Shad on American River

Jordan Romney Reports on 4.13.2016

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Peak Season Mother’s Day to Father’s Day

It has been a few years since we have gotten excited about shad fishing in Sacramento. With the drought and the low water the shad fishing has flat out been terrible. However, we have water again and we have water early. With the big spring flows coming out of Nimbus dam the shad should be here by the end of the month. Word around the fishing community is that there have already been a few caught in the lower end of the river and the boats are getting into them on the Sac near Verona. We should see a big push of fish in the next few weeks.

The peak season of shad season is typically mother’s day until father’s day. There are several ways to fish for them, my preference is to swing for them on a switch rod. The hardest thing about shad fishing is finding them. Once you find them and mark the depth they are in it is game on. It is not abnormal to have big number days while shad fishing. Hopefully this year proves to be the same.

My favorite part of shad season is that it brings the stripers in, I always have an 8wt rigged and ready while shad fishing. Part of the package that I run is a shad/striper ½ day morning or evening trip. We will fish out the drift boat plus get out and fish a few runs on foot. Get a day on the books with me for May and let’s finally catch some shad on the American.