Fishing Log

Shad Harris. I respect your knowledge and experience. However I have to disagree with your predictions of the run. I usually fish dingmans but the park closed the ramp. Every May my partner and me would catch 50 - 60 per day. April would be half that number. This year I fished Milford, not familiar with hotspots. I did very well in short trips. I caught shad when other boats were skunked. As you know each person has his own technique for success. Different times of the year require different techniques. I still think it's too early to predict and come June I will be bragging or apologizing to the blog. Appreciate your thoughts.

Dennis - thanks for your input, and you are absolutely correct on the conditions be a contributing factor last. However - I had plenty of days especially from shoreline in classic high water spots where conditions were perfect. I would hit periods of "fish every cast and no worse than hit every 3 casts" and land like 6 in a row, then go well over an hour without a bump often 2 hours. Then hit another pod. In 2014, 15, 16, 17, in similar conditions, similar times of year - the runs were much more "filled in" and consistent April/May. Bottom line with last season, when fish were there - they hit. When they were not - can't catch what isn't there. As with Alex - I base my observations not just by what I see, but by my vast network of contacts up and down the river, plus all the various had blogs. This one, what used to be woofish, and two FB groups. Of course there are outliers and even this year have seen a few stellar "legitimate" reports but I try to take a more holistic view of the run in it's entirety while factoring in conditions. If i go out this weekend and have one of those classic epic days, it won't change my view on the state of the run and that we are in a classic cyclical decline - it just means I finally hit it right this season. You have an 11 year jump on me for shad fishing, I been at it since 1974. One thing that is not debatable however - we do not get the returning spawners we did back in the 80s and early to mid 90s. If we did that would significantly boost the numbers as well. If I had my way - those of you think the run is as good as ever and this will be a great run in terms of numbers, would be CORRECT and Alex and I would be wrong. I would rather be dead wrong and have some great fishing ahead. I hope YOU are correct.

I don't know how anyone can consider last year's run - the 2019 run - as part of a downside pattern. Fishing was abysmal last year because the river was consistently unfishable throughout the season. 2019 was an abnormality that shouldn't be considered in any study pattern because it was virtually impossible to collect data, i.e, the number of fish caught. I also think there is some jumping of the gun already this year. It's still early, not quite the middle of April. Give the river time to warm up adequately. As it is, and if some of the catch numbers in this log are not exaggerations, there already are a lot of fish in the river. I go back a long way with this sport, to 1963 when I caught my first shad. I've experienced many seasons when the shad population actually was low. Personally, I believe the population is improving each year, not decreasing. It's too bad that PA and NJ have dropped their shad studies. It's also too bad the fish ladders at Easton and Glendon aren't cleaned properly before the start of each season. If they were, you'd find more fish climbing those two ladders.

just got a reminder on "this date" April 13, on my FB account... 2014 - first time I ever took boat to Easton/Phillipsburg (for the longest time - a "north of Bushkill" shadder. Netted 35 out of 45 hookups in 3.5 hours all on darts that afternoon. The fishing was that good, I just showed up, said "hi" to Captain Dave and Rusty, and they said - "you could try over there", so I did and just anchored 75 yards below them. So although it's "early" still in the 2020 season - not too early to see that sort of action in that area but I don't think anyone has yet. Tony I know you had a few good days this year, some of your reports may be among the best. But the overall volume of fish and reports from Yardley to way North do not match what we were seeing 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017... There is wisdom in what Alex said.

Fished Riegelsville yesterday landed 18 of 23. According to my fish finder a ton of fish are moving up the river. It’s a narrow corridor,if your not on them you aren’t going to catch many. I can swing boat side to side with motor and go from a steady run of fish to nothing. If you are not marking or catching fish move over a little. The higher water should spread them out more. When water is low they stick to a narrow path along channel.

FISHED EASTON YESTERDAY ONE AND DONE...THE RIVER IS GONNA BE SHOT TILL AT LEAST THE WEEKEND WITH ALL THE RAIN COMING...LOOK AT THE GRAPH..LOL

Been doing this since the hay days and I remember an older gentleman telling me, "When the rhodies are in bloom, that's when you are gonna catch em". I agree with Rob, still a little early. Patience!

fished Milford yesterday morning. Was the only boat on the river. Wish I could say I crushed em but only one to the boat and a couple of halfhearted bumps.

Greetings all! I'm going to make an exception this year and put up a 2nd report to dispel a couple of misconceptions. If you know what you are doing, you can catch in falling temps as long as the temp is 39 degrees or above. Yesterday (4-11-2020), my buddy Minda & I hit the river at day break in less than ideal conditions: the guides were icing for the first 30 minutes of the day; the wind which was supposed to be out of the NW 10-15 MPH were out of the WSW & SW gusting to 25 MPH (although it did come & go) and we manged to hook 15 and land 8 to include the 5 lb 1 ounce roe in the attached pic. We fished north of the Gap and when I fish from a boat, I'm fishing the same way I fish from shore when I can't fish from shore; slinging darts and waving wet flies over them with a fly rod. This years' run is worse than last years' and this day was about the average I've seen for the 25 Delaware River shad trips I have now done. Those of you waiting for the main rain to start are probably going to be disappointed. It has already started and with the possible exception of being in the right place at the right time doing the right thing on rare occasion, you are going to have to work for them. I have yet to see a "fish a cast day" this year. During the early run last year we had 2 or 3 hot days. At least the early run last year was OK. The main run stank and unfortunately I don't see that it will be any better this year. My buddy Dennis & I managed to scrape together 20+ fish each on only 1 day last year in May north of the Gap. And, as some of you well know, Dennis may be the best dart fisherman on the river. It is what it is this year!

SGAD epfr was shut down back in the fall. The guy that ran it from the west coast gave it up from what I heard. I was a member there for many years. Sucks since it was our best local scene report board but it was dying off for a few years anyway after they purged a bunch of archived posts.

Lot of rain on the way. Should help out waders for the main run.

I want to believe it’s early in the season and the water has been too cold to really have a strong bite even if there are fish throughout the river. The warmer weather will looks better for fishing in the next couple weeks, right on schedule. The DRSFA vets on here should continue to help the beginners by giving more tips, locations, and suggestions. Introducing new people to the Delaware is key for Shad conservation. If people go out fishing and strike out, they quickly turn their back on the DR. C19 is not helping.

Fishery may be put on hold for a few days. A much colder slug of water is coming down from NY. Mid 40s today and another cold night tonight will probably lower it more. Not that they cannot be caught at those temps, in the right circumstances, but as Bill Gordon has often pointed out many times, falling temps tends to give them lockjaw.

Stevunlock, this is a site for shad fishing info. Stop putting up that nonsense or somebody might mistake you for an A##hole .

Does anyone here have any idea what happened the EPRF.net? The fishing forum for eastern PA? It just vanished without a trace one day in the blink of an eye with no warning.

This is the phone number to the DWG park service. (570) 223-3499. People can call and find when Dingman's ramp will be open.

@Jack Harris——- this run looks to be a very very strong run in terms of numbers and beget sized shad!! The late running American shad are in the lower Susquehanna River in good numbers last few days, so they should be hitting the lower Delaware by now, right on time... the early runners were in early and also in big numbers, the water gap area has been great! From March 28-April 6, a friend boat fishing was routinely landing 20-50 each day fishing 5-8 hours. That school is well upstream by now, it’s my opinion that there is always a “lull” between the early and late shad, where fewer and smaller schools push upriver, until water temps warm to lower to mid 50s in the tidal section and then they push upriver

FYI, Fireman's Eddy access is closed.

fished Easton on wed...caught 21..nice conditions..beautiful day to be on the water..cal me for your tackle needs...rusty balls tackle..484-239-4723

Fished south of port jervis from 4pm to 7pm. Landed 18, lost several more. Conditions ideal for April. I think this year will be a banner run. Also everyone should call DWGPark service and demand Dingman ramp be opened

Lambertville is in New Jersey, Tom Wolf is governor of PA...too funny!! Now people, keep in mind, this is a pandemic and if you and your friends want to fish next season, be patriotic. Do your part!!

Does anyone know if the pa boat ramps are open like upper black eddy Rather than enforcement and figuring out a long term solution. Mr murfy took the lazy approach and closed all the state parks

Duff! Check your Facebook it’s Johnny B

Is Lewis netting Lambertville this year? Used to report on here I thought....