No Fish Today
Member
Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1415
Welcome back to my favorite corner of the world, SHAD Season! I've been out a half dozen days or so since late March with no luck. A few others have been out more than I can these days, and they have been catching. Scattered catches to be sure this early, but it's encouraging.
21.April: My brother came up from PA, where he's been fishing the Easton area. Things are at, or passing peak for that area. They have been catching down on the Delaware River. We went to Bart's in the early afternoon, and fished until about 3. The Farmy was mostly clear, fair current, and gave a surface temp of ~57º/58º F. My brother hooked into one but lost it. Nothing after that.
Tackle: Rod: one-piece Ugly Stik, 4'6" U/L Pro Reel: Shimano Sahara FJ 1000, spooled with 15# Power Pro (Hi-Viz Yellow).
Terminal Tackle: 1/2 oz drail over a 4'+, 12# flouro leader, and a hammered silver willow leaf, in orange with a black dot.
22.April: At 9:am we started at the Wall. It was cold and the wind was blustering up from Middletown. The river was turbid, only some scattered debris drifting in the current. A handful of the hard core regulars drifted in and around, most didn't stay long in the cold. Eventually Miguel caught one buck. At noon, my brother and I grabbed lunch at Mitchell's to warm up. Coffee, soup, and a sandwich got off most of the chill.
Tackle: Rod: 7' one-piece Ugly Stik GX2, med-heavy action Reel: Penn 4400SS spooled with 15# hi-viz yellow Power Pro.
Terminal tackle: 1-1/2 oz drail over a 4'+ 12# flouro leader, and hammered silver leaves in red/purple/black (Steve's Leaves), and Bill's Spotty pattern (white w/red dots).
We headed to Bart's for the afternoon, arriving ~1:pm. The water was up a little from the day before, clear, with a surface temp of about 57º F. The shad were not cooperating much here either. ~2:pm, I had a light hit that stuck. It turned out to be a small shad. As I was reaching for the net, it turned and threw the leaf; a lost the shad at the bank. And that was all she wrote for the day. The few others who showed up didn't have any more luck than did we. (AAR rec'd today was that later on, the 5 o'clock run showed up, and about a half dozen were caught.)
Tackle: Rod: one-piece Ugly Stik, 4'6" U/L Pro Reel: Shimano Sahara FJ 1000, spooled with 15# Power Pro (Hi-Viz Yellow).
Terminal Tackle: 1/2 oz drail over a 4'+, 12# flouro leader, a hammered silver willow leaf, in orange with a black dot (until I lost it), and a hammered silver willow leaf, in red/white w/black dot.
No Fish Today
Member
Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1415
23.April: My brother and I pulled up behind Bill C, behind Bart's about 8:30. The water was crystal clear, and almost as flat as glass; no wind! Surface temp ~55º F, and a decent current. On my brother's 3rd cast, he hooked into a middling shad. It turned and threw the leaf just as he got it near shore but not to the net. On my 3rd cast, I hooked a middling buck, my first of this year. Bill netted it, and after a Kodak™ moment, it went to his stringer for his neighbor who loves shad. A little while later, Bill landed a nice roe. It weighed 3.5#, not bad this early in the season. It was released, and it swam off little worse for wear. All good things must end, and my brother had a 4 hour drive back home, so we grabbed lunch at Bart's before he hit the road. I went back to chasing shad. A handful of regulars rotated in and out, but the shad weren't cooperating when I left about 2:pm.
Tackle: Rod: one-piece Ugly Stik, 4'6" U/L Pro Reel: Shimano Sahara FJ 1000, spooled with 15# Power Pro (Hi-Viz Yellow).
Terminal Tackle: 1/2 oz drail over a 4', 12# flouro leader, a hammered silver willow leaf, in red/white w/black dot.
No Fish Today
Member
Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1415
24.April: The Wall. The river was down a couple of feet, tubid, with good current, glassy with a little breeze. Two regulars were working the Wall just left of center. Tom had caught one before I arrived. On my second cast, I hooked up right at the Wall, on the bottom. A middling buck was netted about the same time Larry showed up. I gave it to him for striper bait. If it had been a roe, I would have released it. A little while later, Tom caught another buck that swallowed the hook. Another shadaholic was the beneficiary of that one. The breeze freshened running down from Rocky Hill, and it got colder. When my back started barking, I beat feet. The shad remain scattered and few.
Tackle: Rod: 7' one-piece Ugly Stik GX2, med-heavy action Reel: Penn 4400SS spooled with 15# hi-viz yellow Power Pro.
Terminal tackle: 1-1/2 oz drail over a 4'+ 12# flouro leader, and hammered silver leaf in Dylan's Wonder Bread paint scheme, and a chartreuse and pink divided by a black stripe, with some glitter mixed into the paint after I lost the Wonder Bread marvel.
No Fish Today
Member
Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1415
26.April: after morning chores, I headed over to Bart's in Windsor. On arrival, instead of finding the usual crew, only one lone soul was taking casting practice. For what I don't know, as the water was dead calm and the lowest I've seen it this year. So low, the footings of the RR bridge were exposed. Natch, nothing doing there. So I headed down to the Wall.
As I pulled up, Vaughn was connected with a shad. He was in good company, about a dozen regular shadaholics lined the Wall. The river was down a couple of feet from Friday, turbid, but flowing well. Within a half hour of arrival, I hooked up and landed a little buck, which was promptly released after a Kodak™ moment. Every so often, at intervals, shad were being caught, and most released during the 3 hours I stood on the Wall. Eventually my back started barking, and hunger called for it's supper.
Tackle: Rod: 7' one-piece Ugly Stik GX2, med-heavy action Reel: Penn 4400SS spooled with 15# hi-viz yellow Power Pro.
Terminal tackle: 1-1/2 oz drail over a 4'+ 12# flouro leader, and hammered silver leaves in chartreuse/orange, and pink w/black dot. The former landed my One-a-Day vitamin shad.
MikeV
Member
Registered: 07/07/03
Posts: 2684
Loc: Old Lyme
Great to see you getting some shad. It signals that Spring has arrived. It was a colder than normal winter and start of spring. It appears that many of our favorite fish will take a week or two longer to arrive and become active.
I like catching shad but in truth, I'm much more interested in the striped bass that closely follow them. Having been skunked the last two Saturdays trying for blackish, I welcome anything that will put a bend in my rod. If I'm not chasing blackfish on Thursday I will join the crew at the wall in Cromwell.
No Fish Today
Member
Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1415
28.April: I stopped at the Farm'y this morning before my eye exam. I had the place to myself, and fished from 8:30 am for an hour. The water was up a enough to cover the RR bridge footings, clear as glass, and a decent current. I left my thermometer in the car, so I didn't get a temp. It was nice and quiet, warm, and a beautiful day to take casting practice. For all that I got the stinky kitty. C'est la guerre.
Tackle: Rod: one-piece Ugly Stik, 4'6" U/L Pro Reel: Shimano Sahara FJ 1000, spooled with 15# Power Pro (Hi-Viz Yellow).
Terminal Tackle: 1/2 oz drail over a 4', flouro leader, a hammered silver willow leaf, in red/white w/black dot.
Mike V. get out there and get you some! Tight lines!
MikeV
Member
Registered: 07/07/03
Posts: 2684
Loc: Old Lyme
Like Forest Gump said, "It happens". It's great that you get out often. It's supposed to get warmer next week. I'm thinking it won't be long before your posting some big numbers. Any word on how it's going near the Enfield Dam?
No Fish Today
Member
Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1415
Mike V., no clue. I've heard no reports from Enfield.
29.April: Cliff Notes version after I lost the detailed post I was working on...
Bart's, ~8:30am for an hour after an appointment. One lone regular, nothing to report. Nada. I took casting practice for an hour, and headed down to Bissell to see what was shaking. Good news, no surf nazis! Bad news, no fish today. After another 45 minutes of casting practice I headed to the second of 3 appointments today.
After that, I slabbed down to the Wall. Reports from the rogues' gallery were that the action was good ~7:15-10 or so, then it shut off. Scattered shad hooked since then, until I arrived about 11:50. About an hour later, I hooked a decent shad when the current had slacked and I switched to my U/L. As Radio reached for the net, it made 3-4 good runs. On the last run, it stripped off about 50' of line before it turned and smacked head-first into the Wall, and ran off another 20' or so of line before the leader parted, and we parted ways. (Bad knot or too much stress? The leader failed at the leaf.) After my final appointment, I stopped back at the Wall, ~3:pm. Not much action reported in my absence. I fished for about an hour before hunger got the best of me. Before I left, I hooked into a small shad and we danced until it came close to the Wall, rolled and dropped the leaf.
Not a bad day to be on the water between appointments! Tight lines!
Tackle at Bart's: Rod: one-piece Ugly Stik, 4'6" U/L Pro Reel: Shimano Sahara FJ 1000, spooled with 15# Power Pro (Hi-Viz Yellow).
Terminal Tackle: 1/2 oz drail over a 4', flouro leader, a hammered silver willow leaf, in red/white w/black dot, and white/chartreuse/orange after I lost the former.
Tackle at Bissell and the Wall: Rod: 7' one-piece Ugly Stik GX2, med-heavy action Reel: Penn 4400SS spooled with 15# hi-viz yellow Power Pro.
Terminal tackle: 1 oz drail over a 4'+ 12# flouro leader, and hammered silver leaves in chartreuse/orange, and pink w/black dot, and white/orange after losing the first.
No Fish Today
Member
Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1415
3.May: Arrived at the Wall ~10:30. About 20 shadaholics, who need a 12-step program, were plying the river. A couple of shad were caught as I set up. The water was clear, and flowing well. Shad, and a few alewives were caught, and most released in the time I was down there. Bill had his scale set up and most of the shad were in the 2#-3# range. I hooked 2 shad, but was only able to land 1, a 2.75# roe. I think they caught a couple heavier before I got there. Scuttlebutt was that a lot of decent roes were caught yesterday. Radio reported increasing numbers and size being caught at Bissell over the past week. I left about 1:30 to let the animals out, and feed them.
Tackle: Rod: 7' one-piece Ugly Stik GX2, med-heavy action Reel: Penn 4400SS spooled with 15# hi-viz yellow Power Pro.
Terminal tackle: 1-1/2 oz drail over a 4'+ 12# flouro leader, and hammered silver leaves. I threw the rainbow at them, but Bill's Spotty pattern (white /w4 red dots) caught the roe. My vitamin shad.
No Fish Today
Member
Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1415
Cinco de Mayo: I slabbed down to the Wall to catch the 5:00 run. A half-dozen people had their arms in a cast, the tide was slack but turning. The water was choppy from the South wind blustering up from Middletown. But, shad were being caught alongside alewives, although the alewives outnumbered the shad almost 2:1. The wind was brutal, even with braid it was difficult to feel the bottom, or a hit. I quit at 6:pm tired and hungry. I only had 3 alewives to show for the effort. Eh, they kept the off.
Tackle: Rod: 7' one-piece Ugly Stik GX2, med-heavy action Reel: Penn 4400SS spooled with 15# hi-viz yellow Power Pro.
Terminal tackle: 1-1/2 oz drail over a 4'+ 12# flouro leader, and hammered silver leaf with chartreuse and pink w/glitter separated by a black line.
cat_in_the_hat
Member
Registered: 04/16/04
Posts: 2336
Loc: Tolland CT
For those up for a drive to Slimshad point or South Hadley boat launch, shad have arrived in good numbers below the Holyoke dam. Me, still waiting for medical clearance to hit the water.
2026 Upstream Fish Passage Counts Updated: 5/5/2026 Species Total 4/27-5/4 Year to Date American Shad 26,033 26,712 Blueback Herring 0 0 Gizzard Shad 0 0 Striped Bass 0 0 Sea Lamprey 0 0
No Fish Today
Member
Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1415
10.May: Happy Mothers' Day. Not so much. My MIL passed away today. It was not unexpected, but still...
Reader's Digest version: 4 hours at the Wall today. Water was clear, with a decent current. A handful of meat-sticks anchored the far right of the Wall, and between 6-8 shadaholics worked the rest of the real estate. Shad were caught at intervals, and a few alewives. I had 3 hits, 1 short with a couple of headshakes and it was gone. 2 hit hard but didn't stick, after a short tussle they dropped the hook, or maybe they just grabbed the weight. I caught 4 alewives to keep the stinky kitty away. C'est la guerre...
Tackle: Rod: 7' one-piece Ugly Stik GX2, med-heavy action Reel: Penn 4400SS spooled with 15# hi-viz yellow Power Pro.
Terminal tackle: 1-1/2 oz drail over a 4'+ 12# flouro leader (switched to 8# flouro at one point), and a hammered silver leaf with chartreuse and pink w/glitter separated by a black line, and a red/white w/black dot after I lost the former.
cat_in_the_hat
Member
Registered: 04/16/04
Posts: 2336
Loc: Tolland CT
second weekend of Holyoke shad derby Sat-Sun. Holyoke fish ladder count: Updated: 5/12/2026 Species Total 5/5-5/11 Year to Date American Shad 140,799 167,511 Blueback Herring 24 24 Gizzard Shad 2 2 Striped Bass 9 9 Sea Lamprey 502 502
cat_in_the_hat
Member
Registered: 04/16/04
Posts: 2336
Loc: Tolland CT
Fishing Hole Tackle Shop "We just got word that unfortunately the second weekend of the HG&E shad derby has been canceled due to the river levels forecasted to jump significantly overnight. Anyone still out fishing this weekend especially from boats be careful!"
As of noon today CT River gauge in Holyoke rapidly climbing past 40,000 cu ft/sec. This may mean South Hadley boat launch may be closed as parking lot floods above 40,000. CT river may be hazardous for boats. Try Slimshad Point, The Wall or Bart's. Fishing will improve after flood crest, once the level starts to drop and we get water clarity back.
No Fish Today
Member
Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1415
17.May: as cat_in_the_hat promised, when I arrived at the Wall at 10:15 after doing a few morning chores, the river was up significantly. It was coffee colored, and full of debris from dead grasses to whole trees, and everything in between. Miguel, Bill C. and John, diehard shadaholics were sitting idly watching the river race past. John had caught one earlier, and they decided to pack it in. Miguel headed for home, Bill and John and I decided to try our luck at Bart's.
The Farmington was up significantly, but well below the road grade. The water was less turbid, and with less debris than the main CT River, but there was little current; it was all but slack. Surface temp was about 63ºF. John started us off with an alewife, and a little while later he hooked, and I netted a middling buck shad, his 2nd for the day. Other than a couple of alewives, that was it. by 1pm, the water was absolutely slack. Bill and John headed for environs elsewhere. I stayed another 1/2 hour or so, and headed for home for some more chores. I did head back to the Wall, but only briefly. I took a few short casts, as the situation had not improved.
I'll try my luck, pretty much daily from Tuesday through Monday. Hopefully the water improves over the next day or so.
Tackle at the Wall: Rod: 7' one-piece Ugly Stik GX2, med-heavy action Reel: Penn 4400SS spooled with 15# hi-viz yellow Power Pro.
Terminal tackle: 1-1/2 oz drail over a 4'+ 8# flouro leader, and a hammered silver leaf in red/white w/black dot.
Tackle at the Farmington: Rod: one-piece Ugly Stik, 4'6" U/L Pro Reel: Shimano Sahara FJ 1000, spooled with 15# Power Pro (Hi-Viz Yellow).
Terminal Tackle: 5/8 oz drail over a 3', 8# flouro leader, a hammered silver willow leaf, in orange and white with a black stripe, and in orange and white with a black dot, and an undressed hammered copper.
C'est la guerre.
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