Quick! Shad tonight @ Clackamette!

F
FishSchooler
I'm going to clackamette today probably. Last time was a disaster. Lost so much gear and no fish at all. Where's the best spot?
 
F
FishSchooler
Went there and fished for 1.5 hours with shad spoons and darts. No luck at all. Only snagged/broke off twice though. :D
However, one boat in the middle of the river was constantly catching. Like 15 fish while we were there. I dont know how, but a boat right next to them only caught 3 or 4. How do you fish that place from the bank and still catch?
 
P
plunkme
i dont like drifting spoons get jig head or darts and dont bounce the bottom just drift near it and you might have to throw your jigs far out in the middle just depends where the run of the fish is then let it drift for awhile and reel in really slow
 
F
FishSchooler
I was using darts too. But nothing hit. I couldn't really feel the bottom much but I couldn't cast the distance to where the boat that was catching was. I could only cast to the boat that wasn't catching.
 
S
SailCat
Hi, all. Long-time lurker, first time posting.

I co-write the Oregonian fishing report as well as The Guide's Forecast newsletter.

Regarding shad, they travel in a line, nose-to-tail in a formation which, if one could see it, looks somewhat like a 'ribbon' while heading upstream. This is why one boat will hook one shad after another while one nearby catches only a few.

As far as bank fishing is concerned, if you're not getting strikes, try casting different distances and be willing to move up or down the bank to locate a place where the shad are traveling closer to shore.

Good luck!

Michael
 
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F
FishSchooler
Welcome to the forum Sailcat!
I never knew that. So should I add more weight to cast further?
 
S
SailCat
Perhaps, but at the risk of more snags and perhaps compromising your presentation. The important this is to move until you hook up which will indicate you've found their traveling lane.

Michael
 
O
osmosis
fishschooler, can you throw a big rock farther than you can throw a medium/small rock?
its sorta the same thing as casting. find what your rod can throw.
with my salmon rod I can cast 4oz about 100 feet farther than a 6oz lead.
 
F
FishSchooler
I could definitely throw further than what I was using I think. Maybe it's my line diameter. With 8 lb on the other reel (very unsmooth reeling and chunky...), it's much easier to cast. Maybe I should downsize my line cause right now Im using 12lb Maxima UG. Thing is, I don't want to switch from one line to the other every month. Where could I get spare reel spools?
 
D
dude young
FishSchooler said:
I could definitely throw further than what I was using I think. Maybe it's my line diameter. With 8 lb on the other reel (very unsmooth reeling and chunky...), it's much easier to cast. Maybe I should downsize my line cause right now Im using 12lb Maxima UG. Thing is, I don't want to switch from one line to the other every month. Where could I get spare reel spools?
School - Do you have a light weight trout rig? I used to fish for shad in the Deleware using a 5-6 ft. ultralight with 4 lb. test. Used the same setup for trout and panfish. Haven't fished for them out here yet. If I am out in left field, someone will let me know.
 
F
FishSchooler
I have 3 rods/reels

One is my steelhead reel, the one I use for shad too. It has 12 lb maxima UG and it's on a 7 ft 8-14 lb line and supposed to cast 1/4 to 3/4 oz.

Reel #2 is a very chunky reel with 8lb line on it. It casts further because of the line diameter I think, but it isn't very smooth when it comes to fighting fish and it's on basically the same type of rod as reel #1, except less sensitive

Next reel is my salmon/big river reel/rod. Amb 6500 with 17lb sufix siege on a 15-50 Air im7. Shad wouldnt have much of a fight for it, but it can toss much heavier weights further (like plunking). I guess I could use it to plunk for shad.
 
P
plunkme
i use a 7' ultra light with 6lb line and i can toss out a 1/2 oz 50yards out you dont really need heavy line for shad i think 10lb is over kill just set your drag enough to pull out and you should be fine
 
F
FishSchooler
I know... that's why I need spare reels spools. I only have two reels that will work for them unless I want to plunk or catch them like they are tiny little trout. The 8lb line reel is chunky and unsmooth, and the 12lb line is a pretty good reel, except it has 12 lb line on it and I use that for steelhead... So I don't want to waste line and throw away so much line here and there every month. In a month, shad will be gone (unless the weather persists like it has) and I'll be getting steelhead/trout (trout eat bait up even with the 12 lb line!) and if I switch it to 6 lb line, I have to switch back for steelhead... :rolleyes:
 
D
dude young
FishSchooler said:
I know... that's why I need spare reels spools. I only have two reels that will work for them unless I want to plunk or catch them like they are tiny little trout. The 8lb line reel is chunky and unsmooth, and the 12lb line is a pretty good reel, except it has 12 lb line on it and I use that for steelhead... So I don't want to waste line and throw away so much line here and there every month. In a month, shad will be gone (unless the weather persists like it has) and I'll be getting steelhead/trout (trout eat bait up even with the 12 lb line!) and if I switch it to 6 lb line, I have to switch back for steelhead... :rolleyes:
For what you can get an ultralight set-up for, you may only spend a couple more bucks that trying to scrounge up spare spools for your existin reels. Then, you have a rod/reel combo that is matched to eachother and the line/lure you are fishing with.
 
O
osmosis
fishschooler - give ollie damons a call, they have pretty much anything you need for your reels. Just have the make and model numbers ready when you give them a call to see if they have one in stock.
 
1
1aB
Best to buy local, but reel mfg. usually have websites to contact them for parts like spare spools. Did you have a Shakespeare?

To echo "SailCat" & repeat myself(last time), the best strategy to locate fish position is often move to find them, rather than waiting for them to move to find you.
 
F
FishSchooler
I think that's what Im looking for 1aB... Cause I havent seen spare spools for this inspinity 5635X or something. Couldnt find it online either. That's the downside about buying rod/reel combos.
Nevermind, it's a 5640X :)
 
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F
FishSchooler
Oh and there were people all over the bank that day, and only one person caught one off the bank.
 

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