Shad & Herring

[SLF300wby]

Anyone seeing any shad or herring down river yet?

[Striper]

I am making several calls this weekend and making some stops tot see what is happening - should be pretty close if not already.

[FshnLab]

Last weekend, there were (literally) a tons of herring at the mouth of the Potomac, leaving the bay, and heading upriver........

Here is a link from the VDGIF on the shad restoration project:

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/shad-restoration/

[Fishinman]

Has anyone heard what the 2009 regulations are for shad and herring? I know from the past American Shad cannot be kept. Also what are good fly lures for shad and herring?

[FshnLab]

As far as I know, the 2009 shad regs are the same as last year (C&R only above each river's fall line) no American Shad (except the Nottoway River)..............
(Don't know about the herring regs.)

I always do well with lime green and black headed shad darts, or gold spoons, so either of those colors should do well in a fly pattern.

You may already know this, but the most important thing about flyfishing for shad is to use a sinking flyline, as the shad are usually lower in the water column.

[Fishinman]

Hey FshnLab,
Thanks for the info. I just started using fly rod on Trout this Winter. It is really fun. Looking forward to catching Shad or Herring on the Fly rod. I didn't think about the sinking flyline but it makes good sence. I have had much success using a spinning gear but want more of a challenge. After the Shad and Herring, I will be working on the Bass.

[SLF300wby]

How's the shad or herring James or the Rapp. and quanty being caught out there?

[skeet1]

I was going to go down to the Rap on Monday but the water was a little muddy. I don't know if there up to Rt 1 bridge yet but I can't wait. 4yrs ago I didn't know why people fished for the shad and hearing. Then a freind of mine got me down there one day and I never had so much fun pulling 2-4# fish in. Then when the hearing came in catching 1-6 at a time on a sabiki rig was just as fun. Needless to say I got hooked and spend 3-4 days a week for about 3 weeks on the river having a ball for these things.
I don't keep them or eat them. The hearing I end up giving to others at the river, I beleive talking to them most of them use them for the big cats down river.

[Fishinman]

There're here. Fished on Wednesday at the City Dock. Plenty of people were pulling in Shad. The Herring are very sparse but should be up when the Dogwoods bloom.

[SLF300wby]

I have got to get to the Rapp. Hope we dont get much rain today.