That looks like fun!

I love shad. Almost lost an Orvis Bamboo to one. Had my rod under my arm doing a two handed retrieve when BAM, jerked the rod out from under my arm into about thirty feet of water. All I had left was line in my one hand. Fortunately I was able to pull the rod back up with the fly line. No damage to the rod, but did lose the multiplier unit off my Hardy Marquis. In moving water they can give a great fight.

These fish were coming up to base of dam and of course someone bought the property and denied access.

Barry

This setup is my inexpensive switch rod venture. The rod is an Angler's Roost UHLM12 11' 4/5wt. switch rod ($190.00) and their WF5F 100' spey line ($20.00). I also have a 320 grain skagit line with four heads and a running line that I use to swing heavier flies in higher water. Got that on a blow out for $50.00 at Sierra Trading. I use 6lb. Maxima for a leader as the river I fish has a lot of shelf rock and the flies I use are tied with a conehead. For shad fishing, 3 to 8 pound fish, it is an ideal setup. I have used it for steelhead on the Salmon River, NY but it was a push so I changed over to my 7wt. switch for that.

Oh! and the ladder is a Werner aluminum 16' lightweight extension ladder.

Folks have been going over that wall to fish for over fifty years that I know of without any issues. When they rebuilt the bridge a few years back the drop over the wall increased significantly to where a ladder is needed. Some folks have put up homemade wooden "ladders" that I would not trust so I just bring my own and don't worry about having something break beneath me.