The Fishing Report
Fishing seasons & conditions by region
Shad Alosa sapidissima
Shad Size, Range & Diet
| Typical size | 18–24 in, 2–5 lb |
|---|---|
| Maximum | up to 30 in and about 12 lb |
| Lifespan | up to about 13 years |
| Range | Native to the Atlantic coast from the Canadian Maritimes south to the St. Johns River in Florida and long established on the Pacific side, where millions push up the Columbia and Snake rivers and strays run from Baja to Alaska. |
| Habitat | An ocean fish most of the year that stacks in heavy river current below dams and along gravel drop-offs during the spring spawning run. |
| Diet | Plankton, copepods and mysids at sea; run fish largely stop feeding and hit small darts, spoons and flashy jigs out of reflex. |
Sizes are typical rod-and-reel and documented maximum figures, not size limits — see the regulations links below for the rules where you fish.
How to Identify a Shad
- Bright silver, deep slab-sided, laterally compressed body
- Single dark shoulder spot behind the gill, often followed by a row of fainter spots
- Sharp saw-toothed scutes forming a sawtooth keel along the belly
- Deeply forked tail, no adipose fin
- Lower jaw fits into a notch in the upper jaw
Tell it apart: The serrated 'cutting-edge' scutes along the belly keel plus the dark shoulder spot ID an American Shad among silvery PNW fish.
How to Catch Shad
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- A brief spring run, May and June only — drift tiny weighted darts and shad spoons through current seams below river riffles and dams.GearShad dartsSmall shad spoonsLight spinning combo
When & Where Shad Are in Season
Peak Good Fair Slow
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific Northwest Inshore |
Shad Regulations
Always check local regulations — seasons, size, and bag limits vary by state and species, and change year to year. When in doubt, release.