Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
March 29, 2024, 06:28:16 AM

Login with username, password and session length

Recent Topics

[March 27, 2024, 12:49:04 PM]

[March 27, 2024, 07:37:59 AM]

[March 26, 2024, 09:10:45 PM]

[March 25, 2024, 05:15:36 PM]

by Spot
[March 25, 2024, 02:39:54 PM]

by PNW
[March 24, 2024, 07:14:07 PM]

[March 23, 2024, 10:59:04 PM]

[March 21, 2024, 06:23:10 AM]

[March 17, 2024, 06:42:23 PM]

[March 17, 2024, 08:44:53 AM]

[March 15, 2024, 06:45:09 PM]

[March 10, 2024, 05:55:18 PM]

[March 10, 2024, 11:20:08 AM]

[February 29, 2024, 07:05:43 AM]

[February 26, 2024, 01:31:23 PM]

Picture Of The Month



SD2OR with a trophy fall walleye

Topic: Shad on the Willy  (Read 2220 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Shin09

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Location: Portland
  • Date Registered: Oct 2015
  • Posts: 549
I would really like to do some shad fishing this year on the willy.  Is it an anchor only thing or with a hobie can you hold your spot easily enough?  OC area only or are other parts of the river productive (like Sellwood?)  I have a tandem island and could take someone out if they are willing to show me the ropes. 


bb2fish

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Location: Oregon
  • Date Registered: Feb 2013
  • Posts: 1499
I'm really glad to see someone else asking about shad.  I really want to try catching a few of these, but haven't got a clue how to do it.  Let me know when you go - I'd be interested to join.  Are they getting caught now in only certain areas of the river?


Shin09

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Location: Portland
  • Date Registered: Oct 2015
  • Posts: 549
I think it is still a little early, but if I need to gear up on anything I would like to do that before the run starts so I am prepared. 


bsteves

  • Fish Nerd
  • Administrator
  • Sturgeon
  • *****
  • Better fishing through science
  • Location: Portland, OR
  • Date Registered: Feb 2007
  • Posts: 4583
Still a couple weeks early.

I would recommend that you skip the anchoring.. it's a PITA.  With a kayak, I think you're better off trolling for them.   You'll cover more ground and find the school quicker.

I recommend a small diver like a 000 Pink Lady with 3 ft flourocarbon leader and a small Dick Nite or grub behind it.  If you don't have a diver, a deep diving crankbait will also work and you have the bonus of potentially catching a suspended bass.
“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.”

― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh


Shin09

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Location: Portland
  • Date Registered: Oct 2015
  • Posts: 549
Thanks for the advice! As far as areas, would you stick to the OC/Clackamas area or can you be more successful down in Willamette park/harbor area?


bsteves

  • Fish Nerd
  • Administrator
  • Sturgeon
  • *****
  • Better fishing through science
  • Location: Portland, OR
  • Date Registered: Feb 2007
  • Posts: 4583
I've only really fished the OC/Meldrum Bar area for them.  I feel they accumulate there as they wait their turn through the fish ladder bottleneck.    However,  I'm sure if you can find the current seems that they seem to like to navigate you can catch them anywhere on the Willamette.
“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.”

― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh


Shin09

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Location: Portland
  • Date Registered: Oct 2015
  • Posts: 549
Good to know! Is kokanee/trout gear enough or  would you want to step up to light steelhead gear?


bsteves

  • Fish Nerd
  • Administrator
  • Sturgeon
  • *****
  • Better fishing through science
  • Location: Portland, OR
  • Date Registered: Feb 2007
  • Posts: 4583
I find my ultralight trout gear is a bit too light for the diver.  I tend to use my bass or steelhead gear.  You can even use salmon gear, but the fight is bit boring.
“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.”

― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh


bb2fish

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Location: Oregon
  • Date Registered: Feb 2013
  • Posts: 1499
Found this from our own Captain Redbeard:



nomas

  • Rockfish
  • ****
  • Location: NE Portland
  • Date Registered: Mar 2017
  • Posts: 117
I’m into a shad day or two. Anyone know if the willamette channel has been productive in recent years.


Beer_Run

  • Lingcod
  • *****
  • Location: West Linn
  • Date Registered: Jul 2017
  • Posts: 476
I have done a good amount of Shad fishing just above the I-205 bridge. My approach has always been to use VERY light trout gear, no anchor, no divers, bare crappie jigs, dick nights, etd and a small split shot. Cast 90 degrees to the boat and let it drift. I just keep moving around until the bite gets consistent. Super fun on that gear. This year will be the first from the kayak. I dont understand sitting in a 20ft sled with a big diver, on anchor for a relatively small fish that most people dont keep. To each his own.
- Bob

2020 Hobie Outback - Seagrass
2021 Old Town AutoPilot 120 - Blue/Gray


Captain Redbeard

  • Lauren
  • Global Moderator
  • Sturgeon
  • *****
  • Location: Portland, OR
  • Date Registered: May 2013
  • Posts: 3290
Thanks for the nod  ;D

I agree with bsteves - if you haven't developed a preference already, use a diver and troll. It's a lot easier. For this method in the OC/Gladstone area I would suggest putting in at the SportCraft launch and going upstream from there; maybe I'm lazy but I wouldn't want to deal with the current too long in the Clackamette stretch, especially if it's a day with 80 powerboats anchored up.


Shin09

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Location: Portland
  • Date Registered: Oct 2015
  • Posts: 549
So why a diver vs. lead? (I have never used a diver btw so I may be a bit ignorant)


bsteves

  • Fish Nerd
  • Administrator
  • Sturgeon
  • *****
  • Better fishing through science
  • Location: Portland, OR
  • Date Registered: Feb 2007
  • Posts: 4583
The divers I use will "release" when you fight the fish making them less of a drag (i.e. making for a more fun fight) than comparable lead weight.    I also like to troll in fairly tight patterns which means either a lot of lead or a diver.    You could get away with trolling with less lead, but you'd have to let out a lot of line which makes tight turns hard.

Beer_run's light weight drifting is a great idea and would increase the fun factor.  I'm going to be sure to bring a lighter rod to do just that once I troll myself into a school.
“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.”

― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh


bsteves

  • Fish Nerd
  • Administrator
  • Sturgeon
  • *****
  • Better fishing through science
  • Location: Portland, OR
  • Date Registered: Feb 2007
  • Posts: 4583
If anyone is signed up for AOTY..   you can record your American shad catches, they just don't currently count for AOTY points (that's also true for a variety of "trash" fish like carp, pikeminnow, etc..).

I'd be interested to see how big they get.   The Oregon record is 6 lb 6 oz.    My personal best is about 24" and probably close to 5 lb.   If you're going to eat them, the smaller males seem to have firmer flesh and taste better to me.   I tend to smoke, can, and/or pickle them.  I also save a few smaller ones for crab/halibut bait.   The large females tend to be gravid, and shad roe is considered a delicacy that I personally haven't tried.   I'm curious to try making shad roe bottarga one of these days.

“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.”

― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh