While many anglers anxiously await spring to get started fishing, the angler who enjoys targeting American Shad gets to start his season a little bit earlier. The month of February always brings the buzz of shad fishing and anglers begin to pile up in the Cooper and Santee Rivers. While the fishing can be fast and furious the season is a rather short one, normally starting in late January, peaking in mid-March and probably tail off in late April.
A common theme among successful shad fishermen is that they all look for the water to be moving. The shad like current and can be found around the dams when there is water being let through. Shad darts are the bait of choice. The small lead head allows the angler to get their lure down into the water column to feeding fish. Most anglers believe that shad are sight feeders and prefer to use bright colored lures, like white and chartreuse.
Shad also give a really good fight on light tackle and can weigh as. Much as six pounds. Shad roe is considered quite the delicacy by many people in the lowcountry and can be found in the larger females. If the winter blues have you down, the shad run might be just what the doctor ordered to help you get into spring fishing.
Andy Pickett
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