Shad Kill

[BolivarBasser]

What is it, how do I recognize it, and generally how should it affect my fishing tactics?

[Guest]

deleted

[Dutch]

I have not seen a major shad kill on the reservoirs north of Springfield. They don't have threadfins and those are normally the ones that die off by the gazillions in TR which the trout guys seem to love.

[BolivarBasser]

So Dutch, this may not be something I should care about if I fish mainly Stockton and Pomme?

[Guest csfishinfool]

So Dutch, this may not be something I should care about if I fish mainly Stockton and Pomme?

You should definatly key on the shad kill. I happens on every lake in the state. The term shad kill is where the water hits a certain tempeture, and in result gizzard shad start to die. Lake O is infamous for this. I have seen it on Stockton and Pomme too. Look for dead shad floating around or washing a shore. If you pay attention you can also see the shad trying to stay alive. They suspend and twitch, lay on there sides, flutter. There movements are very suttle. This is why a jerkbait is so effective this time a year. I've keyed on this pattern around the dam at stockton and had some really good days. On spring mornings you can key on this bite too, while the shad don't always die like this in the spring, they get stuned by the really cold harsh mornings, resulting in a great slowrolled spinnerbait bite or even a jerkbait.