If the dogwoods have begun to blossom, the shad are in our rivers. The blooms are there and so are the shad – one of the feistiest fish fighters on the planet.
It is unclear if a shad snaps at a bait because he’s hungry, or if it’s just something that gets in the way. But twitch a shad dart in the path of an American or Hickory Shad and you’ll likely have a fight on your hands.
The shad are now in all our tributary rivers – most notably the James, Rappahannock, and Potomac. On the river bottoms, below the shad, are white perch, also making their run upriver. Close behind the shad are stripers and close behind the perch are catfish.
The shad run will continue through the month of April, then the silvery warriors – having spawned – will return to the ocean.
In the meantime, rig up your fly rod or spinning outfit and head for Fredericksburg.
Game on.
