[fishtoons]

I never went shad fishing and would like to try it. I have been reading on the internet and most of what I have been finding refers to shad fishing above scudders falls. It seems that fishing is best above the falls because the river and the channel narrows which sends the fish down a narrower corridor making them easier to catch. Makes sense to me.

But I am not interested in going north of the trenton bridge with my boat because I understand that it gets much rockier up there. (Broken lower ends and bent props).

Can I successfully fish for shad and run into schools below the Trenton bridge? Can they be targeted in the phila area? Would I use the same techniques; deadsticking shad darts? do I look for narrowing of the main channel and obstacles ie bridge abutments etc...?

And while I am asking questions, how do the shad get above scudders falls? Is there a ladder? What about stripers, do they go above the falls too?

Sorryfor so many questions, I'm bored and planning my March.

 

[Lotta Sick Days]

I never went shad fishing and would like to try it. I have been reading on the internet and most of what I have been finding refers to shad fishing above scudders falls. It seems that fishing is best above the falls because the river and the channel narrows which sends the fish down a narrower corridor making them easier to catch. Makes sense to me.

But I am not interested in going north of the trenton bridge with my boat because I understand that it gets much rockier up there. (Broken lower ends and bent props).

Can I successfully fish for shad and run into schools below the Trenton bridge? Can they be targeted in the phila area? Would I use the same techniques; deadsticking shad darts? do I look for narrowing of the main channel and obstacles ie bridge abutments etc...?

And while I am asking questions, how do the shad get above scudders falls? Is there a ladder? What about stripers, do they go above the falls too?

Sorryfor so many questions, I'm bored and planning my March.

Hope others chime in, but I can help with the easier questions.

The fish run right through Philly w/o stopping, it seems, and they are probably easier to target the farther up the river you go for the same reason you read: the channel narrows, limiting where they will likely be. Above Trenton, Yardley on up river.

Stay in the channel where the fish are when they are moving. They rest in holes and flats at night, but during daylight hours, they are moving and in the channels, so you don't need to go anywhere that would eat a prop.

 

[Thedudeabides]

I never went shad fishing and would like to try it. I have been reading on the internet and most of what I have been finding refers to shad fishing above scudders falls. It seems that fishing is best above the falls because the river and the channel narrows which sends the fish down a narrower corridor making them easier to catch. Makes sense to me.

But I am not interested in going north of the trenton bridge with my boat because I understand that it gets much rockier up there. (Broken lower ends and bent props).

Can I successfully fish for shad and run into schools below the Trenton bridge? Can they be targeted in the phila area? Would I use the same techniques; deadsticking shad darts? do I look for narrowing of the main channel and obstacles ie bridge abutments etc...?

And while I am asking questions, how do the shad get above scudders falls? Is there a ladder? What about stripers, do they go above the falls too?

Sorryfor so many questions, I'm bored and planning my March.

there is a very good shad run up the Schuylkill every year. Seems like more every year. Beneath the dam at the Art Museum acts as a holding area while they make their way up the ladder. Watch the tides and be aware that even at high tide there are lots of barely submerged rocks that could ruin your day. Of course, if you get there at low tide you could catch bushels of blue-claws. Hard to believe, but true.

 

[Riverwolf]

Riverwolf

I've caught shad out in front of the old warf in Trenton just below the railroad bridge.

At low tide they stack up there waiting for the tide to change before going through the falls area. The Trenton falls is just a bunch of rocks not really a falls per sey.

Scudders falls does have a wing dam and the shad pass through the center chute.

The philly section is just too vast and deep to narrow the run down.

I'll be at the Calvary Sport Show on Saturday 3-3-12 at the Delaware Shad Fishermans Booth stop in and say Hi. We can talk shad.

Tight Lines

 

[Hardtop]

Hope this helps but the further north the better the opportunity. As you said the rocks can hurt...

610 954 0578
610 954 0577
www.drsfa.org

 

[leprechaun]

Something to keep in mind when they migrate they mostly follow the channel.In the lower Delaware the channel is 45-55 deep on high tide.We have caught them while jiging for herring while striper fishing on the channel edges in no more than 15' deep.

Water clarity is also a factor.And a very big factor with spring rain and wind that muddy the water.You will want to find a channel depth of no more than 12-15 deep so the light and clarity are good enough let them see what they are hitting.

There are shad runs up every tributary on the big-D.You need to find a channel with a narrow bottle neck to concentrate the schools under your boat.Remember they run in schools so you may not have fish under you or the bottom might be paved with them.They will show up on electronics if they are thick but most times there will be only scattered marks.