Shad

[Bigshooter]

I see that the shad are starting to run.  Has anyone went and fished for them yet?

[Dadx6]

I've only ever gone when the numbers were up over 10,000 per day. Memorial Day weekend is usually a sure bet. If I lived closer, I'd consider trying it out with slightly smaller numbers.

[Antlershed]

Today's date in past years has been pretty decent fishing for them in the Kalama area. Haven't heard of anyone targeting em yet this year though.

[D-Rock425]

How do you fish for these things and what do you do with them?

[johnr060]

 

[Antlershed]

How do you fish for these things and what do you do with them?

Up by bonneville, you can drift fish for them off the bank. Basically a steelhead drift setup but tie on a shad dart. You lose a lot of gear in the rocks so these can get expensive. You can also use a small corky and tiny chunk of yarn with like a #4 or #6 hook. Much cheaper and just as effective.

Fishing out of a boat, I like to run dick nites. Fish them with about an 18-24" dropper and a 3' leader.

I don't fish for them very often, but guys use them for oversize sturgeon bait and crab/shrimp bait.

[kentrek]

I think I heard shad are a delicacy on the east coast,could be worth figuring out a way to eat them

[Smokeploe]

Two things you can do with shad 1. Smoke them and can to help with the bones and hard smoke them both of these ways work real good.  Later in the summer smoked shad, crackers cheese and ice cold beer on the patio while BBQ steaks -- can't beat that. 2. Is take the roe and cook them up with scrambled eggs and bacon, killer breakfast.
Smokeploe

[bullcanyon]

Do you have better luck on the Or side or the Wa side around Kalama for shad?  I've never fished them that low in the river.  We used to take a trip up to bonny in the boat and hammer them than go sturgeon fishing.  Haven't done it since one of our buddies that used to go was killed in a car accident.  Just don't seem right going up there without him. 

[Antlershed]

Over on the OR side. Straight across from the Kalama launch, a lot of guys call that Sand Island. There is a wing dam at the top end of it that you can tie off to. You can see the wingdam in this image from google maps. Hard to explain, but basically the most OR side of the wingdam is where I have fished for shad.