O
okuma
Guest
for many years now, i have heard about the shad run on the delaware river in eastern pa. so, i think i may bite a drive forever to get there. when is the best time for this
Rip Tide
Well-known member
Here in CT the time to fish for shad is when the shadbush comes into bloom. Sometime around mid April
sandfly
Well-known member
On the delaware any time from mid may to the end of may. all depends upon the weather and water conditions. I have caught bucks in mid march and in mid june before. Have to put in the time to hook up. It's not like going to your local pond for sunfish. they could be in one spot one day and not there the next.
O
okuma
Guest
Thanks! Time to do some research
timboothe
Member
I stumbled upon Shad by accident this past season. Got a buddy of mine that used to guide the Big D and he would rave about the Shad. I spend most of my time chasing Browns on the WB but decided to get to know the Main Stem this past season. I was a little late and started hitting the Main Stem around the beginning of June til around the middle of June.
I caught more Shad than I could shake a stick at. I caught a few on something akin to a "Shad Dart" but had the most success using black nymphs #14-#10.
To me these things were dumber than a box of rocks. They'd swim right up on you, right between your legs. They school up and mosey up and down a pool. I noticed that the first few times I saw them, they tended to hang under the surface quite a bit. Later on towards the middle of June they were right up near the surface, fins out of the water, very easy to see and fish to. I'd wait until I saw several heading towards me, cast out in front and start striping in once they got near.
One thing though: they are plankton eaters and have a very, very soft mouth. If you don't get them through the nose, you won't have one on for long.
TimBoothe
I caught more Shad than I could shake a stick at. I caught a few on something akin to a "Shad Dart" but had the most success using black nymphs #14-#10.
To me these things were dumber than a box of rocks. They'd swim right up on you, right between your legs. They school up and mosey up and down a pool. I noticed that the first few times I saw them, they tended to hang under the surface quite a bit. Later on towards the middle of June they were right up near the surface, fins out of the water, very easy to see and fish to. I'd wait until I saw several heading towards me, cast out in front and start striping in once they got near.
One thing though: they are plankton eaters and have a very, very soft mouth. If you don't get them through the nose, you won't have one on for long.
TimBoothe
O
okuma
Guest
AHHHHHHHHHHH yes. My kind of fish. Dumber than rocks. HMMMM...wonder if i can tie up a rock dart?:biggrin:
theboz
Well-known member
Depending on where you are on the river the shad run can start anywhere from early April and end as late as June 30th. Go on the Morning Call Newspapers web they list the number of a Shad hotline beginning in March. The Hotline will give you a good idea where concentrations of fish are daily.
Having lived so close to the Delaware I am somewhat ashamed to say I've never fished for them either, I don't know why other than to say I like trout fishing and that's what I target.
I think I'll have to give it a shot this spring also. I"ll just guess that the flies for shad are tied with a lot of marrabu, Ill have to do a little search and ty some up.
I think I'll have to give it a shot this spring also. I"ll just guess that the flies for shad are tied with a lot of marrabu, Ill have to do a little search and ty some up.