A number of us have been fishing the Tailrace for shad every spring for many, many years - no doubt some of you started years before I did. During the busy season there can be 50 or 60 or more boats up there. A system developed for parking that maximised fishing space. Many folks tie right along the bank, leaving a polite gap between boats. Others would start basically a second line of boats anchored a long cast off the bank. Lines cross occasionally, but everyone is civilized and tangles are quickly and politely cleared.
But lately, a number of people have begun anchoring about 20 feet from the bank. The problem with this is that it blocks multiple other potential parking spots. The 3 or 4 spots that would have been available right on the bank are now blocked by the boat sitting just off the bank (the current will swing every cast from people upstream into the offending boat their casat will foul everyone below them so no one has room to cast), plus the “second line” is messed up too, because now someone is in between them and the bank. I understand not wanting to scrape up your Grady on the rip rap, but there are some areas that allow tying to bushes and still leave a boat in adequate water to not ground out. Otherwise, just join the second line.
Lastly, if you are anchored just off the bank, you are sitting right on top of the fish. (Which, in case you are casting a 2" chartreuse grub on a 1/8 oz head for the first time, is NOT conducive to hooking up.) The vast majority of the shad tend to run just off the bank. That’s why setting up right on the bank gives the best shot at hooking fish.
One other thing. If I am tied on the bank, and you come to anchor in front of me, and my shad jig bounces off the side of your boat, please take a (not too subtle) hint: you are too close.
So, to sum up my rant, if you anchor just off the bank, you are screwing things up for everyone else. Get in line!
Bouncing an 1/8 ounce jig off someone’s boat has gotten a 4 ounce bank sinker as a reply, seen it happen. People used to anchor off the bank ( 30 years ago? )and cast to the bank…until others started tying up on the bank to ’ wedge ’ themselves in, which resulted in how people tie up now, on the bank.
I wait until April to Shad fish now. Hardly any crowd, and still catch plenty of fish without the hassle of dealing with people that toss out an anchor on top of you…
People are crazy man. Especially you Berkeley county boys. Some of the things that I’ve seen at the tailrace would have not gone so smoothly back around the house. There are to many keven van dam wanta be yuppie daddies boys down there. Or the old Yankee transfers that make me think maybe we should have to have licenses to drive a boat. I just try to squeeze in, get my 10, and get the hell out.
I always love watching the scabbles between the shad fisherman. But I am always out in the middle catching herring. Never many boats doing that so there is always plenty of room.
“All fisherman lie. And if they say otherwise, then they’re lying”
People used to anchor off the bank ( 30 years ago? )and cast to the bank…until others started tying up on the bank to ’ wedge ’ themselves in, which resulted in how people tie up now, on the bank.
I wait until April to Shad fish now. Hardly any crowd, and still catch plenty of fish without the hassle of dealing with people that toss out an anchor on top of you…
I knew there were folks that had been fishing the shad run longer than I have. Interesting how things have evolved. Basically, I’m just hoping will people will use a little sense and consideration when things get crowded.
I’ve caught shad up there right through the end of May - by then the fish are getting pretty ugly - but generally I have better things to do come April.
quote:People are crazy man. Especially you Berkeley county boys. Some of the things that I've seen at the tailrace would have not gone so smoothly back around the house. There are to many keven van dam wanta be yuppie daddies boys down there. Or the old Yankee transfers that make me think maybe we should have to have licenses to drive a boat. I just try to squeeze in, get my 10, and get the hell out.
quote:I always love watching the scabbles between the shad fisherman. But I am always out in the middle catching herring. Never many boats doing that so there is always plenty of room.
Tailrace during shad season can definitely be entertaining. Love to watch people try to anchor in 20 feet of fast moving water with a cinderblock tied to the end of 20 feet of line.
Everybody’s in such a rush to get in and out the landing its crazy. Last time I was there a young boy and his girl friend both like 16 went out in his boat with a mud motor and he squeaked out between all the boats and his motor was so close to a few of us it was scary, in case you never get to experience a mud motor swing around by you and your boat it is down right uncomfortable. Between not knowing the operator and his youth he really had me nervous but the kid had skills. Some of the old timers out there are territorial, one let his line drift down current to tangle with mine and when I went to untangle it (he was watching me but didn’t know I was watching him) he tried to set the hook and I let go and he fell half way out the boat on the gunnel, ouch I’ve done it and I’m young and tough couldn’t imagine how it effected him he was 70ish. I also saw a guy get knocked out his boat by a branch while anchoring in the tree line and manged to crawl back on his boat after about 10 minutes and 50ft of drifting while his buddy helped him, he laid flat on the bow for about a half hour, I’m pretty sure he had thoughts of what it could of been and was very happy to get out okay. All this is in one day, and I pulled up 3 anchors that where hung up that my line caught the rope and couldn’t pull up another one because it popped my line every time I could see the rope but not reach it.
No one owns “their spot”. There will always be newbies in every fishery who don’t know “your rulues”. Learn to deal with it or find something else to spend your time doing. Why would you want to spend your time being angry?
I went once and that is enough for me, it has been a couple of years but not doing it again. To each their own right?!?! I don’t understand it anyways. They are nasty to eat so I don’t understand the rush. Have fun!!!
Everybody’s in such a rush to get in and out the landing its crazy. Last time I was there a young boy and his girl friend both like 16 went out in his boat with a mud motor and he squeaked out between all the boats and his motor was so close to a few of us it was scary, in case you never get to experience a mud motor swing around by you and your boat it is down right uncomfortable. Between not knowing the operator and his youth he really had me nervous but the kid had skills. Some of the old timers out there are territorial, one let his line drift down current to tangle with mine and when I went to untangle it (he was watching me but didn’t know I was watching him) he tried to set the hook and I let go and he fell half way out the boat on the gunnel, ouch I’ve done it and I’m young and tough couldn’t imagine how it effected him he was 70ish. I also saw a guy get knocked out his boat by a branch while anchoring in the tree line and manged to crawl back on his boat after about 10 minutes and 50ft of drifting while his buddy helped him, he laid flat on the bow for about a half hour, I’m pretty sure he had thoughts of what it could of been and was very happy to get out okay. All this is in one day, and I pulled up 3 anchors that where hung up that my line caught the rope and couldn’t pull up another one because it popped my line every time I could see the rope but not reach it.
this would have been worth the drive up 41 just to see. I quit with it years ago, just trade my buddy venison for roe now.