Pro Staff Blog

Jack in the Boat

You do not need a calendar to tell you when spring arrives here in Virginia.  Just like clockwork everywhere around you things start happening. Spring brings the promise of renewal and the circle of life. Temperatures warm, toms start gobbling, the dogwoods begin to bloom and the shad arrive in the James River.

Each year I get so anxious for spring to finally get here. Deer calls have long been put away and my decoys have been sitting wadded up in a ball of maddening tangles for weeks. The cobwebs of February are brushed off and cabin fever finally slips away as the outdoors open up again with some of my favorite activities.

The shad/herring run starts around the end of March here in Richmond. You can tell that they are here when you drive over the I95 bridge and it looks like we are being invaded by some foreign navy. There will be anywhere from twenty to over fifty boats all vying for a relatively small patch of water. Navigating the crowds can get interesting and proper boating etiquette should be used to avoid a coarse word or two. If you like jetskies then more power to you but I would advise you to head down river unless you are some sort of water born ninja capable of matrix like reflexes as the shad darts start flying.

Shad trips start the same way every year. You get a call or two asking if you have seen any boats on the water and depending on the observations a plan is made. Today I was joined with some great friends Jason Flora, Scott Hawley and Scott’s 6 year old son Jack. Jason, Scott and I go way back. Honestly I don’t know what is more fun, catching shad or ribbing those two guys and Jack added a new dimension to the normal playful harassment. Lots of  “hey Jack, why don’t you ask Mr. Jason why he doesn’t like catching fish” or “ask Mr. Jason if he would like to reel in one of your fish” and my favorite “hey dad that fish was huge”. See picture. Gotta get the kid started off right with the proper use of fishing quips and taunting.

The day started kind of slow as we anchored at a few places to find the schools of fish. Now you can catch shad pretty much anywhere on the river but they definitely bunch up in different areas depending on the depth, current and the tide. On a slack tide they usually will stack up in the deeper water and then move up into shallower water as the tide changes. Don’t be afraid to move around to find the fish but be mindful of other boats.

Once you have located the schools you should stay put for awhile because the fish seem to come in droves and it is not uncommon to catch three or four in a row followed by a brief lull then the process repeats.  Shad are easy to catch once you have them dialed in. Personally I prefer to use a fly rod but many fish are caught on conventional tackle as well.

The best bet for a fly rod would be a 5 or 6 weight with a 150 to 250 grain sinking line. Depending on the current this will allow you to get down to where the fish are holding. Most of the time we are fishing in 7 to 10 feet of water so a sinking line is the only way to go. Shad are not particularly leader shy but a two foot section of fluorocarbon leader will definitely put more fish in the boat. I usually use 12lb fluorocarbon because the under belly of the shad are sharp and this will help to avoid break offs.

If you like using conventional tackle then I would recommend a 6 to 7 foot ultra-light spinning rod spooled with 4-6lb test line. You will want a longer rod in order to cast further and the lighter line so that you do not have to use as much weight to get your dart down to the fish. As mentioned above you will want to add a fluorocarbon leader either tied on with a swivel or a surgeons knot. A deadly combination would be to use a ¼ oz. egg sinker on the main line tied to a swivel and then to a small gold spoon or dart. Visualize a Carolina rig and you’ll get the picture.

As far as lures it’s pretty simple. Use either a very small gold spoon or a shad dart. The shad dart can be found in a variety of colors and combinations. Some days a pink/red head with a white body will work and on others a pink/red with chartreuse will produce. My personal favorite would be the latter but you need to experiment to find out what works depending on the water clarity and the fish’s preference. It is very common to see one or two guys out of the flotilla just wearing the shad out and it is simply because they figured out which color combination was working best that day.

Our day progressed very well and we landed approximately 40 or so fish. All of us had a great time and Jack was simply a blast. This would be a typical day but the shad are just starting to arrive so 100+ days are likely in the coming weeks. The shad run usually lasts for about six weeks so timing is critical. One bonus is towards the end of the shad run stripers will start showing up so you will want to bring along some heavier gear and plenty of bucktails. Spring is here so go out and have some fun.

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Kevin Paulson

Kevin Paulson is the Founder and CEO of HuntingLife.com. His passion for Hunting began at the age of 5 hunting alongside of his father. Kevin has followed his dreams through outfitting, conservation work, videography and hunting trips around the world.

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