{Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders} Re: shad on the Potomac ... where to try...

The Fletchers area is the place to be.  No need to take it up as far as chain bridge.  You will want to anchor, not drift.

On Thursday, April 23, 2020 at 8:14:04 AM UTC-4, Philip Brown wrote:

I'm hoping some more experienced folks can suggest a few spots or stretches of the Potomac to try for shad.

I'm fortunate enough to have a small boat with a 150 HP motor that I launch at Columbia Island and head up river.

I've even taken if (carefully) above the chain bridge by a couple of hundred yards... you have to say close to the VA side in the fast water,

then head towards the DC side to a calm pool and anchor up quickly.

When you're ready to leave, you also have to be on your toes.

My boat is definitely sea-worthy, and I *always* wear an inflatable fanny-pack style life vest, plus I'll don a regular vest when I'm in fast water.

With all of that said, I'd appreciate some tips of where I'm likely to find the shad at this time.

I can go anywhere from 3 sister's island, up past and above fletchers, and even slightly past the chain bridge.

Also, I can go up stream and drift...  In fact, I have a drift sock too, but I doubt that will help, as I think they really only slow you down when the drift is caused by wind, not by current.

P.S.  -- Call me slow to learn if you like... over the years, I've damaged two props going up there... the 2nd time bending my prop shaft as well....

Then in early April, I was coming home at speed, and the river was low... and I didn't have my GPS with Nav charts, so I went by memory of the river, holding close to the VA shore, and a couple hundred yards before fletcher's...  I discovered that my knowledge of the river wasn't as good as I remember.!  (see photo)...

Anyway, the good-ol' merc was kind enough to get me home at a put-put speed, so I didn't have to drift, use my trolling motor to get home VERY slowly, or use my Tow-Boat US membership to call for a tow.

Now... 1 new-to-me lower unit later, I'm back in business, and I found where I had hidden my GPS so that no one would steal it over the winter :-).   The GPS, with charts and depth soundings plus "trails" for everywhere I've been on the river, really, really, makes a difference!  (so I've learned... the hard way!)

Well, enough of the story (I hope it was entertaining).    If any seasoned pro's can suggest portions that might be fruitful, and provide some tips of what to look for (like the "seams" where fast water swirls into a pocket)... I'd definitely appreciate it.

P.S. -- The boat is OLD (1992)... and the motor is an '89 that I rebuilt myself... so it's ratty, and not fancy, but it floats, goes fast, and it's long-been-paid-for (!!!)... so it's purrrfect if you ask me.  :-)

        -Phil

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