not needed.

Good luck. EH

saltchucker · 03-24-2008, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ephraim Hackett

Here are a couple of suggestions. Below Rainy Falls on the Rogue river is a especially fly fisher friendly spot. It is quite a drive and about a 1 1/2 mile hike from the end of the road.
I had good luck years ago at the Cleveland Rapids area on the Umpqua and I think you could find several spots on that river with a little scouting.
The Willamette across from the mouth of the Clackamas--Goat Island I think--could be a great fly fishing spot if you can get a ride over to the island.
The shad fly we used to tie was very simple--silver tinsel body with a little white hackle behind a bead of red or green floss. Lately (from a boat) we have had excellent results with #6 nickel siwash hook attached to a nickel plated swivel. No other lure needed. Sometimes a small red or green bead on the line resting on the swivel improves the bit but usually seems not needed.

Great tips thanks.

WR
Good luck. EH

Two Fister · 03-24-2008, 07:38 PM

We've gone out below the John Day dam and caught as many as we could handle with sink tips and simple streamers. With a short sink tip you can do a short, steep tower cast and then launch it out. Folks using conventional gear tend to stack up by the ladder so there's usually room just downstream.

Mmmmm....shad roe fried in bacon grease.....ohhhhhh

TF

retaliate · 03-25-2008, 08:12 AM

A couple years back in June, I went to Bonneville after work to catch some Shad for Halibut Bait, only to find they close at 5pm due to Security reasons, so I fished at the Mouth of Moffit Cr.(next cr. down from Tanner cr.) instead, I was the only one there on shore, but there was a Boat with 2 Flyfisherman onboard, they were working the Backeddy rip, & catching them one after another, I was using Casting gear with good success also, no doubt a Fly Rod would have worked well from shore also, as I went back the next day & had the place all to myself.

Hazelnut · 03-26-2008, 07:18 AM

Hey Ephraim, I didn't know the Rogue had a shad run??? I've stewed over trying this many years now. I'm up for the willamette, but have a bubby in Central Point that would love info on the Rogue. You Canby/ Molalla guys we got to get together on this. I got kids that need fishing this year!