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Unlimited Shad

Started by Woolly Bugger, May 02, 2022, 11:32:17 AM

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Woolly Bugger



I'm going to try and hit the Tar River run next spring.

Also would like to get into the Pee Dee River Shad run at Blewett Falls — Fred would like the catfish action down there too!
ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

trout-r-us

#1
So many places; so little time.

Haven't been to Blewett's area in about 8 years. Issue down there was erratic flows, as generation at the dam was not well published. Perhaps it's better now.
We never hit it during the Shad run, but did have some fun with catfish.

"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man."
― Heraclitus

trout-r-us

There's a unique fishery on that part of the Pee Dee in the hot summer when mussels are dying off where Mullet run up from the coast to feed on the mussels and hit flies that emulate the mussels.  I've seen the mussels floating by while catfishing in July, but was told the mullet usually arrive in August. Once again, this was all 10-12 years ago.
Another thing I've always wanted to try but never made the time. 🙁
https://www.theflyfishingforum.com/forums/index.php?threads/prey-fish-becoming-predators.5659/
"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man."
― Heraclitus

Onslow

Mack McCorkle fishes the Tar quite a bit at the Fall Line.  Lots of shad, and some pretty mean stripers as well, oh, and a 7 pound largemouth was caught last year.

When Fishwhisperer and Mack fished the Pee Dee below Blewett in September about 6 years ago, they caught a few striper, some pan fish.  No bass.  Mack caught a Buffalo on a fluke.  There are a ton of blue cats which are not the best flyrod catfish. As Fred already knows, Channels and Flatheads are where it's at. One of my bucket list floats is the Pee Dee from Blewett to Cheraw.

Flows are more stable now, and when possible, weekends are set at recreational flows (3000cfs). Obviously this goal was not attainable in recent years due to copious amounts of rain.  This year is the year to fish the Yadkin chain.  Water flows are lower than normal, less mud.

Falls Lake below Badin is a cool place.  Very hilly and pretty. 

I've oft wondered about the mega buffalo spawns at the upper end of Blewett .....

Woolly Bugger

The Blewitt powerhouse was flooded in 2018 and it knocked out all 6 generators, 5 of which were repaired by 2020 and the 6th came online in 2021.
They are using a capture pen in the tailrace for moving shad and eels to the lake, the fish swim into the pen then are moved to a tank where the shad are then transported to the lake and other fish are released back into the tailrace. There is construction to change this process where a transfer system is being built to replace the current transportation method of trucking the fish. Also, the old catwalk is permanently closed due to the placement to the shad capture pen. However, a new fishing pier is being built and should be open by next year. 
ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

Woolly Bugger

This conservationist dreams of a day when he can't catch shad in the Kennebec River

>>>Willie Grenier grew up in Lewiston as an avid angler.

His enthusiasm for fishing in the Little Androscoggin River was ruined when, as a youngster, he saw human feces in the water while he was fishing.

"Trying to fish in the Little Androscoggin and not being able to fish because it was polluted, it really affected me," Grenier said of what planted the seed for many future years of educating Mainers about the environment.


In those days, the late 1950s, Maine's industrial rivers were polluted by effluent from paper mills operating along their banks, and by raw sewage that was dumped into the water. Stricter pollution standards and efforts by conservation groups have significantly cleaned up Maine waters.

That includes the Kennebec River, which Grenier and his wife, Jan, live about 300 yards from at their home in Waterville. Now the 75-year-old promotes the once-polluted Kennebec as a productive water to catch American shad, which regained access to that stretch of the river in 1999 when the Edwards Dam in Augusta was removed.

"I like to take people who've never fished and catch shad, give them a thrill," Grenier said.




https://bangordailynews.com/2022/05/25/outdoors/conservationist-dreaming-of-not-catching-shad-joam40zk0w/
ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

trout-r-us

Quote from: Woolly Bugger on May 02, 2022, 11:32:17 AM


I'm going to try and hit the Tar River run next spring.

Also would like to get into the Pee Dee River Shad run at Blewett Falls — Fred would like the catfish action down there too!

If you are looking to target the larger White Shad, here is a good resource to keep up with the runs on the Coastal rivers. I've personally never fished the Tar. Always wanted to but never got down there. I may just surprise myself and wander down that way around mid April.

https://www.ncwildlife.org/Fishing/Coastal-Rivers-Fisheries-Reports#115722384-april-23-2021



"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man."
― Heraclitus

trout-r-us

Haven't caught many Whites in the last 45 years. Here's a few from my earlier days on the Delaware River. Rather tasty from what I recall.
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"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man."
― Heraclitus

Dougfish

#8
Fishing with Fred.
2023 edition.
Woolly went up Tues. He will add his own 2 cents.

I got the message from itieuglyflies that they were in on the James.
Today became my day.

Awoke at 4:30 yesterday to get my wife to the airport. Worked all day, then boogied to my Richmond luxury hotel.  :laugh:

Awoke at 4:15 today and actually beat Fred to the ramp. That never happens.

Out before the sun with just one bote ahead of us. Where does that one bote anchor?
Right where the boyz were yesterday. p;-

Didn't matter. Anchored up below him.
Fred hooked up on his first cast. It continued like that.

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Keith said we needed to beat 86 by 10am.

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It was not as crowded as that pic made it look. But it does capture the dashing captain and the local ambience.

More scenery.

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Vintage Fenwick glass and old Martin multiplier getting it done.

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Never moved the boat all day until we hauled anchor to leave.
Back at the ramp by 1.
On the road by 1:30.
135 shad in the bote.
Fred is da man. :bow

"Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here?
 Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change? "
Kelly's Heroes,1970

"I don't wanna go to hell,
But if I do,
It'll be 'cause of you..."
Strange Desire, The Black Keys, 2006

Onslow

It's a damn good day of fishing when Doug doesn't have time to drink a beer.

Trout Maharishi

Damn Fred! Anyone that can put Woowee and Dougie on fish is the man.
"We're all going to die, all of us, what a circus! That alone should make us love each other but it doesn't. We are terrorized and flattened by trivialities, we are eaten up by nothing."
― Charles Bukowski

Dougfish

Quote from: Onslow on April 12, 2023, 19:27:55 PMIt's a damn good day of fishing when Doug doesn't have time to drink a beer.

Drank three.  :laugh:
"Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here?
 Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change? "
Kelly's Heroes,1970

"I don't wanna go to hell,
But if I do,
It'll be 'cause of you..."
Strange Desire, The Black Keys, 2006

Trout Maharishi

#12
The boys at the takeout. Is that you Dougie? Glad Fred was there to keep you guys halfway under control.
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"We're all going to die, all of us, what a circus! That alone should make us love each other but it doesn't. We are terrorized and flattened by trivialities, we are eaten up by nothing."
― Charles Bukowski

Big J

Maybe when I'm old and retired I'll be able to fish with Fred.

Woolly Bugger


#23-27 Gas $3.29, $3.69 weather 40 to mid 70s clear skies.

Fred asked if I had come up last year and I thought we skipped 22 but from another trip report, I see that I was mistaken.

It's that time of year, with the dogwoods in bloom, shad are running up the James River.

Best to be early when meeting Fred at the the boat ramp at o'dark thirty.

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It was a tad chilly to start, the sun brought welcome warmth to the day.

Fred motored to his spot, we were the only boat out, but were joined by a bank fisherman.

Fred caught a fish on his first cast and I added to the click count shortly after that.

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The guy on the bank was having a good day too, catching shad and a catfish or two.

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The cry of an osprey caught our attention as the bird soared overhead. I few other boats joined us, they use navigational at the spot marker, as he is probably considered a navigational marker. Some had success and others appeared clueless in fishing and boat handling.

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The catching continued and fish were caught on almost every cast.
At some point early on, while trying the releas a fish, it thrashed and the hook caught my finger and tore a nice little wound on the first knuckle. It bleed, and continued to bleed, it would stop with pressure but casting opened the wound and blood dripped onto the deck.  This went on for a long time before I decided to cut a strip from a buff and make a bandage. As was preparing to make the cut, Fred remembered that he had a Band-Aid stashed in his wallet. Problem solved.

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The fishing slowed down a bit and we stopped for lunch, Mrs. Fred had made us some tasty wrap sandwiches.

We caught a few more after that, but after hitting 104, I was satisfied, so we called it a day. Thanks Fred!

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Those forked tailed fish fight hard and were a lot of fun to fight on the 5 wt. I do miss the occasional American Shad, and on the way home while stopping for gas, I struck up a conversation with another fisherman who used to fish the Tar River for Americans.



ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!