Deer Creek shad run has started

[decoy]

Well the river just plain sux big time, high, fast, dirty, debris and very dangerous.

Now the creek on the other hand is primed and ready. Ken Tidy and I stood on the bridge at the mouth of Deer Creek and watched a fellow on the north point snag maybe 10 mud shad catch maybe 3 hickories in the short time we were talking. Visibility maybe 1-2 feet, water temps 50 degrees. Lots of fish were splashing under the bridge which could will have been herring couldn’t really tell. I feel by this weekend (if the creek doesn’t get to dirty from rain) we should officially be into the shad run finally. Did not see anyone fishing Stafford or see any fish so there not up that far yet.
See ya on the creek.
Good luck, go get em….
Wayne

[Dave Sikorski]

What time were you all there? I fished and looked around for about an hour from 1-2 today...lots of fish splashing around but no hits.

glad to hear things are starting for someone.

this weekend should be a zoo!!

-D

[decoy]

Dave
We must have been there around 10 am or earlier. Can’t believe you were out there in all that trash, bet you had a brown ring around the water line. Did you happen to see the fellow on the north side of creek standing in water up to his chest? He was almost invisible casting out from under the trees on the point, but he was doing pretty well. For those familiar with the steps going down to the water, the lower 3rd was under water. Tuff fishing. Dave, your right, from now on the whole area well be packed with cars and fishermen for about a month.

Just to let everyone know there is a new ramp for small boats only (canoes kayaks) right under the bridge at the mouth of Deer Creek. Not made for tin boats unless you can carry them for maybe 30-40 yards. If your planning on taking advantage of it there’s only enough parking for maybe 25 cars/trucks total if that many.
Wayne

[EricMagsamen]

I went up yesterday afternoon, couldn't resist with the weather. Started fishing at stafford bridge around 3:30, beat the water for a few hours with nothing. I might have had a bump, but then again could have been a bump from debris.

Everything looked right, but no fish. Didn't even see anything rolling around. Went down to the mouth and did see something rolling from time to time. Few guys fishing, no catching going on.

The river is still out of control... Wonder how that affects the shad?

[bbswcc]

Fished Deer Creek yesterday afternoon and evening with jackspot. Only thing active in the mouth were herring. No show with hickories in the river or the mouth of DC. Probably 4 or 5 days away from any substantial amounts of fish. Alternative: Tie more shad flies.

[HJS]

I know its been flooding, but the first hickory run is borderline way late this spring. Other years, the first big pulse of hickories would have already come and gone. Any day now its gotta start.

[bbswcc]

I know it seems late but over the past 20 years there have been instances where the spawning run ran into the latter weeks of April. The fact that no fish are presently showing up around the mouth coupled with the fact that there are no substantial hickory catches occurring on the Susky and add in the flooding conditions and the low temperatures would lead one to believe that the fish just haven't arrived as of yet.

[Dave Sikorski]

I don't know what was breaking on the surface...but there are some sort of fish on a run of some sort in the creek..I fished about 1/3 the way to the bridge.

Didn't see the crazy wading guy...guess it's the price to pay to catch fish this time of year.

As far as shad being there? I think they can handle the river even with high flows. If you think about what the river looks like on dry years you know of all the structure they have to use as resting spots....I'd say the fish sit behind a rock...get their energy up and go to the next hole....remember...they don't have a thing to do but get to the creek and spawn..not like they have to cook dinner...take out the trash...go to work...etc.

imagine how determined we would be if all we had to do was breed and sleep.

Come on dogwood blossoms.

see you all up there within a week or so.

-Dave

[Tissy Furnes]

Hope you fellows are right.

My concern with everything happening late, plus all that current, the shad (hickories at least) will just give up and decide to do the deed somewhere out in the river and never get into the creek.