EASTON TO FOUL RIFT
The Delaware River grows thick and wide after crashing through the narrow chute of Foul Rift, in the shadow of the Pennsylvania Power and Light Company power plant.

Winding its way southward, the river makes a hard turn before forming the deep, slower waters near the Sandts Eddy access. From this Pennsylvania ramp down to Easton, the river is punctuated by huge emerged boulders, fast powerful runs and deep churning channels. It is a great place to fish for shad.

Tournament director Mark Mulrine said that access is good for boaters and waders in the area. Last year, he noted, the river was running low, so wading anglers were able to enter the river in various areas along the Pennsylvania shore. One hotspot was below the Scenic Overlook on Route 611 in Forks Township. Another was farther north at the Con Agra plant.

For anglers with small boats, the Sandts Eddy Access in Northampton County with its large parking area remains a favorite. Sandts Eddy is five miles north of Easton on Route 611. Travel upstream to a marvelous riffle where the river is momentarily choked to half its downstream width. Shad anglers call these “pinch points” -- always dependable hotspots.

The next boat launch north of Sandts Eddy is the PPL ramp at Martins Creek. To reach this launch, travel north on Route 611 until the highway forks onto state Route 1004 toward Belvedere, N.J.

Along state Route 1004 are signs for the ramp at the T-intersection of T-661. Take winding T-661 to the access area. If you go past the power plant, you have gone too far.

The PPL ramp is downstream of an old bridge and Foul Rift. Wise boaters will not venture much farther than the bridge. However, the channel that contains the beefy shank of the shad run lies along the New Jersey side, very close to the shoreline.

On a busy day, boaters will line up just outside the Jersey channel toward the Pennsylvania side.

LOWER POCONOS
The border of the Pocono Mountains changes the face of shad fishing on the Delaware River. Except in isolated locations, there are few deep boiling riffles or channels 30 feet deep. With mountains on its east and west banks, the Delaware River widens and gets considerably shallower.

At least there are many more shallow locations in the Monroe and Pike county section of the river than there are downstream. Because of this, anglers planning to wade for shad have more opportunities.

Once above the Delaware Water Gap, waders can get into the river at known hotspots such as Walpack Bend, Eshback and the Jersey shoreline of Worthington State Forest, as well as many locations along Route 209 and rural New Jersey roads.

There are also good spots along the federal lands north and south of Dingmans Ferry.

No matter what the annual status of the shad fishery, the Easton-Phillipsburg area remains a premier hotspot for catching spring shad.