[gdog]

Stupid question perhaps... but shad will jump for flies, like constantly? Like trouts and salmons do?

Is it possible to catch a shad while fly fishing for trouts... example, like in the Kennebeccassis?

 

[xavieran13]

Stupid question perhaps... but shad will jump for flies, like constantly? Like trouts and salmons do?

Is it possible to catch a shad while fly fishing for trouts... example, like in the Kennebeccassis?

i thought shad only jumped to get rid of sea lice, and that they generally feed for wet flies and shad darts.

 

[Stroover]

Some of the seasoned anglers this past weekend at the shad derby were telling me that the do indeed leap like a salmon, and you do in fact catch them with flies, however you won't catch them with dry flies, they tell me. You need sinking tip line and shad darts, which are essentially chenille wrapped around a #4 to #6 hooks with or without at tail and with a conehead, dumbell eyes or just a threadded head in various color patterns.

 

[exstreamfisherman]

I have never had a shad take a fly off the surface. I have also used both sinking tips and floating line and had great success with both so I wouldn't say that you need one over the other. My shad flies all have the dumbell eyes or a set of beads at the head. Just enough to get it to where it needs to be. OBviously if the current is stronger then I will get a heavier weighted fly to keep it in the same zone for the fish. These fish have a really sift mouth so when they strike set the hook but don't horse them.. you will want to land these fish as quick as you can if you are planning on releasing them because of the lactic acid build up in the tissues.