![]() ![]() ![]() There are now lots of states, Maryland, Florida, Kansas, Hawaii, Delaware, where we’ve gone back to catch fish. You pays your money and you takes your chances. Last year when we didn’t go the migration was reportedly great, and someday soon the Wilmington forecast is for rain. Unlike salmon, shad don’t jump obstacles, and when the water’s low the remains of the first Brandywine dam block the shad. This spring Wilmington hasn’t had significant rain. Last time we went, in May 2021, it was still too cold, and the shad stayed out of the creek in deeper water. With Delaware shad we’ve tried to hit a window when the fish are in the creek. There’s always a chance we may not catch fish. You know what though? We toss the dice every time we go someplace to fish. Who knows? But they will take a fly.Īt least I’ve heard they’ll take a fly. They will take a fly, maybe out of anger, maybe habit, or maybe just to show off. Like salmon, when shad reach freshwater what they eat doesn’t matter. ![]() In the ocean shad are planktivorous, which is an extravagant way to say that they live on plankton with a smattering of insects and tiny fish and crustaceans. I’m assured that there are those who know. ![]() They’re not as big as spawning salmon, but in the Brandywine a hen might reach eight pounds.Īt least according to those who know they are great fun to catch. Unlike Pacific salmon, American shad don’t necessarily die after spawning, and most will return to saltwater. Each spring in Delaware the shad run into the Brandywine from the Atlantic. From northern Florida to southern Canada, in rivers all along the East Coast, American shad migrate into freshwater rivers and streams to spawn. Shad are anadromous fish, just like Atlantic and Pacific salmon, only not so glamorous. We fished in Brandywine Creek in Brandywine Park, only a mile or so from downtown Wilmington, with two-handed rods, long 11-foot rods that don’t require a backcast. We were in Delaware last Thursday to try again to catch American shad. ![]()
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