The shad run is short and it moves. Being a week early, a week late, or a hundred yards off the holding water is the difference between a bent rod and a long afternoon. We are on this river all spring, so you are not spending your trip searching for fish.
The shad run moves daily with water temperature and flow. Being a week early, a week late, or a hundred yards off the holding water is the difference between a bent rod and a long afternoon.
Starting at $350 for a four-hour trip.
This is a hybrid trip. We use the canoe to reach the water most anglers cannot get to, then get out and wade the gravel and ledge where the fish are holding. It suits fly rods and light spinning gear equally well, and it is a genuinely good trip for a first-timer.
✓ Duration: 4 hours, morning or evening light
✓ Guided by a Registered Maine Guide
✓ Canoe access plus wade fishing
✓ Rods, reels and terminal tackle provided on request
✓ Shad darts, flutter spoons and shad flies supplied
✓ Non-alcoholic drinks and a shore snack
Shad start showing around the first of May and stay into July, with the best of it through June as the water warms. They move with flow and temperature rather than the calendar, so we watch river levels daily and book trips tight to the fish. Striped bass follow the same bait upriver, so a good shad evening often turns into a striper evening without moving the canoe.
Where we fish. We fish the Kennebec through the Waterville, Shawmut and Solon reaches — big, wadeable water with the gravel bars, seams and ledge drops that hold running shad. You can catch fish from shore here, but the canoe gets you across to the runs most anglers never reach. Access is close to Waterville and Skowhegan, so there is very little driving and a great deal of fishing.
The shad run is short. Dates through May and June go quickly, and we schedule around the fish rather than the calendar. Tell us when you can get here and we will put you on the best water available that week.
Deposits: A 50% non-refundable deposit is required to book.
Cancellations: Deposits may be used to reschedule if canceled 30+ days prior. If we cancel, you receive a full refund.
Payment: We accept Cash, Check, and Venmo. The remainder is due at the start of the trip.
From the Field
Tips and stories from our guides that pair well with this adventure.
