Shad fishing?

Sorry about the off beat questions about shad fishing while everybody is focusing on rockfish and Salmon . While American shads are considered as trash fish by many people here, they are considered as a delicacy in some asian cooking. Anybody has some pointers where I can easily launch kayak in the delta to try out shad? Can I easily anchor the yak with anchor trolley? I went with a friend to Verona marina on power boat a few days ago, and the water seems to be too fast to anchor kayak. Thanks.

Been getting them in the American, easy for you to launch your kayak and fish.

This weekend should be good up above Ancil Hoffman in the barbless section. There are scattered schools all over but with the low flows and warm water they are moving up to the breeding rounds and doing their thing.
River Bend has a big concentration of fish also.

Not sure if you fly fish or not, if you do I've had luck on Bloody Maria's and Orange shad flies. The bigger females are in deeper holes and seem to prefer bigger more aggressive presentations.
If you are not fly fishing then 1/32 jig head with a one inch champagne grub  jig head colors really don't matter, pink white and chartreuse are what I use. I also use Mikes Scent anise on my jigs. Put a float about 4-5 feet depending on depth and work seams and edges. If water is slower use a bobber and twich it to get some tail action.

What Matt said.  Launch at Howe ave. is good right now for shad.


AND


I think they are delicious!!  I use Thien's mom's recipe (here in recipe section) for pressure cooked shad, SOOOOOO GOOD!!!  So good in fact that it's my GS8 pot-luck dish

MMMMMM.... Smoked Shad 
In my top three best fish smoked (Sturgeon, Salmon, Shad)

i wanna play too!
lmk when in the next few days/weeks can hit it some wkdays from about 9a to 12:30p
or weedkday eve. 5-dark
got get those slimy little tarpon

The shad at Howe are HUGE.

They hold in the deep part straight across from the ramp, right below the island about 50 yards. There is a deep hole so anchor above it off the both bank and throw towards the bank, they move up a little in the morning and evening so they are a little shallower.

I was using a sinking leader to get down to them. Hooked a fattie female close to 24 inches maybe longer. Saw her three times but after 10 minutes she broke my 5x tippet. Lol. Use at least an 8 from now on I guess.

How about Thursday next week Tony?

Hey Matt, I can go in the pm

Dang, wish I could make it to Sac for some shad fishing. If someone has a great day and doesn't know what to do with their abundance, freeze a few and bring them to me at GS8. I'll trade you for some smoked fish - there - or later at Albion. 
Serious

I wanna go.

-Allen

This week is ok out there. There are fish for sure but remember it's super early.

Next week will be better, but if you go today also bring a striper pole.

Saw some sharks cruising thru on my drift yesterday. And if we saw some we missed many more.

I won't be able to make it out there today, won't till next Thursday. I'll start a shad hookup thread.

I won't be able to make it out there today, won't till next Thursday. I'll start a shad hookup thread.

How about next Friday?

-Allen

I can do that. If you want we can even meet upstream and do a drift.....
If you don't have a fly rod I have extras. There are some great spots to fly fish upstream and even just right above Howe at Watt there are a few spots.

I can do that. If you want we can even meet upstream and do a drift.....
If you don't have a fly rod I have extras. There are some great spots to fly fish upstream and even just right above Howe at Watt there are a few spots.

What weight fly rod and what sort of line?

-Allen

what's Hwy 50 traffic eastbound like these days?