Fly Fishing Florida's St. John's River for American Shad. What you'll see and how to get started.

Florida’s St. Johns River is home to the southernmost American shad migration on the east coast of the United States. The annual shad migration, during the winter months, is eagerly anticipated by the local fly fishing community as well as by many visitors from out of town. These anadromous fish, whose life cycle is remarkably similar to salmon and steelhead, run up the St. Johns to spawn. During the peak of the migration, typically January through March, they are often easy to find and present in large numbers. They often eat flies well and fight hard and are a lot of fun on a 5wt or 6wt fly rod. The St. Johns River, the largest river in Florida, is a northward flowing river with a very low gradient. The upper part of the river, which is the are most conducive to catching shad on fly, changes dramatically with rainfall, with the river level often rising and falling several feet during each season. This video provides an overview of the St Johns River, our local shad run, and how to target American shad on the river. Similar information with more detail is available on our blog at: https://orlandooutfitters.com/blogs/b.... For further information visit our website, at https://orlandooutfitters.com, or get in touch with us at Orlando Outfitters.