I fished the Montague, NJ, area of the river for 5 consecutive days from Thursday, 5/26 – Monday 5/30 (some client trips, some personal time. Some full days, some half). Thursday – just 7 shad, the water conditions were still in ‘transition’ from earlier rains.  On Friday - 14, Saturday – 32, Sunday – 16, Monday – 14. Water temps started out at mid-60′s on Thursday, were up to 72 by Monday due to this heat wave! Most shad seemed to be fresh fish with plenty of fight.

Beginning on Sunday into Monday, when the water temps were hitting 70, the vast majority of the hits took place in tree shaded faster water from 5 PM-ish to dusk. I didn’t see any spawning activities on the surface near dusk.

Over the five days, I didn’t get a lot of hits off the surface on micro darts as I normally do in the “latter part” of the season. The surface action really didn’t start to happen for me with consistency until Monday evening. Before that, most fish were taken either near the middle of the water column or just off the bottom, and that’s not indicative of a latter season pattern to me. All fish seemed to still be ‘heading north’ too.

So. . . if you still want to get out there for American shad fishing this year, then you better hurry up!  Unfortunately, the ‘Great American Shad Run’ must ultimately come to an end each and every year.  Then the long wait for ‘next year’ sets in for anyone who considers themselves to be a ‘shad nut’ (like me).
 

Did pretty well over the weekend (combined client, TV show filming, and personal fishing numbers)… Friday (18), Saturday (15), Sunday (21).  Water temps ranged from 57 to 61 those 3 days.

The flow was starting to get a little slow by Sunday, so I’m looking forward to just a ‘little bit’ of rain these next couple of days.  I’m seeing some females that are looking very plump and ‘ripe’, and the bulk of the fish were taken in the top 25% of the water column.  With clear water and lower flows, I’m going with size 0 and sometimes size 1 flutters along with micro darts.  This year on the downriggers and flatlines I’m using 7′ ultralight baitcasting rods, and also found some 8.5′ 100% fiberglass rods that seem almost like “fly rods with spinning handles/guides” to me, and it’s been quite a blast using this stuff.  With these rods being so super soft I’m seeing less fish popping off the lines, and a heck of a lot more ‘fun factor’ too!
 

Of all the fishing charters that I run in Northern NJ at various freshwater locations from spring through fall, there is nothing quite as exciting to me as the annual spring American shad run on the Delaware River. For the dedicated group of shad-loving folks on the Delaware River that are certifiable ‘shad nuts’, the sheer strength of an 8 pound+ female shad at the end of the line is what sustains us year-to-year. Catching these fish is truly a blast!

I’m receiving excellent reports from people ‘down south’ on the Delaware River about big catches and larger size fish this year, so I expect some great things for this year’s annual shad run in the northern areas of the Delaware River that I fish. I picked up four new 7′ ultralight rods for use on my downrigggers this year to add even more sport to an already exciting fish fighting opportunity.

I’ll be starting up those trips quite soon in the northern NJ parts of the river, and I hope to have you out there on a great American shad trip this year. Once you get to feel a strong American shad fresh from the ocean at the end of your line, you’ll probably end up becoming a certifiable “shad nut” too.

For now… fish on!

Regards,
Steve