Shad can be caught in plenty of places on the Columbia, but some of the very best fishing is typically below the dams, where the shad tend to bottle up before climbing the fish ladders.

A healthy chunk of the Columbia River’s might shad run never makes it to Bonneville Dam because many of these fish hang a right turn into the Willamette. The American Shad Fish mainly feed on plankton. There are ample boat launches in this area on both sides of the Willamette, and boats tend to anchor up in water with a good current that isn’t too deep. There are some good bank fishing spots for shad on the Umpqua.

Bank Fishing For American Shad - Willamette River - YouTube 0000162402 00000 n

Umpqua shad fishing also can get going full speed a bit earlier than the Columbia and Willamette. Make sure you have the knowledge and equipment to anchor in strong current, which can be hazardous for the unprepared. Nevertheless, there is a reason so many people fish here. One place definitely worth a try if you’re up that way is below the John Day Dam, a short drive up Highway 14 from Maryhill. You can simply pitch short casts right in front of your position allowing for more casts, and therefore more fish. I highly doubt we will see conditions this year to make Tanner worthwhile. Worthwhile fishing can continue into early July some years. trailer 0000005589 00000 n They can be very good. Upriver, there are popular spots at Yellow Creek (on Highway 138) and farther up at River Forks County Park, an easy drive from Roseburg. The key is to be able to locate shad holding water.

0000004204 00000 n The most popular fisheries on the Willamette are upstream from Portland, just below Willamette Falls (between Oregon City and West Linn).

When this happens, you no longer need to launch casts out to max distance. The first decent numbers of shad appear in late May, after the season typically opens. The following three rivers are where you will find the best shad fishing in Oregon and Washington: The Columbia on the border of Oregon and Washington has the Northwest’s largest shad runs, and for practical purposes this is Washington state’s only great shad fishery.

Downstream just a little ways, try casting from the bank on either side of the Hamilton Island boat ramp near the community of North Bonneville. Other great spots around this area are the north (mainland) shore below the Second Powerhouse Dam and also at the transmission towers. 0000005488 00000 n How great: The number of shad counted at Bonneville Dam often run into the multi-millions, literally filling the fish ladder with silver. Oregonians also will find a good bank and boat fishery for shad below McNary Dam near the city of Umatilla. Depending on water height, the cast can be rather difficult as you may be standing in the bushes and trees, so a shorter rod is a good idea.

For lures, the grub reigns supreme. There are some good bank fishing spots for shad on the Umpqua. A less hectic place to catch shad, mostly for boaters, is down on the Multnomah Channel (Slough), which takes part of the Willamette’s flow down the west side of Sauvie Island. 0 Downstream from Elkton, toward Reedsport along Highway 38, the first place many anglers intercept shad coming up from the Pacific Ocean and through the Umpqua’s long tidewater section is Sawyer Rapids. Shad Fish for Beginners.

Another spot to go without a boat is the steamboat landing in Washougal. 0000006926 00000 n

Just below this major rapids can be a very good spot for shad. Your terminal setup is pretty much just like you would use to drift fish steelhead. Shad fishing is excellent in the Pacific Northwest, where these eager biters and hard fighters come into select rivers by the millions. While those bigger rivers tend to peak in June, in the Umpqua anglers sometimes start their shad fishing in late April and May can be excellent. Washington fisheries managers have noted reports of shad coming into the Chehalis and Snohomish rivers, but this appears to be an irregular event and probably not something to count on. There is a boat ramp available here, and this general area is also good for walleye and smallmouth bass fishing. Nationally, they're often called "America's Fish," a tribute to the Delaware River run that saved Washington's starving army.

Not to mention you will be standing on a steep bank of loose rip-rap. x�b```f``�e`e`�cf@ a����y/dV�nn�2�;��A=�Z������7��1��d0��F�Y����H�x�5��g!�N�ڢ�m�ӴT�Zt������8m1HĘOb!���'�:﷖I殀����YT�V'z#u\dŜ�� ��u��699,O�8���D1�w �! xref Umpqua shad fishing also can get going full speed a bit earlier than the Columbia and Willamette. Shad get mixed reviews as table fare, due to their bony bodies and oily flesh. Boat anglers do well throughout this area, often anchoring is relatively shallow water along mainland and island shorelines. Shad runs coincide with spring Chinook and summer steelhead runs on many of these rivers, and those bigger fish will sometimes strike shad lures and cause quite a thrill. In fact, an argument could be made that many bank fisherman often out-fish many boats on a per rod basis. 95 0 obj<>stream

Other noted killers are “Shad Darts”, or a barrel swivel with a bead on top. Fly fishing can be effective for catching shad. If you’re in Washington, for most anglers the best plan is to head to the Columbia River’s massive run.

One of the launches on the Oregon side closest to the action is at The Fishery, a private marina at Dodson. 0000001474 00000 n %%EOF Regular anglers report that the bottom of Sawyer Rapids can be particularly good when the Umpqua is running low and shad passage through the rapids slows, forming a natural bottleneck where large numbers of shad wait to migrate upriver. There may be enough fish arriving to give shad fishing a whirl over the Memorial Day weekend. 0000004726 00000 n Shad will aggressively strike a variety of small lures, including shad darts and soft crappie jigs, tiny spoons and spinners. 0000002616 00000 n Dick Knights and other mini-wobbler type lures catch fish as well, but given the inherent risk of hanging up on the bottom I don’t like using a $3 lure when others that cost about $.50 work just as well or better. Most people use fairly heavy rods and weights to swing their lures close to the lock’s concrete walls immediately below them. %PDF-1.4 %���� Pacific Northwest shad often weigh 2 or 3 pounds, with larger specimens regularly going to about 5 pounds or a bit more. 0000083454 00000 n Shad are very light sensitive, so as a general rule, you will find them deeper on sunny days, and shallower on cloudy days. Because of their feeding habits, they have very good eyesight. 0000003171 00000 n Bank anglers have a few options in this area as well, with some of the best success coming from Clackamette Park at the mouth of the Clackamas River (Oregon City side on the south). And by “Crowded” I mean shoulder-to-shoulder. You might start around the town of Elkton, located at the juncture of Highways 38 and 138. 0000010527 00000 n Shad anglers also gather on the mainland bank around Tanner Creek, just below the fish hatchery. Here is a look at some of the best areas to target: Tanner Creek- This is an area that tends to fish best when the water line is up in the bushes. The North side offers both fast paced combat style experience from the rock, up to the angling as well as a slightly more relaxed atmosphere on the lower half of the island. Beginner shad anglers make the mistakes of using too heavily of fishing rods, lines, and lures. 0000001608 00000 n 0000001787 00000 n

Oregon anglers also concentrate below Bonneville Dam, often from the north shore of Bradford Island. 0000006123 00000 n 0000117480 00000 n For Washington anglers, try Cascade Island just below the dam, especially the spillway side. startxref In most cases a trout rod will do, but it’s nice to have something with a little more length and backbone in case you luck yourself into a chrome slab.

But better fishing will come in June, with the peak of the run typically occurring in the second or third week of June, when there are often more than 100,000 shad (and sometimes over 200,000) passing Bonneville per day. You can catch plenty of fish from shore and all you really need is a light rod, a handful of jigs and/or darts and some desire. Some people find shad tasty when properly prepared and cooked, and others also eat shad roe. Willamette River and Multnomah Channel fishing opportunities, ODFW weekly recreation report and regulation updates. 0000008309 00000 n Those runs have been modest many years, although the Coquille has had some nice runs recently.

Shad are anadromous and like Oregon’s steelhead they potentially can return for more than one spawning run, growing to the larger size in the process. Probably the best place to intercept shad coming up the channel is along Coon Island, a boat fishery reached from several public and private launches on this waterway. Part of what makes Shad fishing so much fun is that you really don’t need to have an expensive jet boat (or any boat at all for that matter) to participate. Robbins Island- The north side can provide good catching up near the deadline, though things can get pretty crowded here. The size of slinky will be determined by how far you need to cast, and the depth you need to achieve. ODFW trout stocking scheduleODFW weekly recreation report and regulation updatesODFW annual fishing regulationsNational Weather Service forecasts. This makes shad easily accessible to bank anglers, but boaters can often anchor right in the fish-traveling lanes and catch large numbers. 0000001567 00000 n One of the bonuses of fishing for shad in the Umpqua, compared to the heavier waters of the Columbia below its dams or the Willamette below its falls, is that you can employ lighter gear to take full advantage of this little tarpon-like battler. 0000007800 00000 n “Like” us on Facebook. Also, there is a Columbia Basin endorsement for salmon, steelhead and sturgeon that would apply to the Columbia and tributaries like the Willamette. Try that a few times then if no success, go to an 8 count, and so on. Outside the Columbia River Basin, the most reliable shad fishery in the Pacific Northwest is located on the Umpqua River in southwestern Oregon. Tie a 10 or 12 pound mainline to a barrel swivel with 2 to 3 feet of 8# leader and a slinky on the snap. 0000009484 00000 n Clackamette Park on the Willamette River is a known producer, though I suspect that it might be a bit more difficult this year with the low flows allowing fish to spread across the width of the river. Here, the water is channeled through a series of islands, resulting in several miles of fishable shoreline. This is a good spot for boaters to launch for shad fishing trips. 0000139821 00000 n