Skipjack Herring

Effective lures include small jigs (1/100 to 1/8 ounce) in chartreuse, white, or realistic baitfish patterns, small spinners, crankbaits, and topwater lures that mimic their primary forage. Chrome and white lure patterns work best in clear water, matching their primary shad forage.

Casting white or fluorescent yellow streamers and zonkers upstream into the racing whitewater near rip-rap. Effective fly patterns include bead-head #6 woolly buggers and small flame red chenille jigs on 1/80th oz black jig heads fished under nickel-size strike indicators.

The best fishing occurs from May through October when Skipjack Herring are active. After spawning, adults move to deeper areas near the thermocline during summer heat, then return to shallows in fall as water cools.

Retrieve flies rapidly with aggressive fast strips near the surface - these fish respond to high-speed presentations and will rocket up to grab fast-moving baits. Fish the current edges and eddies around gravel bars, particularly near dam tailwaters where they concentrate during spawning migrations.

Adults primarily feed on small fish including threadfin shad, gizzard shad, young herring species, and can utilize prey up to 30-35% of their body length, while juveniles consume zooplankton, insect larvae, and aquatic insects like mayflies and caddisflies.