Shad
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What’s the preferred technique? Cast net? What do you with them? Bait for bass fishing or catfish?
Watchya talkin... Fun fish on the fly or light tackle with a great history, see "The Founding Fish" book. Haven't fished them here in FL, but had a lot of fun up on the Eastern Shore with them. When they're hitting, they will give you a sore arm, feisty battlers.
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Interesting, what kinda flies?
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As long as I have ladyfish - those shad will be safe from me... Particularly the ocean run size (too big to get a hand around...). They'll attack anything that comes near and will wear you out with just a 7wt... When it's on I can keep three anglers hooked up continuously (one with fly -the other two with light spinning rods).
A big ladyfish, nearing 30" overall will burn a hundred yards of line when you hook one then begin jumping just like a tarpon..
The smaller ones - say less than 15" might just be the best bait for big fish in the backcountry.... of the 'Glades...
A big ladyfish, nearing 30" overall will burn a hundred yards of line when you hook one then begin jumping just like a tarpon..
The smaller ones - say less than 15" might just be the best bait for big fish in the backcountry.... of the 'Glades...
Some examples. Small hooks and bead chain eyes, body of chenille, marabou tail, bright and colorful. Had success with small crazy Charles. Spin guys use Shad Darts.
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Do y’all eat them?
Shad were a staple both pre and post Revolution. Still popular in some regions today.
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I think some people eat the roe. Otherwise the are boney like a mini tarpon. Catch and release only for me. I also keep a silicone style net to land them to keep the fish from hurting itself. They will flop around and damage themselves if you let them. It's the only other fish aside from Salmon that I know of in North America that run from the ocean back to their freshwater birth place to spawn every year. On a 5 wt they are a blast. It's also the only fly fishing in FL that resembles salmon fishing up north, which makes it a really fun change of pace.
The Founding Fish by John McPhee is an excellent short book about the American Shad. He pursued them with a fly rod on the Delaware River. And yes, very fun on the fly. I’m curious if you are getting Hickory Shad, Gizzard Shad, or American Shad in Fla?
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Not sure about gizzard and some hickory, but most of the effort is directed at American shad in the areas el9surf mentioned.
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Thanks for posting. About 2 years ago I asked what flies some guys were throwing and Fa-king crickets. Lol.
http://www.shadonthefly.com/2015/10/08/fly-patterns-for-shad/
This is on my bucket list to do...good luck folks.
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