Understanding Shad as Bass Forage

Shad, according to Merriam-Webster is “any of several fishes (especially genus Alosa) of the herring family that differ from the typical herrings (genus Clupeus) in having a relatively deep body and in being anadromous and that include some important food fishes of Europe and North America.” Common shad include: Threadfin Shad, Hickory Shad, American Shad, Alewife, Gizzard Shad and Blueback Shad.

Why is Understanding Shad Important?

It is important to understand Shad to:

  • Find Bass: Locating shad, especially during the spawn, will find bass.
  • Select a Lure: Selecting the best lure based on mimicking the look of the specific shad species. 
Understand Shad as Bass Forage
  • Spawn: Shad generally spawn the same water temperature as bass spawn, just after the bass spawn, some time a week or two later. The spawn can last 2 to 4 weeks. Shad spawn at night and very early morning until there is direct sun. Shad spawn shallow on hard bottom around brush, floating boat docks, ponton boats, shell beds, bluff walls, grass, rip rap laydowns generally near deep water. As such, some suggest the east side to maximize the early morning shade where applicable. 
  • Diet: Plankton and fish eggs.
Additional Considerations

  • Threadfin Shad

    • Locations: Threadfin Shad are found in Southeastern United States with water over 42F. They sometimes school with Gizzard Shad and can be seen on the surface at dawn and dusk.
    • Spawn Span in water temperatures of upper 60F  on hard surfaces near deep water but right on the surface.
    • Color: The fins of threadfin shad often have a yellowish color, especially the caudal fin. The back is grey to blue with a dark spot on the shoulder. They can reach lengths of 8 inches.
Threadfin Shad

  • Alewife

    • Locations: West Atlantic Ocean, moving into estuaries before swimming upstream to spawn and many bodies of water east coast of United States and Canada.
    • Spawn: Spawn at water temperatures of 50F in slow-moving shallow sections of rivers or streams, and in lakes, freshwater coves behind barrier beaches, and ponds that form headwaters.
    • Color: The Alewife is green-gray in color on the upper side of its body, with silver below. There is usually one small dark spot located on the upper side of the body, just beyond the gill flap. They are smaller in size than American or hickory shad and are up to 16 inches.
Alewife Shad

  • American Shad

    • Locations: Originally of the Atlantic coast of United States and Canada plus they now are found Pacific cost of the United States.
    • Spawn: They spawn in water temperatures of 65F normally at sundown through midnight usually takes place in deep areas of a river where there are moderate to strong currents.
    • Color:  Silvery fish with deeply forked tails. They have a brown-black through blue-green iridescent back, and one to three rows of dark spots behind the gill cover.
American Shad

  • Gizzard Shad

    • Locations: Eastern North America. In the north the range includes the Saint Lawrence River and the Great Lakes (except Lake Superior), and extends west into North Dakota. Gizzard shad are found as far south as eastern Mexico, and as far west as New Mexico.
    • Spawn:  At water temperatures of 64F to 69F and spawn on the surface just about anywhere on a lake, including weedy shallow backwaters. On the main lake, they like hard-bottom pockets with laydowns or riprap banks.
    • Color:  Silvery in color with a bluish-gray back with a large purple-blue spot on the upper side of the body just beyond the operculum or gill flap.
Gizzard Shad

  • Hickory Shad

    • Locations: Hickory Shad spend most of its life in at sea only spawning in freshwater.
    • Spawn: Water temperatures of 58F and 62F dispersed at random over shallow gravel bars in moderate current.
    • Color: Hickory shad are gray green on their back and upper sides that fades to silver. A row of dark spots is present on its sides and the tip of the lower jaw is darkly colored. The mouth is superior with the lower jaw distinctly projecting forward of the snout.
Hickory Shad
It's About the Allure

 

  • Some suggest lures that mimic shad such as:
  • Spinnerbait
  • Swim Jig: 
  • Lipless Crankbait:
  • Lipped Crankbait:
  • Bladed Jig: 
  • Poppers: 
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