Shad fishing on the Columbia River

[Okanagan]

Monday I fished shad on the Columbia river with BIL.  We took our time getting on the water, came back in mid afternoon and each of us caught well over 50 shad, maybe way more. 





We had at least a dozen doubles when both of us had a fish on at the same time, and one time just for kicks netted both of our fish in one swoop. 



Most of them were males about 2 lbs., with a few down toward one pound and one big female that must have gone at least 3 pounds.  We caught smaller ones before noon and a much larger run of fish came through during our last couple of hours.



A pelican hung around for an hour or two, maybe hoping we would toss him a fish.  We released all.  I caught one small walleye.

We anchored in quite swift current in 14 feet of water and it felt like we were trolling as the current worked the lures.  We rigged a diving plug (like a magwart) without hooks, then a four foot leader from the belly of the plug back to a tiny jig or spoon.  Killer. 

[Hawks Feather]

Looks like a good time.  I feel really sorry for the pelican who didn't get a free lunch.   

Jerry

[nastygunz]

Beautiful fish!

[pitw]

How any did the Pele get?

[Okanagan]

How any did the Pele get?

We bonked one and tossed it his way and he let it drift 300 yards before he picked it up.  Never saw any pelican get a fish while we were there.

The shad are full of bones, like a Brillo pad said my BIL.  I'd have liked to eaten one but in the heat and distances, not worth the effort.  About 95 F but comfortable on the river with a breeze.  Blast furnace when the breeze stopped.

Shad are an east coast import, not native to the Columbia but have spawning runs now over a million fish.  No catch limit for fishermen.

The lower Columbia is green on green of moss on basalt cliffs and towering forest.  Up the river east of the Cascade Mountain crest it turns into sun baked lava rock and sere brown desert grass as the side walls flatten out into what looks like antelope country.    Wet side and dry side.

[HaMeR]

Quite possibly a dumb question. Would any local charter boats be interested in those for bait? Would they be too big?


OK. TWO dumb questions. And I may,, or may not be,, done asking them for the day. 

[Okanagan]

Quite possibly a dumb question. Would any local charter boats be interested in those for bait? Would they be too big?


OK. TWO dumb questions. And I may,, or may not be,, done asking them for the day. 

My cousin who lives close to the largest shad fishery, below Bonneville Dam, told me that shad are superb sturgeon bait.  I haven't heard of any charter boats using them for bait.  The main people who keep shad to eat are Asians and Eastern Europeans.

When we came in a large guide boat with four clients and a guide was just leaving the dock.  The guide asked and my BIL told him that we had caught shad till our hands were blistered and that roused him and his whole crew.  Very few people fishing in the area we fished.  Two days earlier as I drove past Bonneville Dam 150 miles downriver, there were at least 400 cars parked along the accessible bank fishing area and combat lines of people along the riprap shore.

[FinsnFur]

You call that a shad!!??
Wow...our shad are minnows and we use them for bait. That looks like it was a blast

[HaMeR]

Yeah those are Godzilla Shad compared to what I've seen here too. Those shad feed on ours!   

I bet that boat headed right out to where you left too.