# Shad rig questions



## Mark H. (Nov 26, 2005)

I'm a lifelong fisherman but fairly new to shad fishing in the rivers here in NC. I've tried the darts,spoons and curley tailed grubs in various colors and tandem combinations. I seem to have had my best luck with a tandem grub about 1/16th each in orange. What are some of your favorite rigs and how do you prefer tying them?

Thanks,
Mark H.


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

I'm partial to a single shad dart like so.


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## AbuMike (Sep 3, 2007)

1/16oz hot pink curley tail in tandum with a white and pink Shad spoon kills um here.


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## Pin rigr (Jan 3, 2015)

Im a little late but have you ever tried a sibiki rig i use them on the James the herring tear them up and the hickory shad like them too but the american shad dont bite them as often. but just cast it out and pull your rod bouncing the weight of the bottom dont pull to hard or the warden might think your snagging


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## CodyV7Mc (Jul 12, 2015)

3" curly tail jig (chartreuse) and a pink jig head. Tandems didn't seem to produce; just a larger single jig head. We were at the Tailrace under Pinopolis a week ago catching them. An absolute BLAST to catch and a pretty good eating fish also.


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## CodyV7Mc (Jul 12, 2015)




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## bigjim5589 (Jul 23, 2005)

With a fly rod & flies!


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## Thrifty Angler (May 5, 2002)

That's a colorful assortment.
I might do a fishing themed Xmas tree next year. 
Maybe putting small colorful styrofoam balls on the hook points.


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## bigjim5589 (Jul 23, 2005)

They're the colors I've had the most success with for shad. The flashy ones work well when the waters not real clear. Most times any of them work, other times they seem to prefer one over the other, so I like being prepared. I also use the same flies for Crappies & Perch! 

I've seen pics of fishing theme Christmas tree's but never done it. Someone posted one with flies one year, but can't recall what site it was posted on. On a bass site someone posted a tree with bass lures, but I recall that guys wife fishes too. 

My wife wouldn't appreciate it I'm sure.


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## cooper138 (Aug 8, 2012)

Thrifty Angler said:


> That's a colorful assortment.
> I might do a fishing themed Xmas tree next year.
> Maybe putting small colorful styrofoam balls on the hook points.


Salmon fishing?


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## Thrifty Angler (May 5, 2002)

bigjim5589 said:


> They're the colors I've had the most success with for shad. The flashy ones work well when the waters not real clear. Most times any of them work, other times they seem to prefer one over the other, so I like being prepared. I also use the same flies for Crappies & Perch!
> 
> I've seen pics of fishing theme Christmas tree's but never done it. Someone posted one with flies one year, but can't recall what site it was posted on. On a bass site someone posted a tree with bass lures, but I recall that guys wife fishes too.
> 
> My wife wouldn't appreciate it I'm sure.


Might work well for the short table top model Xmas trees....for a man cave, den, etc...


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## Thrifty Angler (May 5, 2002)

cooper138 said:


> Salmon fishing?


I like the colors. Virgina angler myself. Not a salmon within a lot of miles from me....fresh salmon that is.


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## HuskyMD (May 19, 2000)

Mark H. said:


> I'm a lifelong fisherman but fairly new to shad fishing in the rivers here in NC. I've tried the darts,spoons and curley tailed grubs in various colors and tandem combinations. I seem to have had my best luck with a tandem grub about 1/16th each in orange. What are some of your favorite rigs and how do you prefer tying them?
> 
> Thanks,
> Mark H.


Where I am I have the most luck with a gold spoon. Either a gold kastmaster with the treble replaced with a single hook by itself or one of these






in tandem with a chartreuse shad dart. I'm almost always catching on the gold spoon though.


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## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

1/8 oz jighead in pink and a 2 inch chart/glitter grub + a 1/8 oz split shot. It is simple and requires no rig tying the night before.
I believe the glitter helps, especially on

Another lure that works well off jigheads is a Bust em' Bait Stinger- also in Chart/glitter. It has a long straight, slender tail and sinkers faster.

With sabiki rigs, green head hooks with reflective fish skin works best- may not be legal everywhere.

In the Rediversion Canal, I rarely see anyone using darts nor spoons. With the high water this year, 2 jig rigs are simply asking to snag. Also, if you line 6# or less, good luck trying to land a double header of American shad. Our American:hickory ratio is about 10:1.


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## bigjim5589 (Jul 23, 2005)

I've caught Shad on spinning gear too, most times while fishing for Crappies or Perch in the MD Eastern Shore rivers. They'll take safety pin type spinners with a jig head & curltail grub, and frankly the colors didn't always matter. However, I used either the silk chartreuse or clear chartreuse with the glitter in it a lot. Last ones I recall catching on a red 2" curltail/chartreuse jig head & gold blade on the safety pin spinner. 

I tried double rigs when I was a kid, jigs & spoons, or jigs & jigs, but eventually gave up on them because they tangled or snagged too much to be worth while to me. Even with flies I only fish singles.

However, if you add a short dropper (like 4" long) ahead of a jig about 8" and tie a fly like I've shown to the dropper, that works as well as anything. The short dropper doesn't tangle as much and the jig is the only weight you need to be concerned with for casting. 

But, like bluefish1928 said, you need to go to heavier line to keep from breaking off too much when you hook up with 2 shad at a time. I primarily fished with 8lb line in the spring when targeting panfish because of the chance of hooking up with those bigger White Shad, LM bass or even Striped bass.


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## andypat (Jan 7, 2004)

Mark H. said:


> I'm a lifelong fisherman but fairly new to shad fishing in the rivers here in NC. I've tried the darts,spoons and curley tailed grubs in various colors and tandem combinations. I seem to have had my best luck with a tandem grub about 1/16th each in orange. What are some of your favorite rigs and how do you prefer tying them?
> 
> Thanks,
> Mark H.


 I just started catching them yesterday for the first time. I am using a one inch pink and white tube bait on a, I think it is a 1/16th pink or white jig head with a split shot about 12" from lure. I might try some of Jerry's little darts this morning. This is fun easy fishing for a change. Might check for crappie before shad fishing.


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## HuskyMD (May 19, 2000)

Also said:


> I've never caught a double header, ever. But I've also never seen anyone using 6# or less for shad fishing here where I live. The shad get pretty big and with the current and lifting them out of the water, that'd be quite a lot to ask of 6# line. 20# braid with a leader is what I use.


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## mike horst (Feb 23, 2004)

I use a small nungesser spoon and a dart. I use different size darts based
on how heavy the water is. I fish 8lb most of the time, and have no difficulty
fishing Conowingo. I have caught doubles of hickories, but I have only caught
one white shad in almost 50 years of fishing the Susquehanna.

I prefer a fly rod when I can have room for a back cast. The area around the pump
station on deer creek has been a good place for fly fishing.


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