I've never forgotten my first shad fishing adventure, even though it took place nearly 40 years ago.
I remember that I had no clue what I was doing and I didn't come close to catching a fish. But as a relative newcomer to the area, I had heard about the fabulous shad fishing and the tasty roe from the big female shad that could be found in the beautiful Edisto River. I knew I had to try my luck.
American shad (there's also the less desirable hickory shad) are anadromous fish, born in freshwater and eventually migrating to saltwater. When it’s time for them to spawn, they try to return to their birthplace and the Edisto River back then was considered a premier spot for catching shad.
I went armed with light tackle and shad darts and began trolling in areas that looked promising. I saw commercial fishermen netting shad but I went home empty-handed, my first and last shad trip on the Edisto River.
A few years later I began hearing about a different shad fishery, the Tailrace Canal in the upper stretches of the Cooper River near Moncks Corner. I was told the fish were so plentiful that even I should be able to catch one. And as I quickly discovered lots of other anglers also had heard about this shad hotspot, an area so popular it was almost impossible to find a place to anchor and fish during the spring shad run.
Today shad fishing is a rite of spring for Lowcountry anglers who mostly head to two well-known spots in the spring — the aforementioned Tailrace Canal and the Rediversion Canal on the Santee River near St. Stephen.
"Everybody knows the spots, the Tailrace Canal and Arrowhead Landing on the Santee River. They're biting good right now and they'll continue to be there until the end of April," said Capt. Joe Dennis of Captain J Hook Charters.
Shad are great sport and sometimes referred to as a poor man’s tarpon. A hooked shad will often take to the air in an effort to escape, and with their wide bodies they can be difficult to get to the boat. You should play them like you would a crappie since the membrane around their mouth is very thin. The bucks, or male shad, are smaller than the more coveted females, which can contain delicious sets of roe. They are boney fish and can be a challenge to clean and cook.
The well-known spots Dennis frequents both have obstacles that stop the shad from continuing upstream to spawn, which is an important factor. Serious shad anglers check to see when the power plants are pulling water through the power turbines, and use the flow of water to their advantage.
"If you are anchored in the middle of the river, you can cast your lure straight back. If you're closer to the bank, cast out and retrieve," said Dennis.
His preferred outfit is a spinning rod spooled with 6- to 8-pound test line. Dennis uses a ⅛-ounce Rockport Rattler jighead in chartreuse or pink and a Charlie Brewer chartreuse curly-tail grub.
"You've got to have glitter in it if you want to catch more fish. Cast out in the current, use a medium retrieve and hang on," Dennis said.
While there is no size limit on shad, anglers are limited to 10 per day except in the Rediversion Canal and Santee River, where the limit is 20 per fisherman. The state record for the American shad is a 7-pound catch from the Santee River in 1985 by Sylvester Casselman.
"We've seen a good many roe shad this year," Dennis said. "We've caught them up to 4½ pounds, but they get bigger than that."
Lowcountry Longbeards banquet
The Lowcountry Longbeards chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation will hold its Hunting Heritage Banquet on April 8 at the John Monroe J. Holliday Alumni Center, located at 69 Hagood Avenue at The Citadel. Doors open at 6 p.m. To purchase tickets contact Tim Beckham at 843-494-1108 or email timothybeckham@gmail.com.
Creekside Bassmasters
Creekside Bassmasters will hold its 14th annual Spring Fling bass fishing tournament on April 9 out of Blacks Camp on the Santee Cooper lakes. First place, based on a field of 70 boats, is $5,000. Pre-registration fee is $175, while registration on the morning of the event is $185. Contact Steve Chapman at 843-200-2647 or Sid Fowler at 843-568-7674.
Brody Bates Youth Redfish Open
The Student Angler League Tournament Trail will hold its annual Brody Bates Youth Redfish Open Scholarship Tournament April 2 out of Buck Hall Landing in McClellanville. Visit salttfishing.com for information.
Charleston Inshore Anglers
The Charleston Inshore Anglers' 29th annual "Big Ed" Sheepshead Tournament will be fished April 30. The captain's meeting begins at 5:30 pm. April 28 at American Legion Post 147, located at 968 Folly Road. The weigh-in also will take place at Post 147 from 4-5 p.m. April 30. The entry fee for the tournament is $40. Contact Kevin Mischke at 843-324-1006; Nick Kvestad at 843-557-2811 or Gene Broderick at 843-224-6826.
America's Boating Club
America's Boating Club Charleston will hold a boating safety class April 16 at 1376 Orange Grove Road, Charleston. Classes begin at 9 a.m. and end around 4 p.m. Successful participants earn the S.C. Department of Natural Resources Boater Education Card. The cost is $25 for adults and youth 12-18
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Lowcountry shad: Where and how to catch the tasty fish - Charleston Post Courier
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