Doin' that Delaware Thing!

[Jim Gronaw]

Had a good couple of days fishing in Sussex County, Delaware this week. Me and my buddy Charlie were fishing primarily for hickory shad, but we ran into a lot of other species to include redbreast and redear sunfish, white perch, yellow perch, bluegills, herring, bonus slab crappie and some surprise white shad up in the down-state tributaries and tidal creeks. For some reason, people don't bother too much with panfish species down here when the shad and herring are running. But there's nothing wrong with a mess of slabs for dinner!

We concentrated on spillways below several millponds and caught lots of fish, totaling close to 200 shad in three days of fishing. Hickory and American, or white shad, are protected from harvest in most Mid-Atlantic states, but catch and release fishing is permitted in most systems. Hickories are dynamic leapers and are in high number once the runs get under way.
Tidal shad runs are a long and storied tradition in east coast tidal rivers and streams. But as the numbers decline, restrictions were imposed. Some waters are seeing a resurgence of these great fighting fish. Hickories like to jump, and can go 5 feet in the air. The larger whites stay deep and scorch off with sensational, line-peeling runs. We caught just about every thing on my sparkle braids and Charlies shad darts he ties.

Along the way, we fished Records and Trap Ponds, and caught a few nice red ears and Charlie got bait ( river herring) in the spillway for some upcoming flounder fishing.

But the fish of the trip were the surprising number of white shad that we caught. These fish average close to four pounds, and are freight-train fighters that smoke your tackle if your not sized accordingly. I managed to land a 5 lber on 4 lb test and on Weds morning got a spectacular roe white shad that the old timers said was comfortably over six pounds. Wow! What a spectacular fish! My new personal record on these fish!

As I write this, I am being buzzed as to the fact that the 'run' has just started! What a drag...my buddy Charlie only has 3 more weeks of this stuff. Maybe he'll invite me back down, and soon!

[Magnolia Rick]

Jim You making me ajust my retiement plan. Nice bunch of fish.Enjoy buddy enjoy

[Jim Gronaw]

There are many shad species...the edible shad are hickory, white shad and herring. The species of shad you might be thinking of are gizzard, threadfin and other species stocked primarily for forage for larger gamefish.

[Zach Pierce]

So what all kinds of shad do people eat? The ones around here stink and I could not think of eating one of them.

[Jim Gronaw]

Yes...shad, and shad roe, are considered a delicacy in many areas of the East, but moratoreums have put them on endangered list in some regions.

[Zach Pierce]

Just wondering if people ate them or not.
Thanks

[Jim Gronaw]

Hickory and white shad are currently under many restrictions in Mid Atlantic states, so catch and release fishing is permitted in Del, MD and other states. A few states allow minimal harvest. They are sensational fighters. We release all of ours.

[Zach Pierce]

So what do you do with the Shad you catch?

[John Sheehan]

Excellent fishing Jim! Thanks for the photos!

[Jim Gronaw]

Hey Greg...I finally found my fillet knife and learned how to clean these things...gonna fry 'em up tonight!

[Tim Overbaugh]

Now, that's what I call "gone fishing"!