2024 Shad stuff

Evan B said:
(I might actually try this if I go shadding again...)
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Or better yet ... try some Shad Chunks tm. ;)

Not entirely joking. Brined shad chunks could be a cheap, and likely effective, alternative to chunked IQF anchovies.
 
SilverFly said:
Or better yet ... try some Shad Chunks tm. ;)

Not entirely joking. Brined shad chunks could be a cheap, and likely effective, alternative to chunked IQF anchovies.
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Yeah but I already bought my annual case of iqf
 
Shad carcasses are tremendous bait for Dungeness crab. I've used shad on a string or stake to lure big ones into the shallows for easy harvest by hand.
 
Rob Allen said:
Nothing is cooler than going up to Bonneville, seeing the big sturgeon right next to the bank taking shad off peoples line..
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Years ago, I introduced my buddy to the shadness. We were both throwing jigs on trout weight spinning rods. I had a typical setup with 8 or 10 lb mainline to a 3 way swivel, teardrop weight and then either 4 or 6 lb leader to a jig. We had caught several shad in a row, but then hit a lull. I was about to move up or down when I hooked something big. I was hoping for a springer king.
When it started making a run right at me I was sure it must be a big springer or even a big steelie. Out comes this 7' sturgeon about 3 rod lengths away shaking his head and everything. His tail was the only thing that didn't make it out of the water.
As he was falling back into the water I saw my jig come flying free. I had flossed his pectoral fin and then the jig had stuck him. And he was pissed!

The crowd let out a gasp and I got my jig back. Haha! Still one of the coolest things I've ever seen.

I think that lull in the action was from him moving into the area. They're definitely capable of eating live shad and the shad know it.
 
The Founding Fish, by John McPhee, is a very interesting book about shad; it was quite popular during Revolutionary War times and beyond. The Battle of Five Forks in the Civil War was lost by the Confederates because two generals, figuring the Union wouldn't attack for a while, attended a shad bake while out of touch with their armies.

So, folks do eat shad. We cook ours by putting it on a plate, putting sliced onions and julienned green onions on it, drizzle with light soy sauce and peanut oil, and steam it in the plate. We pick out the flesh with chopsticks, so bones aren't an issue. It's an excellent tasting fish. I've also eaten delicious smoked shad, and the bones seemed to have mostly dissolved.
 
Driftless Dan said:
The Founding Fish, by John McPhee, is a very interesting book about shad; it was quite popular during Revolutionary War times and beyond. The Battle of Five Forks in the Civil War was lost by the Confederates because two generals, figuring the Union wouldn't attack for a while, attended a shad bake while out of touch with their armies.

So, folks do eat shad. We cook ours by putting it on a plate, putting sliced onions and julienned green onions on it, drizzle with light soy sauce and peanut oil, and steam it in the plate. We pick out the flesh with chopsticks, so bones aren't an issue. It's an excellent tasting fish. I've also eaten delicious smoked shad, and the bones seemed to have mostly dissolved.
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Yeah, a lot of people, especially around here, scoff at the idea of eating a shad. I've done it multiple times: canning, smoking, and grilling. It's excellent meat if you can pick around the bones. Honestly probably one of the better tasting fish we can catch around here.
 
I remember Dad doing a batch of pickled shad. He'd say, "They're just big herring." And yeah, they were pretty good pickled. But I prefer them smoked/canned like kippered herring.
 
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I will add that I was very impressed with the catch-per-unit-effort numbers that the hardware folks can accomplish in that setting. I sat for a half hour and watched 4 fellas just catch fish after fish after fish. Heavy lead and long casts, but it really did look like a lot of fun. I was much less efficient with my fly rod and a sink tip.
 
Doublebluff said:
I will add that I was very impressed with the catch-per-unit-effort numbers that the hardware folks can accomplish in that setting. I sat for a half hour and watched 4 fellas just catch fish after fish after fish. Heavy lead and long casts, but it really did look like a lot of fun. I was much less efficient with my fly rod and a sink tip.
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That's why I use single-hand skagit with sink tip. Efficient, can get down and good in the wind.
Feels a bit like cheating...or like back when I only used a spinning rod once a year...yep, for shad.
Trout spin rod, 3 way swivel, some weight, leader to a jig and you're in business. Cast straight out or just a bit uphill, give it some jigs during the swing and get ready for the tug. Fun stuff
 
Doublebluff said:
I will add that I was very impressed with the catch-per-unit-effort numbers that the hardware folks can accomplish in that setting. I sat for a half hour and watched 4 fellas just catch fish after fish after fish. Heavy lead and long casts, but it really did look like a lot of fun. I was much less efficient with my fly rod and a sink tip.
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Out in the boat, I usually outfish those guys swinging my tips. It's almost every cast when the Columbia is on.
 
cnaka said:
Pretty surprised when I caught this today on the Cedar. View attachment 117476
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I know I shouldn’t root for it due to the potential negative impacts to native fish populations, but I’m super jealous of the anadromous shad fishery down south and wish Puget Sound had something similar. Seems like it might just be a matter of time. I promise to do my part turning them into crab bait if they do get a foothold in one of our rivers.

In the meantime I guess we’re already there with (currently) landlocked shad. What’s the likelihood that those Lake WA shad will sniff their way down to and out of the locks?
 
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