I went out after work, and arrived behind Bart's by 4:15 pm. The water was down about 3' from my last visit, clear, with a good current, and a surface temp ~52ºF. The sun was in and out, there was a light breeze running down from upstream, but the air temp was nice and warm, so I rolled up my shirt sleeves. There were four regulars plying the water, and three jawing by the road, whom I joined for a while getting the 411. Yesterday 5 shad were reported as caught, at least 3 from a boater down by the mouth area, and a couple of our regulars landed shad at the bank. Today, to this point only a couple of alewives were caught. After getting the sit-rep, I grabbed my gear, took a recently vacated spot, and started my practice casting reps with the reprobates who remained.

After 5:pm, one of the regulars got into a decent shad. After a few good runs, and a jump, I helped him with my net to land a nice fat, if smallish roe. We didn't measure or weigh it, but I'd guess about 3#, thick and full of eggs. It was nice to see the ladies are beginning to show up, and she was released unharmed. It was the 2nd shad the guy got this season (his first shad was on 1 April, and the first reported caught that I know of). Other than casting practice, I got the stinky kitty. So no fish today for me, but at least I got to see one up close, and live.

I'll be out again on Thursday. Tight lines!