Shad and Dams

Shad

the "Southern Salmon"

I finally caught one!

April 1, 2005

Click here for spring '04 shad reports on nc.waterman.com!

New State Record Hickory Shad

Why Shad and Dams Don't Mix

Shad Links

Shad Trivia

Trip #1

March 14th, 2004

4:00 - 6:00 PM

Milburnie Dam

Raleigh, North Carolina

Neuse River

Dang. John comes up with our only catch,

and unfortunately, it is a "gizzard," or "nanny," shad (Dorsoma cepadianum)

Not our prey of choice, which is the American and Hickory Shad.

American and Hickory Shad (unlike the gizzard shad) migrate up the Neuse River to Raleigh from the sea.

Before 1998, and since 1952, the Neuse shad had been stopped in their migration by the Quaker Neck Dam, nearly 100 miles east, in Goldsboro, N.C. Today, since the removal of the Quaker Neck Dam, the shad are able to swim and spawn all the way to Raleigh.

The Milburnie Dam -- like other dams we will fish -- currently blocks the natural progress of migrating shad up North Carolina rivers to spawn.

Trip #2

Friday, March 19th, 2004

12:30 - 1:15 PM

Milburnie Dam

Raleigh, North Carolina

Neuse River

Paul!!?

Nope, no shad today. Paul Parker just hooked a log.

However, other folks fishing at Milburnie Dam that day report catches

of 80 to 100 hundred shad, on the Tar River, below the dam in Rocky Mount.

That would be 80-100 fish per fisherman.

Trip #3

Lowell Mill Dam

Saturday, March 20, 2004

4:10 to 4:45

Johnston County, North Carolina

Little River (tributary of the Neuse)

Is that a shad?!

Probably, but it flipped back into the water before we could get a good look.

The fellow that caught it is one the House brothers, who lives along Buffalo Creek in Johnston County. He had only been fishing about 15 minutes. I had time for a couple of more casts, but had to get back to Raleigh for dinner. No shad for me.

Trip #4

Lowell Mill Dam

Monday, March 22, 2004

9:30 to 10:15

Johnston County, North Carolina

Little River (tributary of the Neuse)

Kenly off I-95

No shad still. Nice early spring morning though.

Trip # 5

Milburnie Dam, outside Raleigh

Friday, March 26, 2004

12:35 - 1:32

on the Neuse River

Wow. This fella really wanted to catch some shad.

Here is what he pulled up....

yet another uncalled for but interesting species of shad,

the "Threadfin" Shad!

like the "gizzard" it doesn't swim up rivers to spawn...

but folks say these little shad are irresistable to Stripped Bass.

Trip # 6

Lowell Mill and Milburnie Dams

Johnston and Wake Counties

Friday, April 1, 2004

7:00 A.M. - 12:45 P.M.

OK. Now I am getting serious. I am fishing here with a restoration biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mr. Mike Wicker, and a member of the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission and South Atlantic Marine Fisheries Council, Mr. Mac Currin.

Mike is slaying the fish, with a fine American shad catch above, and Mac, also successful, is tying my fly below.

Despite this professional assistance -- still no shad for George.