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Other Activities => Fishing => Topic started by: KopperBuck on June 26, 2012, 01:37:56 PM


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Title: Shad rigs
Post by: KopperBuck on June 26, 2012, 01:37:56 PM
Hitting the river this weekend to hopefully pick up some shad. Looking for some new rigs. Typically I've thrown Dick Nites, but it can get kinda spendy at times and am looking for some new ideas.

I haven't thrown darts yet, looking to try that. I assume it's the same sort of retrieve as with DNs? I've also heard just throwing plain lead jigs with brass hooks. Are you guys just using a lighter weight since the darts and jigs add a little more weight?

I heard a variation of something I heard works - along the lines of a bead/swivel combo. Interested in how this is rigged and worked.
Title: Re: Shad rigs
Post by: carpsniperg2 on June 26, 2012, 01:40:56 PM
I use the dick nites and shad darts the neon yellow and red darts wrok the best for me. Just a 1' dropper with about 2.5' leader. I am fishing from the bank when I do it.
Title: Re: Shad rigs
Post by: KopperBuck on June 26, 2012, 03:32:41 PM
What size dart are you throwing?

With the dropper are you having decent luck breaking the it off only and keeping the hardware? I haven't done it that way, but now that you mention it I may go that route. I think the lady is going to go and it could help her a bunch.
Title: Re: Shad rigs
Post by: SteelheadDC on June 26, 2012, 04:43:46 PM
go cheap, all you need is something small and gold colored  a swivel with hook will work.  Easiest and cheapest is to buy small crappie jigs with plastic body 1/32 oz and tear off plastic body.  Use two seperate jigs, fun to hook two at once.  Good luck.  Remember gold hook
Title: Re: Shad rigs
Post by: Ripper on June 28, 2012, 05:14:26 PM
I hope you don't mind me butting in on your thread, but will shad fishing still be good the weekend after 4th of July? I'm talking below Bonneville. Or will it be better up around the Dalles? I've never fished for the things but would love to try. It sounds like a lot of fun.
Title: Re: Shad rigs
Post by: Fishnclifff on June 29, 2012, 06:03:20 PM
Startin to taper off at Bonny.

We use this rig for darts.:

Cut 1/4 oz hollow core lead about 2" long(weighs about 1/2 to 3/4 oz). You can get about 2 dozen out of a roll.
Slide weight up main line.
add bead
tie on barrel swivel.
add 3 ft leader.
tie on dart.

we have caught about 6 dozen or so fish with this rig. cuts down on snags, compared to the dropper.
Title: Re: Shad rigs
Post by: jechicdr on June 29, 2012, 09:28:18 PM
Fished below Bonneville from shore and used spinning reel lined with 6 pound test on a 12 foot Crappie rod that I bought out east.  Could probably get one through Cabelas or Bass Pro.  You can really whip it out there and can put a serious bend on the rod when you get one...and when you get a salmon...it will really take you for a loop.  Used a 3 way swivel with rubber tubing tied on the side attachment that lead could be changed out depending on current and depth.  Wish they may them with better quality swivels though.  With the 12 foot rod, you could have a little bit longer leader.  To top it all off, a chartreuse/green/white shad dart with the bigger hook.  If I had small jig head with bigger hooks, I bet it would work better.  The smaller ones with small gold hooks tends to get hit more often, but you lose more fish.  The big head with big hook gets hit less, but the hits you get tend to stay hooked.  Not sure if it was the ability to cast far, the light line, or keeping the bait in feeding zone longer when it was held out from shore, or the longer leader, but it seemed to work a little better than most.
Title: Re: Shad rigs
Post by: KopperBuck on July 02, 2012, 08:45:07 AM
Hit up the Snake this weekend. We did alright, not as good as I've done in the past. Most fish came on the swivel/bead setup. Unfortunately I spent more time tying up other people's rigs than fishing I think...
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