Shad fishing on the St. John’s River south of Highway 46 on 02/02/2013. The shad run is starting to pick up. This video shows the typical technique I use. Cast upstream slightly, allow the current to pull the floating line until it is perpendicular to the shore, mend the line upstream, and then begin stripping once the line is perpendicular again. This technique ensures the fly has enough time to sink to the bottom.
This year I have found that 5 feet of fast sinking Airflo leader attached to the fly line along with 5 feet of 2x level tippet attached to #6 size flies weighted with 5/32 dumbells gets the fly down quickly and allows better presentation on the swing.
We started the day in 40 degree weather which warmed quickly to the mid 70s. Flies like orange/ white, or pink/ white kip tail clousers or shad darts have worked best up until today. Today, the solid orange shad dart was the only thing they would hit. It is amazing that something that has been successful on one day can be completely useless the next. Contrasting colors were all they would hit over the last month, but after a couple of cold dreary days, followed by a couple of clear days and they keyed in on solid orange. Just when you think you have figured it all out, they change!