The American shad is the state fish of Connecticut, but it’s number have been shrinking over recent years. But it looks like they are coming back strong. According to the Hartford Currant, “counts at the Holyoke dam on the Connecticut River, where migratory fish are tallied, state fisheries biologists estimate that nearly 1 million shad [...]
American Shad Fishing
Massachusetts Sees Record Salmon Return
There is a lot of positive news about salmon returns in the Pacific Northwest, but now the maligned Atlantic salmon may be seeing a recovery in Massachusetts. According to MassLive.com, the Robert Barrett Fishway at the Holyoke Dam has carried 352,035 fish over the dam, exceeding last year’s total at this point by more than 100,000. [...]
First Fly Tying Attempt
Well, we're coming up on the annual shad run in Washington, D.C., and I decided it was time to cross tying my own flies off the bucket list.I purchased the Orvis Clearwater Fly-Tying Kit at the National Capitol Angling Show almost three years ago. And last year, I bought a bunch of flashy materials to [...]
Hope for Shad on the Susquehanna River
Most of the news concerning American shad in recent years has been pretty bad, but there appears to be a glimmer of hope for one of their crucial spawning grounds in coming years. Energy companies on the Susquehanna River are in the process of negotiating for a license renewal for three plants on the river [...]
Record Numbers of Fish Dying in California Pumps
The California Department of Fish and Game announced on July 20 that there are twice as many young delta smelt this year than there were last in the San Joaquin and Sacramento River deltas. But don't break out the streamers and confetti yet. The improvement, attributed to improved water quality from increased flows, is still [...]
Dean Ween Talks about American Shad Fishing
Well, here's another one for the "rock stars who fish," category. We found this clip from an MTV show, Offbeat, that follows the hobbies and interests of rock stars when they're not on the stage. Looks like Dean can wield a rod as well as a mic, those are some impressive shad he's landing. -Rick Bach [...]
Shad, Snakeheads, and the Future of Fishing in Washington, D.C.
For the past 11 years, leaders of the fishing industry have gathered at the Boathouse at Fletcher's Cove in Washington, D.C. to show our nation's politicians the importance of our sport to the environment and economy. Now hosted by the American Fly Fishing Trade Association, the Jim Range National Casting Call has become one of [...]
Watch the shad on Virginia’s shad cam at Bosher’s Dam on the James River
The state of Virginia's Department of Game and Inland Fisheries has been working hard to reverse the decline of native species in the James River due to dams that cut migrating anadromous species off from 400 miles of the james river and its tributaries. In 1999 Virginia build a fishway at Bosher's dam that opened [...]
Shad from the Surf!
Early to bed, early to rise here on my last day on Long Beach Island, N.J., of course, my dad beat me up, and beat me down to the surf. I poured myself a cup of coffee and went down to hear what the action was this morning. Doc reported that he caught two fish [...]
