American Shad

[huzzsaba]

So went out to the local Pier and saw a school of fish I've never seen before. Beautiful blueish grayish color. Asked a fellow fisherman what they were and was told they were American Shad. They were all in the 2-4 lb range. Not knowing anything about them, I guessed they would be fished similar to carp using corn.

 

After searching, It seems they eat plankton. So what is the best way to catch them? I'm pretty sure they would put up a good fight

 

 

[Old Ironmaker]

Not a generally targeted fish Huzz. I do remember years ago on the Ottawa where we had a camp 2 of the guys came in with a stringer full of a similar shad basically giant minnows. I don't know what they thought they were but I wasn't going to eat one. neither did they. Try a simple worm set up I would suggest.

[Headhunter]

As they are a course fish and not a game fish, you can catch them any way you wish... net, snag etc... the bigger question might be WHY, unless you are going to use them as cut bait.

HH

[dave524]

Bunch of us would fly fish a very similar fish, Mooneyes , in the Grand River, think June was the hot month. They were pretty sporting on light fly gear , never ate any, but I understand they are called Goldeneyes out in Manitoba and they smoke them. I have seen Gizzard Shad in the Niagara River, occasionally they die off due to rapid temperature change just like Alewives.

[aplumma]

A shad dart on light spinner tackle or flyrod is a good way to fish for them. They are hard fighting with leaps and runs on light tackle. They are endangered in the waters I fish and can be harvested but you are allowed to CnR them. I personally have not targeted them but have a few others who do. The fish is edible and unlike the mud shad they are clean and tasty.

 

Link to a page on them https://fishwithjd.com/2008/03/31/shad-time/

 

Art

[J Roelofsen]

They were gizzard shad, not American shad. And they aren't exactly receptive to hook and line tactics. Not sure I've ever seen one hit a bait.

 

Josh

[aplumma]

Gizzard or aka Mud shad are netted only. I have a gillnet license to collect them for bait. Hickory and american shad will hit small lures.

 

 

Art

[Old Ironmaker]

Moon Eyes on the Grand are a blast Grimsby Dave. We would go to York or south of York and catch them one after another on light tackle when they were running. The contest was the most in an hour bought the jugs of beer at the Cayuga Hotel afterwards.

 

Huzz if you want to catch fish go for Moonees in the spring on the Grand River. I know you aren't picky and they are fun, plentiful and easy. Don't ask me where they run now because that was 30 pounds of body muscle mass ago. I'm sure there is still a run because they are all released. Good practice for any fishing.

 

Those shad the guys caught on the Ottawa hit spinners, no idea the exact strain. To me they all look like suckers. They had red on them.

 

off topic edit. The Cayuga Hotel that has been there for 100 years was recently closed and sold to the county. It will be torn down soon and will be a new Library. The best and cheapest Chinese food in the county. 5 bucks for a huge bowl of home made Won Ton soup loaded with BBQ pork and a huge bowl of fried noodles all hand made my Moma. Coffee and taxes included.

Edited November 4, 2016 by Old Ironmaker

[OhioFisherman]

The only shad I have seen in Lake Erie are gizzard shad, they are usually gray-blueish, and don't look like the ones in Art's link, the only ones I have caught were accidentally snagged while fishing for other species.

 

I guess they are very susceptible to rapid changes in water temperatures, and we get some pretty big die offs of them on this side of the lake. LOL, I have hooked more dead ones than live ones.

[huzzsaba]

Thanks for the replies. I guess the only way to hook into these is foul hooking or netting. Oh well, back to steelheading. Now if only could get lucky with those! .

Edited November 5, 2016 by huzzsaba