They're Heerrreee....

Miles Driven: 150
Gas: $35
 
This past week we finally got some warm weather here in Nor Cal and it has been a while since my last post. I haven't been holding out on you guys, I just haven't been fishing for the past month. As sad as that sounds, there isn't much I can do. Pretty much all of the trout rivers are blown out from all the winter run off, but the drought is officially over for California. All this water will most likely keep me away from any trout water for the next month so I need to find other fish to target.

All work and no fishing makes Jonny a dull boy and this blog was going out of style fast! So you can imagine how big of a relief  it was when good ole Walt gave me a ring last Sunday to go sniff out some American Shad.  It's still pretty early in the season for targeting these anadromous fish that like the warm water temps late Spring brings, but heck - it's fishing and there's only one way to find out when the fishing is good.

Nick from the evenings line-up

I didn't really know what to expect for the evening since it was my first time fishing for shad, so I was a sponge to Walt's experience. On our way up through winding back roads that he insists are faster, Walt gave me the low down on fishing edict and technique on this river. Basically you fish in a line up of 4-14 angler because there aren't many spots on the river where these fish like to hold. Sharing these holes with fly fishermen and spinning gear sounds like a recipe for tangled lines and frustration, but I soon found out that it's quite a pleasant way to fish.

The fly guys use shooting head systems that sink and swing all at the same speed to prevent tangles, and when you fish shoulder to shoulder with complete strangers, you soon find how much you have in common with them. It was good way to share information and make a few friends at the same time.

My last fish of the night

Back to the fishing. Needless to say the fishing turned out to be ON and it was an uplifting feeling to have a bent 7wt and a screaming reel once again. These 2-4 lb fish have more fight in them than one might think and they're not all that easy to land. Their grab on the swing can be a light tap or a violent line pulling rip that can leave you with your jaw dropped. There is no magic to getting these fish to bite, its just finding the school and sinking to the right depth that makes these fish a challenge. When you do get them to bite, their mouths are as thin as a plastic bag so you lose a lot of fish.

Shad are definitely on my radar and the bite should continue to improve as we get more warm weather.  Bassing has also made a blip on the radar this past week so look for the next post coming soon! I promise the fish porn will be worth it...