From what little I’ve read the Hickory and the American shad are due to be upstream running about now in the mid - Atlantic coastal rivers. (I’m in central NC with the Neuse river close to home) Just wondering if there has been any successful forays yet by anyone…Steve
Hey Steve,
I’m only a couple hundred miles below you
in South Carolina. The shad started
arriving here about 3 weeks ago. Still
showing up in good numbers in the tailraces.
Warm regards, Jim
There have been forays. But not sucessful…yet. I always figure tax day (4/15) is the day to get serious. I’ve only been out already because I wanted to get on the river, limber-up my casting arm and practice with my new 7wt. But they are coming. The old timers say “half a shad is twice a trout”. And I believe them.
They are here in VA
going after them this evening
sounds like the truck might drive to the river instead of straight home this eveing. Lucky me, there is a dam in Raleigh that is the end of the line for any shad going up the Neuse river.
I fish, therefore I swam.
Looking at 4 ~ 6 weeks before they come up this far.
jed
Not yet, there have been reports of a few being caught at the warm water outflow at the Trenton power plant(NJ, Delaware River)
They are being caught by commercial netters in Delaware Bay. Probably another two to three weeks before the run really gets going.
got one hickory last night - about 18"
had them running into my legs right at dark as they were headed upstream in hordes but couldn’t get them to eat much
I fish in eastern MA and one of my goals this year has been to target a shad…
Do it Anthony! Maybe it’s just cabin fever or keeping away from the opening day trout mobs but no fish gets me more excited than American shad. I’m always cool as a cucumber when my pards and I go for stripers, blues, sharks, etc. But shad? Fuggeddaboutit. I’ve been out twice already and I know darn well there’s not a shad within miles of my favorite part of the river. Hopefully you’ll be just as excited when you catch your first one. Good luck.
I know what you mean. Im that way with carp.
When do they hit the Delaware in Pennsylvania. I went once before (last year) a little to early, had one one, a female, about 19 inches, very heavy with 6 lb test and she broke my line. Had her on right in the rapids on the Delaware. I really really want to go again.
Thanks,
Nick
We’re starting to see them on Deer Creek in southern PA. Just getting started 
Definitely fun on the fly! Poor man’s tarpon.
Like Philly says, a couple shad (roes I think) were reported caught at the warm water power plant discharge in Trenton. This is usually where the first reports come from because the early shad hold there waiting for the rest of the river to warm up to 50 degrees. Well, latest reports are that with this warm spell, the river has just hit an average temp of 52 degrees. The run is on. However, the weather reports are calling for rain on Sat. This will probably cool the river down some. If it falls too low the shad will find deep holes and wait out the cold spell. I usually figure they’ll reach Lambertville/New Hope (my part of the river)by 4/15. Never fear, they are coming, get ready. And since I have to be in Kentucky all next week on business, please, please save some for me if the run is indeed early LOL.
If you can’t learn to do something well, learn to enjoy doing it poorly.