why american shad flies are pretty awesome you see!

American Shad Flies

American Shad Flies

Introduction of Shad

American shad were first introduced to California by Seth Green, an early fish culturist. Green established the first fish hatchery in the United States in Caledonia, New York. The introduction was made at the request of the California Fish Commission. The commission, established in 1870, was part of “An Act to provide for the restoration and preservation of fish in the waters of this State“. Green transported the juvenile shad from his Hudson River “hatching establishment” via the newly constructed Transcontinental Railway. He began the trip with 12,000 newly hatched fry in four eight-gallon milk cans. Furthermore, to keep the fry alive water was exchanged along the way and ice added to keep it cool. 

Green’s railroad trip took seven days to complete. After arriving in California, approximately 10,000 juvenile shad were released in the Sacramento River near Tehama on June 27, 1871. Following this initial release, Livingston Stone, a fish culturist with the United States Fish Commission, made a second shad introduction in July 1873, also from the Hudson River, using a specially constructed Pullman railroad “aquarium car” to transport the fish. Subsequent introductions of shad were made during the following decade. The introduction was successful. Finally by the late 1800’s, shad were found in many California rivers. In addition they had migrated as far south as Los Angeles County and as far north as Puget Sound, Washington.

Shad populations

As shad populations expanded occasional reports began to appear in local newspapers. The Humboldt Times newspaper indicated shad were caught in Humboldt Bay as early as 1887. In August 1937, the Ferndale Enterprise newspaper reported on a shad caught from the lower Eel River – “Bud Olsen was exhibiting a freak fish caught near Fernbridge this week which was finally judged to be a shad common to northern waters. It weighed four pounds, was about 18 inches long and its meat was white.” 

Early on shad were not recognized as a desirable sport species in California. A commercial fishery developed in the early 1900’s but legislation passed in 1957 prohibited gill netting in rivers ended the fishery. In an effort to popularize shad as a sport fish, George Warner, Chief of the Department of Fish and Game Anadromous Fishery Branch, wrote an article for the June 1956 issue of Outdoor California extoling the virtues of fishing for shad. A few years later in 1970 the Department published a booklet titled How to Catch, Bone and Cook a Shad by John Radovich, Chief of the Operations Research Branch. The booklet included tips on fishing for shad and a list of shad lures and flies. Shad are an extremely boney fish and the booklet included 32 illustrated steps on how to debone a shad.

Fishing for Shad

Prior to the introduction of sinking fly lines, shad were typically fished with spinning gear and weighted shad darts. As sinking fly lines became available, fly fishing for shad grew in popularity. A review of angling literature from the early 1900’s finds very few examples of shad flies. Nonetheless, a few West Coast fly tyers began creating fly patterns specifically for shad as the species became more popular. Joseph D. Bated, Jr. in Streamer Fly Tying and Fishing (1966) suggested the McCredie Special was a popular pattern on the West Coast. The fly was tied on size two or four short shank hooks with a red silk body, silver tinsel wrap and bear hair wings.

Later in the 1970’s and 1980’s, shad files used on Central Valley rivers were often tied on size four and six Eagle Claw model 1197 hooks and weighted with bead chain eyes. These early flies often imitated popular shad darts and used white marabou for the tail, silver mylar tinsel for the body and a head of red chenille wrapped around bead chain eyes. Later, John McPhee in his book The Founding Fish (2002) provided an excellent historical narrative of shad fishing throughout the United States.

Shad history

American shad spend their adult life in the ocean before returning to freshwater to spawn. While in the ocean they feed primarily on small zooplankton. In freshwater, similar to Pacific salmon, shad are not known to be active feeders. However, they will take small objects that drift by. This may be a response to their juvenile freshwater and adult ocean feeding behaviors. More recently there has been a trend to smaller fly patterns. Thus an attempt to more accurately represent the small plankton. These smaller flies have proven to be very effective in the clear water of our Central Valley rivers.

Tying Shad flies

Tying a simple and effective shad fly is easy and requires only a few materials. For several years I’ve used size eight and ten stainless steel wide gape short shank hooks for my shad flies.

The Gamakatsu straight eye saltwater SC-15 model or TMC straight eye stainless steel model 811S are good choices. The straight eye allows attaching the fly to the leader using a free-swinging loop knot. I add bead chain eyes on the top of the hook to make the fly ride upside down. This reduces bottom hang-ups. And also helps ensure the fish is hooked in the top rather than the lower part of the jaw. The body is constructed of monofilament that improves the fly’s durability. An under wrap of flat silver tinsel helps adds a life-like glint to the fly. A drop of super glue to the body and thread wrap on the bean chain eyes ensures the fly doesn’t come apart after hooking several fish. 

In the final analysis, I tie this simple shad fly pattern in four basic colors – red, pink, green and orange. Although I am not sure if shad are fussy about colors. Fly size and presentation are likely more important but these colors give me options. While many different shad flies are promoted in articles and on the web, I have caught hundreds of shad using one of these simple patterns. Reducing the number of patterns and colors in my fly box helps me concentrate more on presentation and less on fly selection.

Simple Shad Fly

Hook – Short shank wide gape saltwater size 8 and 10

Tail: Flashabou Accent fibers

Body under wrap – Flat silver tinsel

Body Over wrap – Fluorescent green or red Sunset Amnesia® monofilament, pink Ande® monofilament or orange Stren catfishing line 

Head – Bead chain eyes with small Estaz crystal chenille

You can find a Shad Fly Box Collection to purchase in Assorted Fly Boxes.

Another Shad blog to read: American Shad Best Tips: Where and When for greatest results

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