Well, let me tell ya ’bout them shad, the ones they call American shad. They come swimmin’ up the rivers ’round here, in Oregon, every year. Gotta catch ’em while ya can, ’cause they don’t stick around forever.
These shad, they ain’t like them fancy salmon or nothin’. But they’re good eatin’, and boy, are they fun to catch! They start showin’ up ’round May, sometimes a bit earlier, like April, dependin’ on the weather, I reckon. And they keep comin’ ’til June or July, then poof, they’re gone, back to the ocean, they say. Way out to the Atlantic, even though we’re here on the West Coast. Don’t make no sense to me, but that’s what they do.
Now, the best place to find these shad? Well, everyone knows it’s the Columbia River. That big ol’ river, it’s just full of ’em. You can go out on a boat, or you can even fish from the bank in some spots. Another good place is the Willamette River. Up near Portland, they say, just below them falls. The Willamette Falls, they call ’em. Seems them shad like to hang out there, just like people gatherin’ at the market.
- Columbia River – The main place for shaddin’
- Willamette River – Good spot near the falls
- Umpqua River – Some folks go there too
Some folks go down to the Umpqua River too. I heard tell there’s guides down there that’ll take ya fishin’. They got them fancy rods and reels, light ones, they call ’em. Said it makes it more fun, but I reckon a good ol’ pole and line works just fine.
Fishin’ for shad, it ain’t hard. You don’t need no fancy gear. Just a hook and a line and somethin’ shiny to catch their eye. Little jigs, they call ’em, or spoons. Anything that glitters, I guess. And you gotta be patient. Sometimes they bite like crazy, and sometimes, well, you just sit there and wait. That’s fishin’ for ya.
They say you can look at the analytics, whatever that means, to see when the fishin’s good. And they got maps, too, showin’ you where to go. But I always say, the best way to find fish is to go out and look for ’em. Talk to folks, see where they’re catchin’ ’em. That’s how we always did it, back in the day.
If you’re ever visitin’ Portland, you can even go on a fishin’ trip, just for shad. They take ya out on a boat for a few hours, and you can catch all the shad you want. Sounds like fun, if you got the money for it. Me, I’d rather just go down to the river with my own pole and bucket.
Catchin’ shad, it’s a good way to spend a day. Get some fresh air, enjoy the sunshine, and maybe bring home somethin’ for supper. And it don’t matter if you’re a fancy fisherman or just an old lady like me, anyone can catch a shad. You just gotta be there when they’re runnin’. And that’s the truth.
So, if you’re lookin’ for somethin’ to do this spring or summer, come on down to the river and try your hand at catchin’ some shad. You might just get hooked, just like them fish. It ain’t hard to find ‘em, just follow the river and keep your eyes peeled. And if ya see an old lady sittin’ on the bank with a pole in her hand, well, that just might be me. Come on over and say howdy, we can swap fishin’ stories.
Tags: [Oregon Shad, Shad Fishing, Columbia River, Willamette River, Umpqua River, American Shad, Oregon Fishing, Spring Fishing, Summer Fishing]
