# Shad and Herring Hot Spots



## BigJeff823 (Oct 14, 2002)

I never really target Shad Or Herring I was wondering what would be good spots to try for them.Would Kent Narrows be a good spot for Shad and Herring?I wouldn't mind catching some Herring to use for the spring Stripers.Also,how do you catch them,and when they will be running?


----------



## Duke of Fluke (May 22, 2002)

IRI should have plenty of shad, as should the Cape Pier, and bay behind OC. They are a lot of fun on light tackle.

The shad will take small bucktails or twister tails as well as shad darts and small metal.

The herring are easy to catch on a sabaki rig or just tie some small gold hooks on droppers above a sinker or shad dart. You can catch them 3-4 at a time when they are thick. Shad will eat these too.


----------



## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings HappyPappy!

Jamey's right on the money (again) about the herring. They should be staging in the inlets anytime now.... Sabaki(?)Sabuki(?) Sabiki(?) rigs will work great, I usually reserve the gold hooks for fish that are further inland. Once the fish are through the inlets, they tend to run up the rivers and tidal streams pretty fast. Most herring wll run only as far as the first obstruction (usually a dam), even if there's a fish ladder. They don't require clean river gravel to spawn (shad do... )

You also might want to check MD regulations about shad fishing if you'll be as far inland as The Narrows. I think there are special regulations regarding white shad, which some folk below the Mason-Dixon line tend to call "sea herring". The bigger American shad have special regs, too (or at least had them in the past.) I know that PA is trying hard to reestablish shad above the Conowingo.

Live herring is arguably the best bait for a Spring cow. Cut fresh herring is good, cut frozen herring a distant third. Fish the live herring on a float or "balloon" rig. Fish the cut herring on a fishfinder with as little weight as possible. Cut fresh herring might also land you some monster tidal catfish, depending on how far up the saltline you fish.

For fishermen with access to a private dock, they do sell "herring keepers" for storing a supply of live herring. Of course, if herring don't run past the dock, its tough transporting them from where you catch them. Herring are notoriously short-lived in a baitwell.

The best scenario is to find the herring at the spot you intend to fish, catch some using the gold hooks, throw them out on float/balloon rigs, then fish large surface plugs AWAY from the herring. If you get a swirl behind the plug, make the next cast closer to (but not on top of) the float rigs. The idea is to convince the stripers that there is food near the surface. If you see the foat acting funny, or if the herring breaks water, put the plug rod away and be ready....

Damn it, now I can't wait!!!


----------



## soapfish (Aug 15, 2001)

M.J. has got the fever!!!! 
Any of you people think of fishing, in any form, just before waking for the day?
Its posts like M.J's. that fuels that kind of fire.
Thank You M. Jake.

Soapfish


----------



## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings Soapfish!

Thanks for the kudos! This has been one heck of a long winter, and I've probably doubled the number of my total posts in just the last four months. I think about fishing pretty much constantly -- my cubicle at work is covered by pictures, I normally wear a fishing tee-shirt each day (luckilly I'm not required to meet & greet the public), and I've even begun organizing fishing trips for the union. When most people see me in the hallway, instead of a "hello" I get "When's the next trip?" Its the same with my friends and neighbors....

Funny thing is, I rarely dream about fishing. Guess that's the one part of my life where even my subconcious feels 'secure'....


----------



## Billr (May 26, 2002)

as of now, the shad or herring have not shown. hopefully something will break soon, the watertemp. yesterday was 38. when herring are here i use a fish finder rig. when it gets picked up, let him run a few seonds to swallow then strike. the pier at cape henlopen is dull right now. the tackle shop is scheduled to open on april 1st. there is also supposed to be a kayak rental service there also. should be interesting when they keep going back and forth under the pier. i'm wondering that if you land one can you keep them or is ir catch and release?


----------



## Duke of Fluke (May 22, 2002)

Minimum size on kayaks is 56" with a season from Memorial day through Labor day in the Delaware bay and inland bays, no closed season in the Ocean.


----------



## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings All!

A kayak rental next to a fishing pier? I have a feeling they didn't think that one all the way through....

When you keep a kayak, is it worth cutting it open to see what's inside? I heard somewhere that the kayaks don't truly feed, and that the best way to catch one is with a weighted "snatch" hook....


----------



## BigJeff823 (Oct 14, 2002)

Maybe Kent Narrows would be good in about a week or so;They'll probily be there first before heading up into the rivers.They'll like Kent Narrows because theres alot of current there.A small shad dart w/a 1/4 oz split shot above it should do the trick?At IRI they would use a shad dart rigged on a mono leader and connect it to the line w/ a 2oz trolling sinker.I was going to use cut Herring on 7/0-9/0 circle hooks for stripers after catching them.


----------



## Billr (May 26, 2002)

they didn't think about it at all. the lease on the tackle shop has changed hands. another thing to think about is that we{delawareans}, it also should concern you is, we have a group of greedy =-=-=-s that want to privatize indian river inlet. they will repair and redo the marina , puy up a couple hundred townhouses, etc. you no longer will be able to fish the rail around the north side, the overflow campground will be lost to stores.and whatever.there is some sneaky goings on between developers, lousy two faced politicians, the state parks were for thee enjoyment of the people not special interest groups. more later.


----------



## BigJeff823 (Oct 14, 2002)

Thats messed up  Will I be able to fish there in the future  .


----------



## Billr (May 26, 2002)

it's hard to say. it hasn't happened yet as it has to go to a vote. the parks in de. are maintained by a general fund. that fund is run by the legislature. the parks in sussex county[ cape henlopen, de.seashore, & fenwick island] supply the most of the revenue for the park system. the money taken in is supposed to be used for the maintence of the parks in the state. lately they have built swimming pools upstate where they don't make as much money, also stables for horsemen at de. park. if they wany to race horses they should jouse them themselves. the money for this comes from sussex county. if they kill de.seashore st. park they will be killing the goose that lays the golden egg. the north side will probly lost to fishermen and their families. when they build luxury townhouses they will then try to get a private beach for them.that will be from the north jetty up to ?.


----------



## Billr (May 26, 2002)

still no shad or herring but hope this week brings it on. need the water temp to go up a little.


----------

