Finally, I saw some shad actually spawning on the bank this morning.

I got a late start and drove over the dam about sunrise this morning. The people were lined up on the main lake everywhere along the dam and on around Welch park.

I decided to go find my own stretch of bank. Surprisingly it was wasn't too hard. The first spot I stopped at I caught a couple white bass and a catfish. I worked my way up the bank about a 1/4 mile. I stopped at 4 spots and caught a few more white bass in 2 of the 4 spots. Even though it was after sunrise, it was cloudy so I saw several small groups of shad spawning on the bank. It was plenty enough for me to know it's time to put on the waders and get out there early in the morning.

There is a cool front predicted for Monday through Wednesday of next week but then it's expected to really start warming.

On the way back to my truck I was seeing lots of carp so I put on a carp fly and starting fishing for them. I ended up catching 3 beautiful orange common carp in that 22 to 24 inch / 5 o 6 lb. range. That is always an awesome experience and great fight. Unfortunately, my phone is in one of the creeks and I won't get a replacement until end of next week so I didn't get any pictures.

Btw they were wading out somewhere at big creek with the wind blowing on the banks there, just like yesterday... But warmer water and morning is key. The spot he told me last week was not accessible due to a huge party of campers... Not sure what part of big creek he was at today. Maybe I'll try to get up early and go tomorrow morning

Congrats on the catches J-Moe! Thanks for the info

Great Morning on the Lake

I did some more exploring this morning. I had fished a couple of spots and caught 4. There were no shad real tight to the bank. As I was walking I saw some surfacing activity.

I waded out and started catching fish. I followed the school a short ways and kept catching. I then located a spot that the white bass were stacked up. I started catching them on every cast. It was like there were 2 separate schools of white bass. Even though I kept catching them in one spot another group of fish would surface periodically chasing shad. They would surface in front of me and to my right periodically.

They were surfacing within about 10 yards of me at times. That always makes for a memorable morning.

I left them biting on every cast at 9 AM.

Is the boat ramp on Lake drive private or can you launch boat or fish from bank

I've seen Big Creek mentioned a few times in this thread. Is the ramp there open?

Yes It’s open

I have a quick question for the local lake experts.

Bank fishing on lake Somerville for whites hybrids / catfish... catching shad too.

Which park is a better chance to catch?

I have been only to Newman Bottom, but never at one of the parks on the lake fishing on the bank. I have a boat but prefer the bank at this time. I’d appreciate any advice.

Tight lines!

There will be more shad and more predator fish on the windblown side of the lake in the morning. But when they are in full spawn you can find them just about everywhere.

Welch is a great spot but the island is covered with fisherman with 8 or 10 poles each. If you want a spot you might get one if you arrive by 4:30 AM In front of the dam is also good but same issue. Rocky and Yegua parks are great but they've been closed. Big Creek is another alternative.

Thank you Mr. J-Moe. I'm way past getting somewhere at 0500am to get a spot. I like to fish casual. LOL. In reality, My wife won't get up that early. We may try Big Creek or Birch Creek. I'm guessing the shad are there early and don't stay too late in the day. I wonder if minnows work?

tight lines.

Not as fast and furious as we've seen it in years past, but hopefully it keeps getting better from here!

Enjoyed the videos Jacob and Sam

Ben and I wade fished on Friday morning. We caught them on almost every cast for about an hour. The first time I went a couple weeks aga I saw thousands of shad spawning, Friday there were millions of them. I bet there will be trillions of them spawning this weekend

Camped out last Friday night and hit them early in the morning.... Caught about 17 whites in the first hour as the sun was coming up... It was an insane feeding frenzy and I've never seen so many shad.... One fish I filleted had 9 shad in it's belly.... I literally didn't need a net I just did a swipe in the water with my arm and got about 30 lol. I was surrounded by boats who beached on the bank too. One a-hole beached 10 ft from where I was standing and he came from across the lake when it was still dark so I moved down to the next point. I cannot believe the etiquette of some people man. I was the only one in the area at the moment with a head lamp so he saw me... I had just went back to the bait bucket when he came hauling [censored] in and parked right where I was standing on the point... I walked 3/4 of a mile and that happened. I almost lost all hope I was so mad. If it wasn't two of them I would've probably tried to drown the guy... All in all it was a great day, only caught two after 8:30am or so. Most caught within first hour of sun up. Also... I need to learn not to carry so much stuff.. Especially when you gotta carry all those fish back. It was about 3/4 of a mile walk and oh man I was exhausted. All night I could see Welch lit up with partiers and was glad to not even attempt to go there. I come out here to get away from people to be honest so it's tough to enjoy but it is what it is.

Here is the big hybrid I landed a couple weeks ago... Middle of afternoon and strong wind, just got lucky... Oh and BTW from what I've learned from camping out last Friday.... The humongous shad you catch at night mostly aren't really what you want to use for the whites... In the morning the smaller shad come up and that's definitely what you want to use. Some of those big shad can't even fit in their mouths. If you are fishing the bank at night... Wear a headlamp and be on the lookout for snakes and huge spiders they are everywhere.