24.May, 4:30-6:45 pm, Ferry Park at Rocky Hill. There were 5 regulars working the docks, and 0 shad. One, who had been there in the morning for an hour or so, reported he had C & R one then, but had returned again, just minutes before I arrived this afternoon. The current was fair, and while there was cotton on the water, the stiff breeze from the South must have pushed most of it to mid-river, or the Glastonbury side; it wasn't too bad for the amount drifting in the breeze.

About 15 minutes into casting practice I had a solid hit, and a decent fight on my hands. We tussled for a few minutes before I was able to get a look at it, but when it saw the dock and the net, it ran deep, and turned under the dock. I got it out twice, but each time it saw the net, it ducked and ran. The third time it ran very deep, and well under the dock, and that's where we parted ways. It was a heavy shad, probably a roe. A little while later Bill C & R a nice fat roe. He netted and released another one before 5:30 pm. A little after 6:pm I had a hard hook-set, she just stopped me, and immediately started running. She made a couple of hard, deep runs that nearly doubled my rod, and pulled a lot of line off the spool. Once near the dock, she made a couple of shorter runs underneath, but I managed to get her to the net for a Kodak moment before I released her. By this time the breeze kicked up a couple of notches, and it was getting cold and difficult to cast. I gave it another half hour or so, but called it a day after nobody else was getting more than casting practice, and tangled leaders in the stiff breeze.

Terminal tackle: 1 oz drail over 3' 8# flouro leader, and hammered silver willows in pink/green w/glitter, yellow w/white dots, and blue/chartreuse w/black dot. The first and third leaves worked the shad magic this afternoon.

There are still some shad trickling through, although I believe we are nearing the end of the season. I won't be out tomorrow, as I have to pick up a cat at the vet after work, but I'll be out Wednesday again. Tight lines!

George Darrell ...

I support "PETA",
"People Eating Tasty Animals"