(Alosa sapidissima)
Related to the Tarpon these salt to freshwater fish fight, pull, run and jump just like there big cousins! The American Shad spend most of there lives mingling with deep sea creatures in the salty ocean in large schools that travel from as far away as the Bay of Fundy, Canada. They amazingly return to spawn in the upper headwaters of the St. Johns River every year from December to March where they can be caught standing on the edge of a central Florida cow pasture.
*State Record: Not currently eligible by the FWC. Unofficial weight is approx. 5 Lbs. at 23″ long
Tips on Catching American Shad
Best Tide: Moving water with lower water levels in River. Tide does not matter. Water Temps. 60s degree range.
Best Time: Morning through early afternoon. Wintertime Late December to early March.
Best Fly Rod: 5wt. and 6wt. at 7’ to 8′ long.
Best Fly: Crazy Charlie Bonefish flys in orange, chartreuse, pink.
Best Fly Line: Floating with clear intermediate 15’ sink tip or floating when active.
Best Leader: 7’–9’ – long with min.10 lb. Fluorocarbon tippet.
Where: Freshwater in the lower St. Johns River.
Method: Casting up stream and striping fly with current down stream.
