Great Shad hunt at Paradise Beach

Well after reading reports that the American Shad were coming into the American River system, I thought I would test those reports. Plus it was triple digit heat in Sacramento that day. Why not spend some time in the cool waters of the American River.

After deliberating where I would go, I decided to cruise down to Paradise Beach. Paradise Beach is a stone’s skip away from Sacramento State. So when I first arrived to Paradise Beach, there were a bunch of 20 year old people running around scantly dressed. I didn’t really mind, it made my excursion all the better. Then this beat up 70 something Cadillac pulled up and this girl jumps out and starts screaming at this girl that was walking from the Beach. Both were in two piece bikinis. Of course all of the guys started screaming for a cat fight. Me??? I just lit my piped and strolled to the river.

When I got there, the sun just started to dip below the horizon. There were still a few love birds playing around in the sand. I started to move out into the current. My goal was to find a gravel bar that took me out into the current, so I could find a drop off into a hole or fish the edges of the shore. I tried for like 60 minutes, but the water level was low. I didn’t like my chances, so I was attempting to move back to shore and call it the day. Some how I got tangled up with my wading staff and as I tried to get the rope attached to my staff from around me, I dropped net into the river. I guess I can never go a season without losing a net. It sucks, but I guess it’s better than leaving it in the closet catching cobwebs. Of course the only bites that I took in were the rock fish nipping at my line. Next time my friends, next time, I should become victorious.