Delaware River Shad . . .continued

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As our guide John pointed out likely holding spots for shad along the first riffle, I tried to imagine a Shad's thought process in determining the best holding water. Shad seem to enjoy feeling the water on their faces more than trout do, as if to reassure themselves that they are headed in the right direction. Thus I am occasionally surprised at the speed of the water in which they hold. Unlike trout, they seem to have a distinct preference for the main channel of the river. It's easy to imagine an effective rule of thumb for a shad, perhaps handed down from generation to generation, which says "always take the bigger fork."

So when trying to locate productive shad water within a long broad riffle, start by locating the main current, and don't be dissuaded if it lacks structure or drop-offs towards which trout gravitate. The main current may be a foot or so deeper than the rest of the riffle, or somewhat faster. Think of it as passage through which fish will pass, rather than as a conveyor belt for food, and you will probably find riffle water that is better for shad than for trout.

Once you have located the main flow of the riffle above where it flows into the pool below, the best shad lies will be at the outside edge of the faster current, where it forms a seam with the slower current. The lowest one hundred feet of this seam should be fished thoroughly. Our guide, in fact, often stationed us directly in the seams on either side of the current upstream from suspected holding water. Cast repeatedly across and downstream with a short line, and let the offering swing directly downstream until it is below you. As the fly swings, animate it with sharp, six-inch strips.

When the line straightens below you, impart more life to the fly as it hangs before stripping the fly back. I get most of my strikes near the end of the swing when the fly begins to slow and rise to the surface. If I have not been hit when the line straightens below me, I throw mends into the line to swing the fly back and forth in an irresistible underwater burlesque. The most important thing you can do during the drift is to stay in close contact with your fly, much as you would fly fishing for striped bass at night. Whether you keep a lot of tension on the line to make the fly rise, or feed line gradually to sink the fly to a deeper level, always stay alert and keep a modicum of pressure on the fly line.

Our day began slowly this year, and for the first few hours we caught nothing but bass and chubs. At our third riffle however, Fen had his first several encounters with an American Shad. The take of a shad can be baffling, especially the first time it is experienced. The tap is not so subtle as it is quick. The fish must strike and turn downstream because the line usually begins to tighten and put a bow in the rod immediately after a successful hook-up. This outcome is anything but assured, however. The shad's mouth is soft and tears easily, so a typical strike is ill-advised. The favored technique is more akin to the strike for an Atlantic salmon: slowly tighten the line by raising the rod tip. You can not do the strike too slowly. If the fish does not hook itself, it is not your fault.