When the water temperature is 48° use largest Gizzard Shad or Trout early on sunny or clay banks.

Put large Trout on very short leash 5′ or less.

Pitch Blueback Herring near Planer Board if Shad surfaces.

Big Shad is number 1 choice.

Use Freeline flies with bb weights.

If fish runs loosen drag. Use rod to slow fish. Move rod left or right to make fish slow down or turn. Take line up and add one click of drag and reel quickly. Add one more click of drag for each 100′ of line.

17-20 lb main line with 12-15 lb leader on Planer Boards and Downlines.

Using Freeline Shad don’t stop the boat. Don’t use any leader, bead or swivel. Tie main line to hook.

Always use stingers on bait longer than 8″. Use 2x treble hooks or a #6 for hook for a stinger placing in the Vent of the bait fish. Put stinger with eye pointing forward with only 1″ of slack line.

Always hook bait in the mouth then out thru the nose with more hook showing.

Speed up when making turns.

If Shad surfaces let more line out or reel in several turns then stop.

Fish flats, humps, points, sandy beaches.