Shad Run 2024

armesjr reply :

I was up at greentop the other day picking up a depthfinder, and also picked up some shad darts. Anyone else around the richmond area, interested in trying to catch some when they begin to make their run. It should be coming up in the next couple weeks. I have been told it is alot of fun catching them on light weight tackle. I havent done it yet, so wouldnt mind meeting up with someone that has done it before.

VABasser reply :

I did it last year for the first time in the Rappahannock. Theres something special about catching bass that no other species of fish will do for me but it was still a lot of fun. Any day you can go out and catch 40 fish in 2 hours is fun. Yeah definitely use light spinning gear and it'll make it more enjoyable. I'm pretty stoked to have them run again this year, it signals its warming up . I'm gonna make a trip from Tech back home to Fredericksburg one weekend just to be able to hook into some. They run the James too right?

JCrzy4Bass reply :

Where there is shad... there is bass? No? Lol. How is the bass fishing there when this is going on?

I assume probably difficult due to the abundance of bait fish in the area. The bass are probably really picky. Anyway... where do you guys fish when this happens? Fredericksburg City Docks? I don't know of many other access areas other than the little parks along the water there.

What days and times do you guys predict we will be seeing the run? Let me know when it's gonna happen if you guys keep track. I may bring my panfish/crappie pole and pick up some baits and tag along.

What types of baits do you guys use for the shad?

Phishin Fillip reply :

And I will most likely be giving vabasser a ride home from tech. Can't wait to hook into some of these guys.

SimonSays reply :

I'm up for it, I've been reading up on it and it sounds like ALOT of fun. Just tell me the time and the place!

Dan: reply :

I saw people last year fishing the Rappahannock shad run at Old Mill Park in Fredericksburg. It's a public park on the south side of the river, just over the Rt. 1/Rt.17 Bridge. There were people catching loads of fish when I was there, looked like a lot of fun.

frogtog reply :

I just got in from Swift creek, caught 6 in about 45 minutes. They will be running hard by next week in eastern NC. I'm using a chartreuse shad spoon with 3 small split shot.

Micro reply :

On the Chickahominy, Walker's Dam was open during the shad run. The main catch was alewife and blueback herring. Tieing 6-10 gold aberdeen hooks on your line and just dangling in the water was enough to fill a cooler full of fish. I'm not sure if Walker's Dam will be open this year > due to eh work being done on it.

SimonSays reply :

Quote
I just got in from Swift creek, caught 6 in about 45 minutes. They will be running hard by next week in eastern NC. I'm using a chartreuse shad spoon with 3 small split shot.

for a second there I thought swift creek res in Chesterfield! lol...I can't wait til they start running the james!

SimonSays reply :

Do you think small inline spinners would work for shad?

71Rig reply :

Quote
Do you think small inline spinners would work for shad?

Best bet is an 1/8 oz jig head in chartreuse, white, yellow, pink...with a twist tail grub.

I rig them like a dropshot about 1-2 feet apart. 4-6 Lb line on a 6'6" ultralight rod. Run two different colors for best results. Cast and reel back steady or with a little jigging motion. The fish will tell you when you get it right. Nice to hook up on two at a time. Poor man's tarpon!

armesjr reply :

I picked up some shad darts at Greentop this weekend. i believe Dicks may carry some too.

JCrzy4Bass reply :

Dicks in Manassas does have them, i saw them last time I went up to pick some new 2008 lures. Check the aisle with the Zoom, GYCB, and Yum plastics. If not check the aisle with the jig heads and tube heads and such. Should be in one of those two.

SimonSays reply :

Shad are running! I was at ancarrow's today (pack full of people) but everyone was catching shad! Nice size ones about 2lbs give or take. I was tossing a silver spoon in the afternoon and changed to a gold spoon in the evening. No luck on the shad darts for me =(

Shad 0

Simon 16 =D

A.Do? reply :

how long does the shad run usually last? I was just checking out the Shad cam on the DGIF website and saw a few. I would really like to get in on the action before it's all over!

SimonSays reply :

I'm not sure =( first year doing the shad run...I'll try going tomorrow to see how it is...I expect a butt load of people there though =(

I'll snap some pics too

SimonSays reply :

Did a search what what shad actually look like....I think I was catching Atlantic Herring instead =(

Shad 1

Simon 0

VABasser reply :

As far as how long they run, I know I was catching them last year around April 20th. It varies a bit each year too depending on how fast it warms up, etc.

SimonSays reply :

Went today at Ancarrow's again....caught 1 perch and 1 Herring....bite was sloooow today and as the rains came through the bite nearly stopped =(

Hoping to go out again when it warms up more!

Anyone up for some =D?

cjbs2003 reply :

Hickory Shad which average about 14" and top out around 20" run in the Rapp, the Potomac and the Occoquan for you northern VA guys. American Shad which are a bit larger averaging 18" and top out at 28" run the Potomac with a few in the Rapp. The hickories start their run first some showing as early as late March but with as cold as its been they may not show up til April this year. The American Shad run a couple weeks later. Hickory Shad are usually gone by early May and the American Shad are gone by mid May but again it depends on weather and water temps. The footbridge area of the Occoquan is best, the Fletcher's Cove area of the Potomac is best and the Rt 1 bridge on the Rapp. I have had best luck using a shad dart about 12" above a small shad spoon on a tandem rig. Play with the colors til you find what the shad like. Some guys use curly tail grubs, spinners or just about any other small shiny bait. Early in the season you can catch some yellow perch, white perch and crappie while fishing for the shad and often snag a lot of spawning gizzard shad. As the season progresses I catch a lot of schoolie stripers, especially in the Occoquan and have caught several stripers over 10 pounds while fishing for shad. Shad have super soft mouths so if you horse them they come right off. I use a 9' noodle rod when fishing for them. They will leap out of the air multiple times and pull hard, I think they fight harder than a smallmouth. I'll be fishing a good bit for them over the next couple months if anyone wants to get together. I usually catch a couple hundred a year. Some of the American Shad push 6 lbs. They are nicknamed baby tarpon for a reason! Remember, they are catch and release only in all of the Potomac and its tributaries and the Rapp has tight laws as well, so practice CPR. Catch, Photograph, Release!

71Rig reply :

The gizzard shad are in the Occoquan now and I've seen one hickory shad this weekend. Went out this morning and got one hit but nothing else. Snagged a few gizzards yesterday. I think in a week or so you will start to see them running in the Quan.

NHBA Charlie reply :

Generally, the shad and herring run when the shad bush bloom. Since shad bush are not that common in this area, make it when the dogwoods bloom. This is generally from April 1-May 15.

Shad and herring are already coming up the Virginia tidal rivers, but are not thick enough yet for good fishing. Next week, they should be a little better.

Vekol reply :

My son and I fished a little while at the Fredericksburg city dock on Sunday. We did not catch anything, and we did not see anybody around catching anything. There was one dead shad lying on the bank, so there are some early arrivals moving up river, but the run itself is not happening yet.

SimonSays reply :

Ok turns out what i thought was herring was actually Hickory shad. I was at Ancarrow's on the James today....wow the bite was on FIRE. In 3 hours I caught 20+. They were biting yellow shat darts with a small yellow 1inch grub, both gold and silver spoons!

These guy's aren't small either, about 2-3lbs each and they fight hard =D

...I set the hook so many times my side hurts now

cjbs2003 reply :

I fished the Occoquan for two hours Friday morning for shad. No takers, it appears the shad had not arrived yet. The water was very low and the tide was not moving so that may have entered into it... We need some rain. I switched spoons and darts and mixed the colors but no results. I'm gonna give it a try next week, if anyone else is having any luck let us know!

VABasser reply :

Yeah I'm trying to decide if I should come home this coming weekend or wait til the next one to hit the run at its peak. Anyone have any ideas? I guess I'll just play it by ear and see how people are doing this week

cjbs2003 reply :

With as cold as it is supposed to be and lack of rain, I would say the peak will not hit for at least another couple of weeks... By then the American Shad should show up as well...

VABasser reply :

Anyone been able to go out? This is what the Free Lance Star (Fredericksburg newpaper) said about the river this past thursday

"RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER: Right now, the river has many different species in it. Lee Cherwek of Fredericksburg demonstrated that recently by catching shad, herring, crappie, largemouth bass, white perch and bream all within sight of the City Dock. Ken's Tackle shop reported a good run of white perch from the Old Mill Park area of the river. Bloodworms are working well. There have been reports of decent stripers caught between the Falmouth and Chatham bridges. Shad are also being caught in good numbers throughout the river, mostly around the Fall Line."

Sounds like things should start heating up if they havent already.

SimonSays reply :

I went last week friday, at around noonish, people around me were catching Perch but the shad didn't start hitting til a little later. I was using a small spoon and wasn't having too much luck at first but the guy next to me was using a larger spoon and was catching them let and right. Gold and Silver both work.

Sam reply :

You put in at Ancarrows on the south side of the James River in Richmond and troll all around the area with the other 1,000 boats and have the guys on the dock yell at you when you get too close.

Using Shad Darts on light line can do well.

Fly fishing does even better.

Way too many people around Ancarrows unless you go during the week and then there are only 500 boats but the same number of fishermen on the docks.

You guys give it a try. I dont' think the Shad Dart colors make a big difference.

And you can then venture under the I-95 bridge and fish for bass in that area in additon to the area from the bridge towards the small island and then back to Ancarrows.

Look up Ancarrows on a Richmond map. It is called James River Park and it is on page 316 of the ADC Metro Richmond map book.

And don't leave any valuables in your vehicle. Clean it out before you go. Take everything out. And don't go alone. Make sure other boaters are there. If something looks "odd" or "strange" then leave and come back when there are more people.

Have fun.

armesjr reply :

Here is the google maps coordinate for ancarrows

Site 1 @37.519861,-77.418712

cjbs2003 reply :

The Hickory Shad have arrived in the Occoquan River. They are not thick but I caught a few, the pic is the first of hopefully many to come this spring! Caught it on a tandem rig, red and white shad dart above a gold spoon. Water was a little stained and moving real good, great conditions, just need the weather to warm up and the run should really pick up... GOOD LUCK!

Micro reply :

Can anyone tell just WHAT the regulations are for herring and shad in VA? I know there is a moretorium on American Shad in all Virginia waters (tidal and above the fall line) except in some south central Virginia rivers.

But the regulations for the others are beyond me. The DGIF states that that below the fall line, the VA Marine Resources Commission regulates the take and creel limits on American and Hickory Shad. But the VMRC website ONLY address American Shad and is silent on Hickory Shad.

Additionally, the DGIF says the VMRC regulates river herring take (Alewife and Blueback) above and below the fall line, but, again, the VMRC website is silent on this species.

Can you keep Hickory Shad? What's the limit on Alewife and Blueback? I've seen people at Walker's Dam filling coolers with blueback. Is there even a limit??

cjbs2003 reply :

As I understand it, above the fall line the VDGIF regulates the American and hickory shad, below the fall the the VMRC regulates them. From looking at the web sites and speaking with wildlife conservation officers, American shad are strictly catch and release in all tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay regardless of whether they are caught above or below the fall line. Hickory shad are catch and release below the fall line in all Chesapeake Bay tributaries below the fall line. Above the fall line, which legally is usually a major bridge, ie I-95 bridge, Rt 1 bridge or the 14 St bridge, depending on the river... Hickory shad are usually still catch and release. However, I spoke to WCO Grauer a couple years ago at the Occoquan foot bridge and although he said the law should protect the hickory shad in the Occoquan if they are caught above the I-95 bridge they are fair for the taking with no limit. Be cautioned though, if you plan to use them for bait and get caught with them somewhere else, you'll still be in a lot of trouble so if you keep them take them home to eat not for bait. Better yet, just let them go! As far as alewife and blueback herring go, the limit is 50 combined but the VDGIF and VMRC is recommending you not keep any as they are becoming more and more rare and they are looking into closing the fishery on them as well. Of course landlocked alewife or blueback herring caught from say Lake Anna or the Occoquan Reservoir are not becoming rare, are not covered by those rules and are GREAT for bait! Good luck!

Micro reply :

Quote
As I understand it, above the fall line the VDGIF regulates the American and hickory shad, below the fall the the VMRC regulates them.

That's what's confusing. Because that isn't always the case. If the fish is anadromous, then its regulations fall under the jurisdiction of the VMRC. Nevertheless, the DGIF does regulate the take of some anadromous fish above the fall line, but so does the VMRC.

For instance, the the DFIG states no-take on Hickory/American shad above the fall line, and defers to VMRC regulations below the fall line. EXCEPT in the Meherrin River below Emporia Dam, Nottoway River, Blackwater River and Northlanding and Northwest Rivers. In these, the DGIF says the take is 10 per day with no size limits. Of course, Hickory/American Shad in these rivers originate from North Carolina waters, not Virginia waters.

For alewife and blueback, creel limits above and below the fall line are set solely by the VMRC.

Quote

From looking at the web sites and speaking with wildlife conservation officers, American shad are strictly catch and release in all tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay regardless of whether they are caught above or below the fall line. Hickory shad are catch and release below the fall line in all Chesapeake Bay tributaries below the fall line. Above the fall line, which legally is usually a major bridge, ie I-95 bridge, Rt 1 bridge or the 14 St bridge, depending on the river... Hickory shad are usually still catch and release. However, I spoke to WCO Grauer a couple years ago at the Occoquan foot bridge and although he said the law should protect the hickory shad in the Occoquan if they are caught above the I-95 bridge they are fair for the taking with no limit. Be cautioned though, if you plan to use them for bait and get caught with them somewhere else, you'll still be in a lot of trouble so if you keep them take them home to eat not for bait. Better yet, just let them go!

But where does it state any of this? I can't find it on VMRC's website, and the DGIF's regulations don't say that. The only rivers where keeping Hickory Shad in Virginia is legal are rivers that empty into North Carolina waters. In any other river, there is a strict prohibition on creeling Hickory Shad above the fall line.

The VMRC's website speaks only to the American Shad, stating there is a moretorium on taking them. It says nothing about Hickory Shad or blueback or alewife herring.

Quote
As far as alewife and blueback herring go, the limit is 50 combined but the VDGIF and VMRC is recommending you not keep any as they are becoming more and more rare and they are looking into closing the fishery on them as well. Of course landlocked alewife or blueback herring caught from say Lake Anna or the Occoquan Reservoir are not becoming rare, are not covered by those rules and are GREAT for bait! Good luck!

Where is the 50 (per day?) creel limits listed? Again, I can't find it on VMRC's website.

Given the popularity of herring fishing, you'd think the rules would be better published. Like I've said, I've seen guys take what seem like hundreds of blueback off Walker's Dam in the spring.

SimonSays reply :

In Richmond all I know is that at Ancarrow's Hickory is legal as is Herring but American Shad are not. I've see the game warden come through Ancarrow's checking licenses and buckets...its funny cause as soon as the game warden shows up half the area clears out....I need to start taking pictures of the shad I catch...they're pretty darn big...~2lbs and they fight hard =D

Micro reply :

It seesm some DGIF officers are not enforcing the regulations as written in the DGIF's fishing guide.

SimonSays reply :

I think it's the VMRC that regulate them.

http://www.mrc.state.va.us/regulations/fr530.shtm

Also on this page if you scroll to American Shad it states straight up...

"Illegal to possess American shad caught from the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries"

http://www.mrc.state.va.us/regulations/swrecfishingrules.shtm

Sharkbite reply :

I am on The north Delaware and I am going out for Shad too this year. I got plenty of darts and flutter spoons. I heard a few people picked some up but no run yet just a few straglers

cjbs2003 reply :

I have a super easy solution... DON'T KEEP HICKORY OR AMERICAN SHAD! Problem solved... They are still recovering, give them a few more years and then maybe think about keeping them. There are plenty of other fish that are not recovering and in fine shape to keep. Write the VMRC or the VDGIF and ask for a Code Book. They are more than happy to mail you one. You cannot rely just on the internet to find laws it says that right on their web sites.

cjbs2003 reply :

As far as alewife and bluebacks go... I just cast net and dip net for them to use as catfish bait and striper bait in the Potomac. I take at best 50 during the hole season so I don't think I am hurting their populations. I only fish for them in one small feeder stream off the Potomac. Been doing it for years and they come back every year in the same numbers. But again, request a code book or look at this web site for more info... http://www.dgif.state.va.us/fishing/regulations/new.asp Or if you are still unsure, call your local game warden or VMRC police officer for more info. When I have called they have always been more than willing to answer my questions and were very nice.

Micro reply :

I'm not interested in taking shad or herring, I'm only interesting the regulations at this point.

After hours of reading through the relevant sections of the code of Virginia (online in its entirety), and searching through the Virginia Register of Regulations, I found the answer with respect to herring (Effective January 1, 2008)...

4VAC15-360-10. Taking aquatic invertebrates,

amphibians, reptiles, and nongame fish for private use.

A. Possession limits. ...

1. The following species may be taken in unlimited

numbers from inland waters statewide: carp, bowfin,

longnose gar, mullet, yellow bullhead, brown bullhead,

black bullhead, flat bullhead, snail bullhead, white sucker,

northern hogsucker, gizzard shad, threadfin shad, blueback

herring (see 4VAC15-320-25 for anadromous blueback

herring limits), white perch, yellow perch, alewife (see

4VAC15-320-25 for anadromous alewife limits),

stoneroller (hornyhead), fathead minnow, golden shiner,

and goldfish.

So, lets see what 4 VAC 15-320-25 says about anadromous River herring...

Now, see the confusion?

The Regulations on the take of anadromous river herring and Hickory Shad have changed. All the chart does is tell us the VMRC shall set the regulations, which it apparently hasn't done yet, or hasn't published them - otherwise it would be in the registry of regulations, or at the very least available on the VMRC's website. We've gone into 2008 shad/herring season without firm regulations on the take of Hickory Shad below the fall line, and anadromous river herring anywhere.

Whatever rules people are using in these areas are speculative at this point, or based on old regulations.

SimonSays reply :

Heya guys, I don't know if you took a look at the site I posted but here it is again

http://www.mrc.state.va.us/regulations/fr530.shtm

It's the regulations regarding American shad which was updated Feb 2008, so it's the most recent regulation. (This is the VMRC website, not a random source on the internet also)

Just a small snippet....

D. Possession of American shad by any person permitted in accordance with this section shall be lawful only when those American shad were harvested from the bycatch area. Possession of any American shad harvested in Virginia waters that are outside of the bycatch area shall constitute a violation of this regulation, except as described in 4VAC20-530-32.

Bycatch area being...

"Bycatch area" means those tidal waters of (i) the James River, from the James River Bridge upstream to a line connecting Dancing Point and New Sunken Meadow Creek; (ii) the York River, from the George P. Coleman Bridge upstream to the Rt. 33 Eltham and Lord Delaware bridges at West Point; and (iii) the Rappahannock River, from the Norris Bridge upstream to the Rt. 360 Downing Bridge at Tappahannock.

The rest of the page pretty much says it's legal to have American shad within these bycatch areas to a certain extent...but not outside of these areas.

The question now is...

Where the heck is "James River, from the James River Bridge upstream to a line connecting Dancing Point and New Sunken Meadow Creek"

What I've outlined, of course, only pertains to the Richmond area...

Micro reply :

Your interpretation of that chapter will get you in trouble. You are a recreational fisherman, not a registered commercial fisherman. That chapter deals with commerical fishing.

Bycatch means, for the purpsoes of the law, shad caught accidentally and incidentally to fishing for other species. A shad taken in these waters while shad fishing isn't "bychatch."

cjbs2003 reply :

So, again just let everything go and then there is no problem...

SimonSays reply :

Quote
So, again just let everything go and then there is no problem...

I'm a C&R guy too, but I guess it's just nice to know regulations to help out your fellow fisherman. In the event someone next to you is mis-informed about keeping a certain species.

Micro - you're right about the commercial fishing, I just figured it would apply to recreation but I guess it doesn't! Thanks for pointing me straight.

What about the other website I posted?

http://www.mrc.state.va.us/regulations/swrecfishingrules.shtm

If you scroll down to American shad it says:

Illegal to possess American shad caught from the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries

The james spills into the Chesapeake doesn't it? Which would then make it a Chesapeake tributary meaning it'll be illegal to keep any American shad!

Sam reply :

Please, please, please do not keep them if you do not know what you are doing.

The Conservations Officers show up at the Ancarrows ramp from time to time and they check your catch.

If you mess up and keep the wrong fish or over the legal limit you will get a ticket.

Please heed Micro's words of wisdom.

Simon, we don't want to visit you on weekends in jail. ;D

JCrzy4Bass reply :

Saw a 1lb 5oz Shad come out of the Rapp yesterday. Unreal! Never seen one so big. Guy caught it on a 4" white grub. I started throwing the same and hooked into a tiny one, maybe 7 inches. But wow, those things can fight pretty good. Had a bunch of others pecking the bait. I parked on River rd and fished the tidal portion at the park there by the Princess Anne Street Bridge. There were a TON of them jumping.

I'm mad that I forgot my spoons to use yesterday, I was targeting smallies. No luck. The water is too high and all the breaks and boulders are covered up, I was getting snagged left and right cause how strong the current was. Need to let the river recover some from these rains and get back down to normal levels.

armesjr reply :

Anyone going shad fishing this afternoon. i will be at ancarrows around 3 this afternoon.

SimonSays reply :

Quote
Please, please, please do not keep them if you do not know what you are doing.
The Conservations Officers show up at the Ancarrows ramp from time to time and they check your catch.

If you mess up and keep the wrong fish or over the legal limit you will get a ticket.

Please heed Micro's words of wisdom.

Simon, we don't want to visit you on weekends in jail. ;D

Lol Sam thanks =D

I don't keep any of the fish I keep, like I said I'm a C&R guy, my interests were more for others in the event they accidentally keep something they're not suppose to

@jay - sorry to hear about the smallies, if ya come down to richmond this friday I think Andrew and I are gonna try for some shad here =D They go for ~2lbs easy here and they fight like mad!

JCrzy4Bass reply :

I work Friday bud, but thanks for the offer. Still planning on headind down there the 10th (May) and I may go down there instead of doing the rap on the 25th. Depends on what river is lower and warmer. My guess will be the James, but we will see. I'll be keeping an eye on the data sites.

Those shad do look like fun though. Might hav to fish Brittle for them a bit more year round now. Saw some older guys killing them out there with grubs, crappie type plastics and minnows last time I went. Said they get BIG in there. Saw one they had in a bucket close to a couple lbs.

Micro reply :

Quote

Quote
So, again just let everything go and then there is no problem...

I'm a C&R guy too, but I guess it's just nice to know regulations to help out your fellow fisherman. In the event someone next to you is mis-informed about keeping a certain species.

Micro - you're right about the commercial fishing, I just figured it would apply to recreation but I guess it doesn't! Thanks for pointing me straight.

What about the other website I posted?

http://www.mrc.state.va.us/regulations/swrecfishingrules.shtm

If you scroll down to American shad it says:

Illegal to possess American shad caught from the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries

The james spills into the Chesapeake doesn't it? Which would then make it a Chesapeake tributary meaning it'll be illegal to keep any American shad!

That's correct. All rivers in Virginia, except a few in southeast Virginia and a few in south Virginia, empty into, and thus are tributaries of, the Chesapeake.

Keeping American Shad by recreational fisherman is illegal in Virginia, except in those south Virginia Rivers that empty into North Carolina waters.

SimonSays reply :

Went today for about 2 hours, hit 3 shad and 2 herring was fun =D

rondef reply :

Nice catch.

armesjr reply :

what were you using. i only caught two in about two hours on shad darts.

SimonSays reply :

1.5in silver spoon on a 3/4oz trolling sinker....earlier in the week this guy told me to try and put an orange bead on the line above the silver spoon, he seemed to think it helped and when I tried it I did start catching more fish...I don't know if it actually helps or not but worth a shot !

cjbs2003 reply :

Went to the foot bridge on the Occoquan this morning after work. I landed 3 and lost one hickory shad in an hour of fishing. Two were on a small gold spoon below a yellow and red shad dart and one hit the dart. Here are a couple pics...

cjbs2003 reply :

Another...

cjbs2003 reply :

I had the whole FOGGY river to myself! The shad were 15", 16.5" and 18.5"... All full of eggs! Some big hickory shad...

Phishin Fillip reply :

so the shad are still going to be around early may? thats when i get done with final exams and can't wait to hit them if i still have a chance

cjbs2003 reply :

If it stays cool the hickories should be around at least until the first if not second week of May. The American Shad could be around well into June and if we are lucky even early July! But not every river has American Shad, only the Potomac and James have decent numbers, the Rapp and Occoquan have recovering populations that are VERY low... Good Luck!

johnkook73 reply :

I went last Saturday to the Appomattox River in Colonial Heights. Take Archer Ave off the BLVD and there is a park on the left hand side you pull up to. I went for about a hour and caught 20 of them using a gold spoon. Pretty much everbody around me were catching them like crazy!!

If you are familiar with Colonial Heights Dances Sporting Goods carries alot of baits for shad.

Good Luck, John.

SimonSays reply :

Chartreuse was killer today on the James at Ancarrow's. One guy was catching them 2 at a time with a chartreuse/red sabiki rig. My fingers are all blistered from reeling them in...Fun times!

SimonSays reply :

I'll be at ancarrows at 12ish if anyone wants to join =D !

reelemn reply :

Been out any this year?

slomoe reply : http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1237941598/63#63

Chimborazo reply :

Went out today again and didn't catch a thing. The game warden said everyone was having a slow day. I can't catch a break!

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