Shad

[sportsman250]

I been trying shad fishing for the first time this year, actually the first time fresh water fishing in a long time. I was looking for some help. I've been going around sun set and tossing shad darts ahead of them up and down current with no love. Tomorrow I'm gonna bring my waders and try some grub tails and lighter 1/16oz darts, I've been using 1/4 oz. I go in Hanover at the Indian Head River. Trying to get some fishing in until I launch mid May. Anyone have any techniques they wanna share?

Thanks Chris

[fonzie]

it might be a bit early still for shad, but the herring are thick.

Shad darts at indian head at night should work. It's pretty maddening, you hear them smashing all around by no hookups.

[amarshall]

You're not doing anything wrong except it's very early. You also want a good incoming tide.

We're going to start soon at Indian head. We go real late.

[Animal 1]

If you're fishing for hickories,try a 3/4 oz. Braid Slammer,in white,or silver.I use them for bass bait,and generally get them on a sabiki rig,using the slammer as both weight,and flash.Shad are awesome fighters.

[Clint3240]

quit fishing and get the boat ready!! lots of work to do

[sportsman250]

quit fishing and get the boat ready!! lots of work to do

burning the midnight Guinness, replacing the gunnel cores now, taking off first week in May if I'm not close enough.

[mlc20]

I fish the indian head, but def still too early i usually go the first week in may at night. Just watch out for the turtles

[sportsman250]

went again tonight, they are there now, at least I thinks its shad but, waders leaked cold water and skunked.

Does the indian head ever flow in? Or is it just higher water/ slower current at incoming tides? and lower water/ faster current at outgoing tides? Today, low tide was at 6:56 pm and the water was really high and ripping current, but it was also the full moon? Still trying to figure out the tides/currents there for my fish notes.

Thanks for the help guys

[Captain Greg Sears]

went again tonight, they are there now, at least I thinks its shad but, waders leaked cold water and skunked.

Does the indian head ever flow in? Or is it just higher water/ slower current at incoming tides? and lower water/ faster current at outgoing tides? Today, low tide was at 6:56 pm and the water was really high and ripping current, but it was also the full moon? Still trying to figure out the tides/currents there for my fish notes.

Thanks for the help guys

I used to fish just up river from the canoe ramp at Indian head for shad got a lot of them in the early 80s. The tide is about 5 hours behind the Scituate tide calender it rises about 1 to 2 feet but always flows out. When high tide and sunset are at the same time this was the best fishing weeks. The full moon tide at the end of April was always crazy in the middle of the night. I used to use a 1/4oz fluke style jig tied with pink or white marabu I liked the wider gap on the hook than the smaller shad darts. I used to find a rock and place the jig just down current and let it sit wiggling behind the rock like bottom fishing. Feel a bump and let the line go with a very very light drag. Don't set the hook slightly increase the drag as you run after the fish. I used the smallest spinning reel I could find with under 10 pound test. the lighter the line the more hookups but you also lose more fish with all the rocks and tree stumps. If it rains a lot the fishing is tough up there so we used to go down river on the down river side of Washington st bridge when there was a lot of fresh water in the river. Lantern light attracts them place your lantern over the area you are fishing not where you are standing. Colman flame lanterns seemed to work better than battery powered.. don't ask me why but the yellowish light seemed to attract more than a bright white light.

PS wear a life jacket if you are wading in the river. The current is strong and there are lots of holes and rocks to trip on. I watched a guy float upside down and was drowning until his friend pulled him out. Another guy fell in and got caught up in tree limb snags and did drown.

[aloop]

KILL all lampreys! Last time I fished under the bridge in front of the ladder I snagged a few of them, freaky looking, alien fish. There were a dozen of them, but I only saw the big ones!