Shad Kill

[Zach Bearden]

Ok there has been a small shad kill here and im not really sure how to fish it.... I fished a Kelly fly and had one I went down there and saw my freind Kelly catching them on nothing other than a KELLY FLY! (Ill try and post a picture of one sometime) Anyways, this fly looks just like a shad but I cant seem to get a cast off, Any tips?

Thanks guys...

[hornyheadchub]

Time to start perfecting your double haul. BTW, if you are using a trout leader, you need to switch to something w/ a bit more stiffness like a bass leader to turn the fly over.

[Bill Butts]

Zach~

Sorry for the late reply, I have something dorked up in my notification settings.

You didn't mention if you were trying to fish for trout way up in the small part of the tailrace, or for Stripers on the larger water. HHC was right, a change of leader is going to be necessary, but without more info on the fly's size and weight/bulk it is difficult to offer well-founded suggestions.

Also, what line weight is the rod and whether a floating or sinking/sink-tip line? What distance do you need to cast it?

Fill in some of these details (photo?) and I'm sure you'll get some helpful feedback.

Bill

[Zach Bearden]

The Shad that I am seeing are around the 1-3" range.

The fly is around 2" and is silver with a nickel color head, it is a size 12? Or around that range. I am fishing for trout, (can someone tell me how to catch some stripers around the dam right about now? The water has been up for the last 2 weeks...) I am using a 6wt rod floating line... Well thats really all I have to say, Bill I will try and post a picture of the Kelly fly No guarantees though.

[hornyheadchub]

Zach, I think you're missing the point.

It is not really the length/size of the fly you are casting as much as its bulk, dry weight and propensity to hold water. If you are using a synthetic material to tie a fly, it may shed water very quickly and therefore when you are casting it will weigh not much more than it does dry. If you are using naturals like wool or bucktail or rabbit fur, it may hold lots of water, effectively doubling its dry weight while casting. If it is super bulky like a mouse or Dahlberg Diver, the wind resistance becomes quite an issue to overcome too.

What you need to assess is whether or not your leader/tippet is stout enough to 'turn over' your fly? That is, when you transition from back-cast to forward-cast, is the leader material too long/too soft (not stiff enough), to cause the fly to follow the leader (pardon the pun) in the loop of the cast? If the leader material is too soft/limp like a trout leader, it will lag behind in mid-cast and only frustrate you. If the fly you are casting is heavier than most anything you have casted before, try a bass leader in the 8-10lb test area. Bass leaders are stiffer because they have shorter tapers overall, and are made of a monofilament that is stiffer than that used in trout leaders - which are made to turn over only small delicate flys. Keep a couple of spools of your favorite mono handy in lb. tests of that of the leader and slightly stronger inthe event the leader lacks the length to get the fly down far enough. If all else fails to get the fly deep enough, you may want to have a sinking leader handy an just attach some mono to the end as tippet. Sinking leaders and heavier flies require patience and practice to cast. Remember, the more weight you plan to huck, the slower you need to cast and react to the fly and line/leader whilst it is in the air. Good luck!

[Zach Bearden]

Thanks for all the info chub my leader is about 9' long so, shorten it to 7' maybe?

[hornyheadchub]

Zach,

Before you make adjustments to your leader length, go out and cast the flys at the distances you need to be achieving to get to the fish. If you still can't turn the fly over, then either shorten your leader little by little, or go with a heavier constructed leader. There's no sense in chopping your leader to allow a cast if the leader is then too short to get the fly deep enough.

[The Caddis]

Zach - please post some pics of the shad kill, or of the fat pigs you're catchin'.

[Zach Bearden]

Sorry Caddis I havent remembered to take my camera down there but I did catch a fish 14" long (I measured him) Nice big bow too really really fat... I was swinging wooly buggers around some tree stumps and it would pull the fish right outa there! Great time watching that thing go splat on the water then being able to see the fish make a wake and feel a big tug on the end of your line...

But once I get there and my camera comes with me Ill take it with me and snap some pics.