01-03-2014, 07:21 PM
American Shad, Central Florida's Rediscovered Fishery
By Captain Tom Van Horn
In my youthful days along the St Johns River the American shad run was an extremely popular event. At the first report of the arrival of shad anglers from across the state and the eastern Atlantic seaboard swarmed to the St Johns River were a season long tournament known as the Shad Derby was held. For a nominal fee of five dollars per angler, whoever caught the largest shad won a new boat, motor, and trailer at the end of the event. Huge fish camps like Lemon Bluff and Marina Isles thrived along the banks of the river in support of the then popular recreational fishery, but as the numbers of American shad dwindled, the Shad Derby and the fish camps faded away.
Since the colonial era, American shad have been an important food source in North America. They have also been important to recreational anglers in the modern era; however, recreational angling peaked in the St. Johns River during the 1960s and 1970s. Atlantic coast commercial landings also peaked at the turn of the twentieth century and have declined dramatically along with most of the shad's range. Obstruction of spawning runs, pollution, and high harvest rates took a toll on their abundance, prompting the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) to mandate protective measures including a directive to monitor existing populations and rebuild stocks.
Commercial landings in the St. Johns River also peaked in the early 1900s and declined significantly throughout the century. Recreational efforts and landings have also decreased markedly in recent years. The Florida net ban in 1995 eliminated most of what remained of Florida's commercial American shad fishery. Later in 2005, the commercial fishery off the coast of the mid-Atlantic states were terminated and should no longer be impacting the stock.
As the largest members of the herring family, American shad are an anadromous species of fish returning to freshwater rivers along the Atlantic coast of America each spring from the ocean to spawn. Juveniles spend their first growing season in the freshwater river of their birth and then swim to the ocean in the fall to grow and mature. They remain in the ocean for two to six years before they mature and return to spawn in the river in which they originally hatched.
Today, both American and hickory shad are holding their own and they start arriving on their annual spawning run to the southern reaches of the St. Johns River between Lake Monroe and Lake Harney "Shad alley" around Christmas day, with the peek run occurring near the end of January. They then move south into the vast marshes of the St. Johns between Lake Harney and Lake Washington. Concentrations vary from year to year based on water levels and other environmental factors. Remember, the average age of American shad on the St Johns is only four to six years old when they return to the river of their hatch to spawn, and like salmon, some of the adult St Johns River shad die from exhaustion once the spawning season is complete. Therefore, the magnitude of shad runs can vary from year to year based on the successful spawn of their parents.
Although small, averaging between two and four pounds on the St Johns, American shad are a feisty, run and jump, dig deep, cart wheeling, fun fish most anyone can catch. And the best part of shad fishing is it's a great way to spend time fishing during the winter in Central Florida on those cold and windy days when fishing the open waters is out of the question. It's a late in the day, sleeping in, second cup of coffee type of fishing, which is perfect on those cold winter days ,and if this year's run is anything like last year where 100 fish days were experienced, it will only improve.
In recent years, the shad populations on the St Johns River have started to expand and as their numbers increase, so does the popularity of the recreational fishery. Five years ago, Coastal Angler Magazine Orlando, reinstated the Shad Derby in an effort to bring light to this forgotten fishery with the introduction of the Central Florida Shad and Crappie Derby, only this time with a conservation twist. Held from November 1st through March 1st in the Greater Orlando area, the five month long catch photo and release (CPR) derby is free to all anglers who register at any of their derby sponsor sign-up spots. The Derby is free and anglers are permitted to fish anywhere they choose in Florida, and as much as they want during the derby time frame. All participants must log into and upload their photos . All photos must be taken using the official derby measuring device and include the official derby sponsor token
For light tackle spin and fly anglers living in the south, the Central Florida American Shad run is the closest we come to stream fishing the salmon runs enjoyed in the northeastern and northwestern areas of North America.
Shad can be caught in any number of ways, from light fly fishing to slow trolling or casting small darts and spoons on ultra light spinning rods.
Spinning gear: I like a 6' ultralight St, Croix rod and 2000 series Daiwa reel spooled with six pound test braided line. Most anglers either slow troll or cast Nungesser Shad Rigs which consist of a small brightly colored tandem dart or and spoon combination or a TTI Blakemore Roadrunner. Nungesser Shad Rigs are difficult to find in Central Florida with Mosquito Creek Outdoors in Apopka being the only source I know about.
Fly fishing: I suggest a 4 or 5 weight matched rod and reel with sufficient backing, and either a floating or intermediate (sinking) line depending on if you are fishing in shallow or deep water. I like a fluorocarbon leader and small brightly colored weighted flies like the Crazy Charlie. Another highly suggested resource for those avid fly anglers is to attend the monthly meeting of the Back Country Association, On my boat I carry two rods, one with floating line and one with a sinking leader, so I'm prepared for either situation.
As the excitement and enthusiasm for shad fishing grows, there is hope as commercial harvest is eliminated and water quality improves, the American Shad stock will rebuild, This will be reflected in improved recreational catch rates and renewed recreational interest in the species. Either way, if you haven't experienced the American shad run during the winter in Central Florida, you are missing the boat, so get hooked up and have some fun.
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By Captain Tom Van Horn
In my youthful days along the St Johns River the American shad run was an extremely popular event. At the first report of the arrival of shad anglers from across the state and the eastern Atlantic seaboard swarmed to the St Johns River were a season long tournament known as the Shad Derby was held. For a nominal fee of five dollars per angler, whoever caught the largest shad won a new boat, motor, and trailer at the end of the event. Huge fish camps like Lemon Bluff and Marina Isles thrived along the banks of the river in support of the then popular recreational fishery, but as the numbers of American shad dwindled, the Shad Derby and the fish camps faded away.
Since the colonial era, American shad have been an important food source in North America. They have also been important to recreational anglers in the modern era; however, recreational angling peaked in the St. Johns River during the 1960s and 1970s. Atlantic coast commercial landings also peaked at the turn of the twentieth century and have declined dramatically along with most of the shad's range. Obstruction of spawning runs, pollution, and high harvest rates took a toll on their abundance, prompting the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) to mandate protective measures including a directive to monitor existing populations and rebuild stocks.
Commercial landings in the St. Johns River also peaked in the early 1900s and declined significantly throughout the century. Recreational efforts and landings have also decreased markedly in recent years. The Florida net ban in 1995 eliminated most of what remained of Florida's commercial American shad fishery. Later in 2005, the commercial fishery off the coast of the mid-Atlantic states were terminated and should no longer be impacting the stock.
As the largest members of the herring family, American shad are an anadromous species of fish returning to freshwater rivers along the Atlantic coast of America each spring from the ocean to spawn. Juveniles spend their first growing season in the freshwater river of their birth and then swim to the ocean in the fall to grow and mature. They remain in the ocean for two to six years before they mature and return to spawn in the river in which they originally hatched.
Today, both American and hickory shad are holding their own and they start arriving on their annual spawning run to the southern reaches of the St. Johns River between Lake Monroe and Lake Harney "Shad alley" around Christmas day, with the peek run occurring near the end of January. They then move south into the vast marshes of the St. Johns between Lake Harney and Lake Washington. Concentrations vary from year to year based on water levels and other environmental factors. Remember, the average age of American shad on the St Johns is only four to six years old when they return to the river of their hatch to spawn, and like salmon, some of the adult St Johns River shad die from exhaustion once the spawning season is complete. Therefore, the magnitude of shad runs can vary from year to year based on the successful spawn of their parents.
Although small, averaging between two and four pounds on the St Johns, American shad are a feisty, run and jump, dig deep, cart wheeling, fun fish most anyone can catch. And the best part of shad fishing is it's a great way to spend time fishing during the winter in Central Florida on those cold and windy days when fishing the open waters is out of the question. It's a late in the day, sleeping in, second cup of coffee type of fishing, which is perfect on those cold winter days ,and if this year's run is anything like last year where 100 fish days were experienced, it will only improve.
In recent years, the shad populations on the St Johns River have started to expand and as their numbers increase, so does the popularity of the recreational fishery. Five years ago, Coastal Angler Magazine Orlando, reinstated the Shad Derby in an effort to bring light to this forgotten fishery with the introduction of the Central Florida Shad and Crappie Derby, only this time with a conservation twist. Held from November 1st through March 1st in the Greater Orlando area, the five month long catch photo and release (CPR) derby is free to all anglers who register at any of their derby sponsor sign-up spots. The Derby is free and anglers are permitted to fish anywhere they choose in Florida, and as much as they want during the derby time frame. All participants must log into and upload their photos . All photos must be taken using the official derby measuring device and include the official derby sponsor token
For light tackle spin and fly anglers living in the south, the Central Florida American Shad run is the closest we come to stream fishing the salmon runs enjoyed in the northeastern and northwestern areas of North America.
Shad can be caught in any number of ways, from light fly fishing to slow trolling or casting small darts and spoons on ultra light spinning rods.
Spinning gear: I like a 6' ultralight St, Croix rod and 2000 series Daiwa reel spooled with six pound test braided line. Most anglers either slow troll or cast Nungesser Shad Rigs which consist of a small brightly colored tandem dart or and spoon combination or a TTI Blakemore Roadrunner. Nungesser Shad Rigs are difficult to find in Central Florida with Mosquito Creek Outdoors in Apopka being the only source I know about.
Fly fishing: I suggest a 4 or 5 weight matched rod and reel with sufficient backing, and either a floating or intermediate (sinking) line depending on if you are fishing in shallow or deep water. I like a fluorocarbon leader and small brightly colored weighted flies like the Crazy Charlie. Another highly suggested resource for those avid fly anglers is to attend the monthly meeting of the Back Country Association, On my boat I carry two rods, one with floating line and one with a sinking leader, so I'm prepared for either situation.
As the excitement and enthusiasm for shad fishing grows, there is hope as commercial harvest is eliminated and water quality improves, the American Shad stock will rebuild, This will be reflected in improved recreational catch rates and renewed recreational interest in the species. Either way, if you haven't experienced the American shad run during the winter in Central Florida, you are missing the boat, so get hooked up and have some fun.
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