Any Signs Of A Shad Kill Yet?

[duckydoty]

I was wondering if anyone has seen any signs of a shad kill yet. I did notice a lot of gulls down there yesteday and some were doing some diving. Havent heard any reports of shad coming through yet. Hopefully some of this colder weather will make that happen.

[Micheal Kyle]

The shad kills around here usally do not happen untill mid January to Febuary. There might be some shad comming through but I do not think that it has been cold enogh for long enough period. I bet though with this extreme cold front that it will help out. I also think with this colder weather that we have been seeing this year that it might just happen a little early this year. The past winters around here have been very warm and we just have not had some good shad kills. Not saying that it has not happen in the past couple of years just not as good as I have seen when it is bone chilling for a long period of time.

I cant wait though I love fishing the kills it makes for some great fishing, if you can be in the right spot at the right time, I like to match that hatch

Michael

[duckydoty]

The shad kills are usually around Jan and Feb, but isnt that because that is when Table Rock normally turns over??? Hasn't Table Rock turned over all ready this year. If it has, couldnt that essentially cause an earlier shad kill than normal? Anyways, January is only 2 weeks away. Hope we do have a good one this year. It might help make up for all the high water.

[laker67]

The shad kills are usually around Jan and Feb, but isnt that because that is when Table Rock normally turns over??? Hasn't Table Rock turned over all ready this year. If it has, couldnt that essentially cause an earlier shad kill than normal? Anyways, January is only 2 weeks away. Hope we do have a good one this year. It might help make up for all the high water.

You are probably right about TR turning over this year. It would have been Jan or Feb.

[Micheal Kyle]

Like I said it will probally happen earlier this due to the colder weather earlier.

The Lake turned over a couple off weeks ago according to the charts. when the lake turns over it is due to the top water coloum reaching cold enough water temp which will make that water heavier than the water beneath it, when that happens the lake turns over. Thus making the DO levels greater PPM and thats how you can tell when it happens by looking at the charts. (In a normal year)

It takes a lot longer period of colder weather to drive the shad down deep and slow their metabolism down so that they are barely able to move. Which in turn when the generators are turned on they get sucked in and cut up.

For the past couple of years we have had very warm winter and that is why it has happened so late the lake turn over that is. So again thats why I think that the major shad kill will happen eariler this year. So yes it could happen in a couple of weeks, this major cold front will help even more to make it earlier.

Plus that is why the shad kills have not been very good either because we have not had the long periods of cold weather after the lake has turned over.

[duckydoty]

With this colder weather coming, do you think the lake will turn over again???

[Micheal Kyle]

Why would it

[duckydoty]

the lake turns over it is due to the top water coloum reaching cold enough water temp which will make that water heavier than the water beneath it, when that happens the lake turns over.

Wouldnt a cold front make the top water column colder and thus heavier again?

[Micheal Kyle]

Wouldnt a cold front make the top water column colder and thus heavier again?

Yes but that would go against what the book says.

What would we do then?

[laker67]

It takes a lot longer period of colder weather to drive the shad down deep and slow their metabolism down so that they are barely able to move. Which in turn when the generators are turned on they get sucked in and cut up.

The book says at 54 degrees shad lose their mobility, and at 41 degrees they die.