Help with Shad

[Mark B.]

http://drsfa.org/shad-fishing

http://www.woofish.com/FISHREPORTS.html

[NJSquatch]

Agree with everyone's comments...

You will be fine with any rod length but I use a 10' noodle rod with a larger arbor reel and 6# mono from the banks. This combo allows me to be able to throw 1/4oz darts and spoons with an inline weight a really good distance. The noodle rod and mono combo act as a shock absorber for when the fish make runs. These fish will give your drag a work out.

Vary your lures and retrieve to figure out what they want. Ask the other fisherman for advice. Unlike other types of river fishing, guys are more than willing to help each other out especially if you tell them it is your first time fishing for them. You might even be given a handful of lures.

Monitor the fishing reports to see where the shad are located and the water temps. The fishing will be more consistent with the water above 50.

You will be addicted once you get into them.

Good luck and see you out there!

Resources
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/fish_shad.htm
http://www.woofish.com/shad.html

Reports
http://drsfa.org/fishing-log
http://www.woofish.com/FISHREPORTS.html

Delaware Gauges
https://waterdata.usgs.gov/pa/nwis/current/?type=flow

Cheap Noodle Rod
https://www.amazon.com/Pinnacle-Vert...dp/B002TFCV2O/

Shad Lures
Ramsey Outdoors has darts
Dicks in Rockaway has darts and small spoons
http://www.woofish.com/
http://www.ebay.com/sch/russell_tackle/m.html?
http://www.ebay.com/sch/woofish/m.html?

[AndyS]

Never fished a shad dart till a friend of mine handed me one and said just fish it like a spinner !! BINGO fish on !!

[MudCat08]

From some of those reports it sounds like the Shad are ready to move up soon. should be going through the Gap by early April, at least I hope.

[FASTEDDIE29]

All great advice! Don't forget the Raritan gets a nice run of Shad! Darts on the Raritan for me! These fish will lay low and stop pushing up with the current polar vortex were having! It's early, make sure your ready!!!

[Mark B.]

Originally Posted by FASTEDDIE29

All great advice! Don't forget the Raritan gets a nice run of Shad! Darts on the Raritan for me! These fish will lay low and stop pushing up with the current polar vortex were having! It's early, make sure your ready!!!

Unlawful to fish for A. shad in the Raritan River, as it is considered a recovering population.

See pages 27 & 28 of: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/pdf/2017/digfsh24-34.pdf

Shad, American* - Delaware River only

Open year round, No minimum size, 3 per day

* Due to serious declines in American Shad numbers, the taking of American Shad, except for the Delaware River, is prohibited.

[MudCat08]

you can probably catch and release them in the Raritan, right? Nothing wrong with fishing for other fish with darts and by-catching shad haha.

[NJ219bands]

I caught and released 43 shad the past 2 days on a tube jig but they were all gizzard shad.

[Delawareriver]

I've always done best with flicker spoons from a boat or on shore. Every day the best color can vary but for me pink seems to be the most consistent. Very easy to fish and catch them but does take some knowledge of where to fishoot. Couple tips I'll give you from shore as seems like that what several will be doing. When water is low and clear look for spots where you can cast into the deeper channel, and think of smaller spoons and darts. Vice versa when the water is up and cloudy target the current seem closer to shore and think slightly bigger spoons and darts. Sections of Rapids can produce in high or lower water as the shad don't wanna run up the extreme current

There are shad already in the river but you won't have much luck till the water temp gets closer to 50. Best bet is follow the reports and follow the main run of fish, march-April can be great in the lower section (Trenton through lambertvill) of the river, April and may in the middle section (Stockton, through easton and up to water gap) and may and June typical the upper River shines from (water gap up to ny) with that said different pushes of fish can make good action anywhere at any time, I've caught shad into June near easton as well as plenty of shad in water gap during april. Best of luck guys

[Mark B.]

Rutgers plans to open / clean The Raritan River Island Farm Weir Fish Ladder next week & install the camera system / antennas for the monitoring of 2017 run.

A. shad are in the Delaware River. A week ago, a few were caught near Easton PA.