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Fly Rodding for Shad

Freshwater 
10K views 80 replies 17 participants last post by  RouseD 
#1 ·
It won't be long now before the shad run hits our waters. Shad will hit
brightly colored small flies. Hot pink, hot orange, chartruese are great
colors. A flyrod from 4-8 weight will get the job done. Look out
Goldsboro, Kinston and Pitchkettle.


Here are a few flies I use...the first one was hot last year. As time gets
closer I will be tying a new assortment.




 
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#29 ·
Backlash,not saying you're wrong,but that's the first time I've ever heard of matching the hatch for shad.I think they strike because of the bright colors,movement,aggression,who knows ?Do you have some pictures of the stuff they feed on?I know they occassionally eat small fish,and you can catch them on spoons,spinners,etc.
 
#30 ·
I was a looking at a site about shad fishing and they have pictures of the copepods and some flies.
I tied these a while ago for salt water I think , after seeing the pictures at the other sight ,that they might work for shad.



 
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#35 ·
Theories on whether Shad feed or not on there spawning runs vary. The common wisdom is that they do not but I have read several articles lately in which biologists are beginning to collect evidence of feeding fish. At least occasionally feeding during the run.

You can find a ton of pics by during a search in google images.
Hickories feed for sure! I've cleaned a bunch with minnows in their stomach. A few years ago I got into them from the beach busting bait mixed in with bluefish. These had spawned and on their way out.
 
#34 ·
Scott, great idea. I need to clean up my roll top desk and make something like that. The gears are turning, but they need a lot of oiling these days. I need to make something that I can keep my threads in front of me, and something to dry my flies on. It's nice to have everything in sight, and in front of you when tying. One of these days, I am going to clean my room up, so I can see over the top of everything. Since I startred tying flies, I have so many materials, and keep adding to them as I see more flies I'd like to tie. Maybe that is why CCOBB built a building outside to tie his flies in.
 
#36 ·
I'm not a scientist but there are a lot of fish caught on shad darts,
spoons silver, gold, white and various other colors. Also on assorted
color's and sizes and shapes of fly rod flies. To be sure they are not
swimming with there mouth open waiting for an impalement.

Maybe eat the minnor or whatever before it eats your eggs....:)

It sure is fun catching them rascals.
 
#37 ·
i have seen white shad in the mouth of a small creek (low water) chasing minnows...........neuse tributary....nice stuff scott......going to get me a vise soon and take a course.....going to start with just black ants first since thats what i use 1/2 the time for bream.....mack
 
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#38 ·
Mack you can find plenty of things to tie on YouTube. I bet if you put
How to tie a Black Ant.....on youtube a dozen videos will pop up and
show you step by step how to tie it. Same with any other critter you want to tie.

Good luck on your tying.
 
#40 ·
10-4 those will definately catch em up...:)

Check out the pic a few post above and look at the top row of flies....shad flies. From
left to right...rootbeer color, rusty brown, chartruese, lime green, hot orange, then
fuschia, and hot pink, hot orange tip/white body, red head/white body.....:)

<*)))))>{
 
#42 ·
I don't have em tied up yet but the hot orange is my go to color. I
ran out of hot orange estaz but I'm getting ready to order me a
couple of packs. The other colors are standbys just in case they want
to try another color....:):):) If 2 of us are in the boat we start with orange
and pink and test the waters so to speak and let the fish tell us what they want that day.

Continue to change as the fish change there minds...:)
 
#44 ·
I always have at least 2 of the same color and size. It hurts your
feelings when they are tearing up just 1 color and you lose that color
in a tree top or fishes mouth. So I make sure to have plenty of
different colors....:)
 
#47 ·
Shad run from the top of the water colum to the bottom. Bright
sunny days make em go deep and cloudy days usually shallower. I
keep a mix of heavy and lightly weighted flies.

Normally I use WF8F line and a 8 or 10 pound leader. I cast out and
let the fly sink a little and ease it back with short strips. If the fish
are running deep I put on a heavier fly and let it sink to the desired
depth and then short strip it back.

Some folks use a sinking line but I don't think you need it all the
time, maybe on a spare spool. Change it if you need to go deep or
leave it if the are shallow.

There is a shad spoon tied in the fly tying section by Allen
Peyton...aka...Tarheel Fly Flinger....artifical finger nail...:)

Shad fishing is pretty easy like cast and retrieve. Vary retrieves and
fly colors and sizes till you find out what they want that day. You may have to change several times during a day.
 
#49 ·
Better to have em and not need em....than to need em and
not have em....:):) Shad flies that is..Hickory shad from from
1 pound to a little over, sometimes a 2 pounder. They are
great sport on light tackle and especially on a flyrod.

I just got a new 5 wt in the mail and chomping at the bit

to try it on shad and bream....:)
 
#52 ·
I use a mix of bead chain, med and large, and lead eyes in small and medium. Also Cyclops eyes or cone heads for weight. I make several flies with different weights that way if the water situation changes all I have to do is change a fly out.


Top row has lead painted eyes bottom row, left has chain eyes and
right has a cyclops eye or bead for weight.
 
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