Late update, yesterday 4:30-7 pm at Bissell/East Barber St. The water was down below the upper cleat on the ramp, so there was some room to cast. The banks were muddy but the ramp was mostly clear. Water was clear, not much current, and I forgot to get a surface temp. There were about a dozen people at the launch but not quite half were fishing. I only saw 4 shad caught in the 2.5 hours I was taking casting practice, and I got the skunk. I should have gone to Bart's, no fish yesterday...

Terminal tackle: I had no problem finding the bottom with a 1/2 oz drail with a 4 or 5 count before retrieving. I tried hammered silver leaves with a couple of colors, and even tossed a hammered gold leaf under a leader that varied from 2-1/2' to 5' as I tried to find the magic. All for naught.


Today:
The wind was whipping up from the South at Bissell, and as I had no luck there yesterday, I figured I would go to where I've been successful, so I headed out back of Bart's from 4:30-6:30 pm. The water was down, the lowest I've seen it this year. Still plenty of water, mostly clear, but with a LOT of maple tree flowers & seed pods floating on the surface. Flow was fair, surface temp was 62º F. Two fellas were casting when I arrived, and one reported that he had C&R a couple of shad before I arrived. Angler #2 C&R an alewife shortly after I got there. Within the hour, 4 more folx had shown up.
About 5:30 I hooked a nice shad, and played it in to my feet, where it promptly rolled and threw the willow leaf. Except for that lone shad, a few alewives, and one small yellow perch, that was all anyone caught before I left after 2 hours. At least I got the skunk off...

Terminal tackle: 1/2 oz drail over 3' flouro leader, and a yellow/red hammered silver w/black dot.

I'll head over to Bart's again tomorrow after work. Tight lines!