Hunting Washington Forum

Other Activities => Fishing => Topic started by: Sportfury on January 31, 2010, 01:26:21 AM

Title: Shad
Post by: Sportfury on January 31, 2010, 01:26:21 AM: I was wondering when the Shad are going to come in? Never fished them before, but heard it is great fun and they put up a good fight. Would love to get the kids down there on them.
Title: Re: Shad
Post by: buckmaster_wa on January 31, 2010, 01:39:01 AM: Should be another month or two. They do fight really well. And you dont even need to use bait to catch em. So they are a cheap fish to catch. Just use a shad jig.
Title: Re: Shad
Post by: Blacklab on January 31, 2010, 10:13:52 AM: Usually around May a friend of mine uses a brass swivel and a hook. I haven't done it yet, this year I will try though.
Title: Re: Shad
Post by: kenbell27 on January 31, 2010, 10:20:25 AM: Usually second or third week in june is the best, go to the Bonneville fish count web sight and you can see how many are going through, when it hits 80,000 or more is when we head down. I make my own shad darts its a lot cheaper.
Title: Re: Shad
Post by: kbyers on January 31, 2010, 08:04:23 PM: :yeah:

Watch the fish count. Usually the middle to end of June
Title: Re: Shad
Post by: Yardmaster on January 31, 2010, 08:08:31 PM: Ya the middle of June to the end . They are fun to catch, My boy got tired of reeling them in. And said dad you catch the rest. Also they make great sturgeon bait
Title: Re: Shad
Post by: fishcrazy on January 31, 2010, 08:14:28 PM: Start looking at the dam counts in mid May. By late may there is always fishable numbers. The peak of the run is useually around fathers day and is pretty much history by end of June to first part of July but they will trickle over clear up to the end of August.

The last 2 years have been slow starts and good numbers haven't hit untill allmost the end of May.

Kris
Title: Re: Shad
Post by: ribka on February 05, 2010, 07:32:12 PM: Check out below John Day dam when the count starts going up. Usually good bank fishing,
Chartruse, red shad darts usually work. Great fun on a fly rod. I use a shooting head to get down deep.

Have not yet figured them out. Some days bites every cast and other days cannot buy a bite.
Title: Re: Shad
Post by: Fishnclifff on February 09, 2010, 04:35:02 PM: Quote from: Blacklab on January 31, 2010, 10:13:52 AM
Usually around May a friend of mine uses a brass swivel and a hook. I haven't done it yet, this year I will try though.

Woks gret. I use alot of them.

"Also they make great sturgeon bait"

Check out the new changes proposed for 2010. No shad for bait.
Title: Re: Shad
Post by: Tealer on February 09, 2010, 05:52:58 PM: Shad make excellent crab bait as well. I usually start fishing them in May. My favorite lures are dick nites and darts with a grub tail. I have also caught a few summer run chinook while targeting shad. It was pretty common to land 60 to 70 fish in a couple hours, in the height of the run.
Title: Re: Shad
Post by: h2ofowlr on February 10, 2010, 07:19:37 AM: I usually fish them towards Mid - May through June. I purchased a dart jig mold and use the powder coat and made a pile of jigs. Chartreus, Pink , Green, Red/White, Chartreus/Green, Chartreus/Yellow, etc. Or you can use some small Dick Knights. There a kick to catch. We caught over 300 of them in 3 days of fishing last year. They work good for crab bait, halibut and oversize sturgeon on the Columbia River.
Title: Re: Shad
Post by: fishcrazy on February 10, 2010, 09:21:00 AM: No shad for bait? Last I read they didn't want to use whole shad only pieces.

I don't think that got anywhere. I didn't see anything on the release that just came out from the commission meetings

Dumbest idea I have seen yet. Well that and the barbless hooks rule on the lower Columbia for Salmon and steelhead next year. :bash:

Kris
Title: Re: Shad
Post by: kenbell27 on February 10, 2010, 09:50:17 AM: Quote from: fishcrazy on January 31, 2010, 08:14:28 PM
Start looking at the dam counts in mid May. By late may there is always fishable numbers. The peak of the run is useually around fathers day and is pretty much history by end of June to first part of July but they will trickle over clear up to the end of August.

The last 2 years have been slow starts and good numbers haven't hit untill allmost the end of May.

Kris

We have had days like that to, we would be catching fish all day then the next day nothing, I think it has to do with the amount of water being released thru the dam. :dunno:
Title: Re: Shad
Post by: fishcrazy on February 10, 2010, 10:11:14 AM: I think the water over the dam has alot to do with it but I have seen bites drop to nothing on them when they put the nets in for them as well. Since they started to commercial harvest them the runs have been dropping very bad. A few years ago 5 million wasn't uncommon. I think last years run was around 2 million. NOT GOOD!! but WDFW will turn their head now that $$$ money is involved.

Kris
Title: Re: Shad
Post by: Sportfury on February 14, 2010, 06:24:14 PM: Thanks for the replys guys I will try and get after them. Any good places for a bank angler with kids?
Title: Re: Shad
Post by: fishcrazy on February 14, 2010, 08:06:30 PM: Washington side @Bonnaville dam would be the best.

Unless you can find someone to take you out in a boat. ;) How many kids and what are their ages?

Kris
Title: Re: Shad
Post by: Sportfury on February 16, 2010, 05:55:47 PM: Quote from: fishcrazy on February 14, 2010, 08:06:30 PM
Washington side @Bonnaville dam would be the best.

Unless you can find someone to take you out in a boat. ;) How many kids and what are their ages?

Kris

Three kids. My son who is 12, my daughter who is 10, and my son's best friend (a true fishing fool) who is 13. I only have access to a 12' aluminum and there is no way I would want to be out on the Columbia with that after seeing some of the winds on the river. I will check out the Bonneville side.

What type of rods would you reccomend? Could the kids get by with a regular 6' rod set up for lake fishing? I have one M/H 9.5' Lamiglass that I use for salmon, but then they would have to share.
Title: Re: Shad
Post by: fishcrazy on February 17, 2010, 09:22:54 AM: Light trout gear is the perfect thing for shad. Remember they are the size of large trout. 1-4 lbs is average.

Keep in contact with me I might be able to take you guys out on a shad/sturgeon (oversize) trip whe nthe time comes. Send me a PM. I'm sure the kids would get a big kick out of it.

Kris
Title: Re: Shad
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on February 17, 2010, 01:11:50 PM: I would like to get my kids in on that one also..... :tup:
Title: Re: Shad
Post by: fishcrazy on February 17, 2010, 01:15:54 PM: Quote from: STIKNSTRINGBOW on February 17, 2010, 01:11:50 PM
I would like to get my kids in on that one also..... :tup:

When the time nears send me a PM. I like getting kids out. It makes great pics!!!

Kris
Title: Re: Shad
Post by: cohoho on February 17, 2010, 03:07:40 PM: Quote from: fishcrazy on February 17, 2010, 01:15:54 PM
Quote from: STIKNSTRINGBOW on February 17, 2010, 01:11:50 PM
I would like to get my kids in on that one also..... :tup:

When the time nears send me a PM. I like getting kids out. It makes great pics!!!

Kris

My thoughts also, we get alot of the hockey turds out after the season ends...
Title: Re: Shad
Post by: Sportfury on February 17, 2010, 06:29:23 PM: I must say the Hunt-Wa members are some great people! I am happy to be part of a group like this. Fishcrazy thank you for the offer I will send you a PM.
Title: Re: Shad
Post by: fishcrazy on February 17, 2010, 09:02:58 PM: Glad to help. When it comes to getting kids out I jump at the chance. :)

Kris
Title: Re: Shad
Post by: ICEMAN on February 18, 2010, 07:43:00 AM: You guys are great!