# Rappahannock Shad - Upper River?



## Snk-Byte (Jan 21, 2009)

I'm getting the itch to go shad fishing again this spring. I haven't been shad fishing on the Rap for maybe 3 years and I always went to the Old Mill Island area in F'burg. I have read that there was at least one large shad fry release at Kelly's Ford several years ago and I was wondering if any of those fry have grown up and are planning on a return visit this spring since they don't have to fight the dam anymore.

Did anybody do any shad fishing on the Upper Rappahannock last year near Remington or Kelly's Ford (or even farther up river in Fauquier), with any success? Then again, maybe folks don't want to give out their secrets.


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## mitchmtm1 (Aug 11, 2003)

Some shad are making it upriver, but the numbers fall off quite a bit once you get above the Rapidan. I believe the VDGIF has shocked up fish as far as Kellys Ford and they should run farther each year, but as of now I doubt that it would be worth fishing too far up the river.

The stockings at Kellys Ford were american shad. They should have been making stronger runs for a few years now but they are still scarce. I think all the smallmouth up river have been feasting on them.



Mitch


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## SNDFLEE (Sep 8, 2010)

Shad are at the city dock now in Fredericksburg.


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## mitchmtm1 (Aug 11, 2003)

SNDFLEE said:


> Shad are at the city dock now in Fredericksburg.



The river hit 31000 fps today....they are probably washed back down to Port Royal now.


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## HuskyMD (May 19, 2000)

*shocking...*



mitchmtm1 said:


> I believe the VDGIF has shocked up fish as far as Kellys Ford and they should run farther each year, but as of now I doubt that it would be worth fishing too far up the river.
> 
> Mitch


Cute typo...I can just see VDGIF out there SHOCKINg the shad...


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## mitchmtm1 (Aug 11, 2003)

HuskyMD said:


> Cute typo...I can just see VDGIF out there SHOCKINg the shad...



You will see them out there shocking up the shad this year. And shocking the catfish, stripers, gar, perch, and herring. They float for a few minutes then kick over and away they go. 
It kills the bite for awhile, but it's cool to watch the osprey take advantage of the floaters.



Mitch


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## Snk-Byte (Jan 21, 2009)

Hey, thanks for the information. I guess I'll make a couple of trips this spring. I'll probably start at the fall line in Fredericksburg and maybe another trip to Mott's Landing or Clore Brothers. Someone told me there is a nice spot behind Geico with minimal fishing traffic but I'll probably need to do a google-map to get there. I'll still stop by Kelly's Ford to see what is going on later. If there are no shad there the small mouths should entertain me. I'll try to remember to post what I have found.

An old-timer told me that the shad run was the best when the dogwood buds were the size of a squirrel's ear. I'll start looking for road kill in a few weeks to see how the squirrel ears compare to the size of the dogwood buds.


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## HuskyMD (May 19, 2000)

If you are worried about fishing traffic, you might not want to mention specifically where you are fishing on the rap. It fills up quickly...


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## westernny (Feb 18, 2006)

Always read about shad fishing down your way, Do you fish them just for sport or are they edible? The shad we have up here in Lake Erie are just considered a trash fish and dont bite anything that we throw while steelhead fishing. These shad are 14-16 inches on the larger end or the scale. Does you smoke them?


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## Snk-Byte (Jan 21, 2009)

westernny said:


> Always read about shad fishing down your way, Do you fish them just for sport or are they edible? The shad we have up here in Lake Erie are just considered a trash fish and dont bite anything that we throw while steelhead fishing. These shad are 14-16 inches on the larger end or the scale. Does you smoke them?


In Virginia, you can't keep any American Shad (recreational). I believe that you can keep Hickory Shad and Herring, but the Hickory Shad might be limited to tidal waters only. The regulations are muddy to me. I just go for Catch & Release. As far as I am concerned, you would need to boil shad for a week or two or salt them like Herring before consuming them. I like the taste of fish, but not if I have to pick through a mess of bones.


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## Snk-Byte (Jan 21, 2009)

HuskyMD said:


> If you are worried about fishing traffic, you might not want to mention specifically where you are fishing on the rap. It fills up quickly...


If I hit a Honey Hole, I'll PM you. One or two extras waders shouldn't make a difference. It's like what my daughter said, "What good is a secret if you can't share it"?


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## HuskyMD (May 19, 2000)

last year Mitch was kind enough to show me where to go and what to do to catch a different species on the Rap. We went often. Then he taught a stranger who was there. He then brought a militia of friends and we could never fish the spot from there on...


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## Snk-Byte (Jan 21, 2009)

HuskyMD said:


> last year Mitch was kind enough to show me where to go and what to do to catch a different species on the Rap. We went often. Then he taught a stranger who was there. He then brought a militia of friends and we could never fish the spot from there on...


Bummer. I guess if I get lucky, I'll need to take it to my grave. Or maybe I'll run into you and Mitch.


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## mitchmtm1 (Aug 11, 2003)

SoShoresGuy said:


> Bummer. I guess if I get lucky, I'll need to take it to my grave. Or maybe I'll run into you and Mitch.



None of my shad spots are really secrets....just the spots for those other fish that run up the river in the spring. :redface:

The real secret with shad is what to throw at them and how to fish it.


Mitch


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