Pacemaker Fishing Forum

So following the helpful tips our host provided me a couple weeks back, my buddy Kris, his son and I drove over to Fletcher's on Saturday afternoon.  We got on the waiting list and putzed around on the shore for an hour until we got our rental boat.  Bonus highlight, when we got our boat, the guys who were getting out had a 70 lbs. blue catfish with them. 

We rowed out and I vaguely remembered that a current seam might be a good place to set up for shad.  I had my the 8 weight flyrod with a crappie jig and a fly dropper.  Kris and his son tied on these jigs the Fletcher's guys were selling. 

I dropped anchor and we began throwing. Kris' son quickly hooked up with his first shad.  He proceeded to hook four more, boating three before his dad hooked one which got unbuttoned at boatside.  The kid quickly developed his confidence and began trash talking us in a way acceptable for 10-11 year old boy.  He boated another three, all 13-18" fish.  Kris eventually pulled two in.  I got hit a couple of times both with the fly and later on my spinning rod throwing one of Kris' jig, but was never able to hold on to the fish for very long.

We called after 1.5 hours, with nine fish in the boat and a few more that jumped away boatside.  It was one of the best days I've had that I got skunked.  Just being on the same boat with people experiencing the shad run gave me a lot of confidence to try it again and which Kris' son light it up was terrific.  I've never caught a shad without a guide, but it's only a matter of time.

No one was tearing it up (aside from us) on the afternoon tide, but the action was steady around the other boats.  I didn't see much going on with the shore anglers.  Great day.