# Shad



## IRLyRiser (Feb 14, 2007)

I caught one today. Been hit or miss. Mostly slow though. Maybe they’ll fill in quick.


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## Capt. Eli Whidden (Jun 7, 2012)

What’s the preferred technique? Cast net? What do you with them? Bait for bass fishing or catfish?


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## eightwt (May 11, 2017)

Capt. Eli Whidden said:


> What’s the preferred technique? Cast net? What do you with them? Bait for bass fishing or catfish?


Watchya talkin... Fun fish on the fly or light tackle with a great history, see "The Founding Fish" book. Haven't fished them here in FL, but had a lot of fun up on the Eastern Shore with them. When they're hitting, they will give you a sore arm, feisty battlers.


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## Capt. Eli Whidden (Jun 7, 2012)

eightwt said:


> Watchya talkin... Fun fish on the fly or light tackle with a great history, see "The Founding Fish" book. Haven't fished them here in FL, but had a lot of fun up on the Eastern Shore with them. When they're hitting, they will give you a sore arm, feisty battlers.


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## Capt. Eli Whidden (Jun 7, 2012)

Interesting, what kinda flies?


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

As long as I have ladyfish - those shad will be safe from me... Particularly the ocean run size (too big to get a hand around...). They'll attack anything that comes near and will wear you out with just a 7wt... When it's on I can keep three anglers hooked up continuously (one with fly -the other two with light spinning rods).

A big ladyfish, nearing 30" overall will burn a hundred yards of line when you hook one then begin jumping just like a tarpon..

The smaller ones - say less than 15" might just be the best bait for big fish in the backcountry.... of the 'Glades...


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## eightwt (May 11, 2017)

Capt. Eli Whidden said:


> Interesting, what kinda flies?












Some examples. Small hooks and bead chain eyes, body of chenille, marabou tail, bright and colorful. Had success with small crazy Charles. Spin guys use Shad Darts.


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## eightwt (May 11, 2017)

lemaymiami said:


> As long as I have ladyfish - those shad will be safe from me...[/QUOTE
> 
> Oh yeah, lady's are the bomb. Beaucoup fun. I've heard both lady fish and hickory shad referred to as poor man's tarpon. Like them all, whatever pulls back.


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## MatthewAbbott (Feb 25, 2017)

Do y’all eat them?


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## eightwt (May 11, 2017)

MatthewAbbott said:


> Do y’all eat them?


Shad were a staple both pre and post Revolution. Still popular in some regions today.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

I think some people eat the roe. Otherwise the are boney like a mini tarpon. Catch and release only for me. I also keep a silicone style net to land them to keep the fish from hurting itself. They will flop around and damage themselves if you let them. It's the only other fish aside from Salmon that I know of in North America that run from the ocean back to their freshwater birth place to spawn every year. On a 5 wt they are a blast. It's also the only fly fishing in FL that resembles salmon fishing up north, which makes it a really fun change of pace.


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## Scrather (Mar 12, 2018)

The Founding Fish by John McPhee is an excellent short book about the American Shad. He pursued them with a fly rod on the Delaware River. And yes, very fun on the fly. I’m curious if you are getting Hickory Shad, Gizzard Shad, or American Shad in Fla?


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Also forgot to mention the shad we get live in the ocean for 4 years before returning back to the St. John's to spawn. That's a long run from the mouth of the St. John's in Jax down to the Econ, 50 and 528.


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## Zika (Aug 6, 2015)

Scrather said:


> I’m curious if you are getting Hickory Shad, Gizzard Shad, or American Shad in Fla?


Not sure about gizzard and some hickory, but most of the effort is directed at American shad in the areas el9surf mentioned.


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## csnaspuck (Apr 2, 2013)

We were catching them in monroe a few weeks ago so I assume they were headed that way


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## Megalops (Oct 23, 2011)

eightwt said:


> View attachment 59806
> 
> 
> Some examples. Small hooks and bead chain eyes, body of chenille, marabou tail, bright and colorful. Had success with small crazy Charles. Spin guys use Shad Darts.


Thanks for posting. About 2 years ago I asked what flies some guys were throwing and Fa-king crickets. Lol.

http://www.shadonthefly.com/2015/10/08/fly-patterns-for-shad/

This is on my bucket list to do...good luck folks.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Been fishing them for the past 10 years with great success over the past 5-6 years. Took some trial and error but have it figured out. It can be difficult because it's a relatively short window of time to get it dialed in.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)




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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

The shad we catch don't have that black spot, those look like pogies. They are also part of the threadfin family I believe.


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## Scrather (Mar 12, 2018)

Those in the pic are pogies /bunker/menhaden. Staple of the fish oil industry, member of the herring family as are shad and tarpon.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

That's either some strong sarcasm or he really thinks he has a plate full of pompano. Hard to tell these days!


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Either way that entire lot of fish isn't worth cleaning


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## Viking1 (May 23, 2010)

Shad are a fun fish to catch on light tackle but I have never kept one to eat. By catches while fishing for shad on the St. Johns include hybrids, bass and specs. Another bonus is the scenery around the Econ River.


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## Megalops (Oct 23, 2011)

Viking1 said:


> Shad are a fun fish to catch on light tackle but I have never kept one to eat. By catches while fishing for shad on the St. Johns include hybrids, bass and specs. Another bonus is the scenery around the Econ River.


What ramp did you launch from?


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## Scott Kor (Feb 3, 2019)

eightwt said:


> View attachment 59806
> 
> 
> Some examples. Small hooks and bead chain eyes, body of chenille, marabou tail, bright and colorful. Had success with small crazy Charles. Spin guys use Shad Darts.


I used to catch shad on the west coast. Pretty much the same flies with the addition of other colors. The key was getting the right weight or drift. You wanted the fly to drift through the school at eye level for as long as possible.


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## Viking1 (May 23, 2010)

Megalops said:


> What ramp did you launch from?


I launched from the public ramp on Hwy 46 next to the Jolly Gator. If you can fish during the week. This area gets very crowded on the weekend.


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## Megalops (Oct 23, 2011)

Viking1 said:


> I launched from the public ramp on Hwy 46 next to the Jolly Gator. If you can fish during the week. This area gets very crowded on the weekend.


Thank you sir!


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