Identifying Shad Spawn

[Jim Dunn]

I'm pretty sure that the shad spawn before the bass but how do I identify what to look for? Do they spawn in the same areas as the bass? Do they flip on the surface like they do in the fall? Any help in this area would be appreciated.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I'm not sure that it is obvious. They scatter their eggs and according to biologist they only spawn in the mornings. I would think that the threadfin would be the only important spawn for bass fishermen because the adults are a food source.

The carp spawn is probably more important because they also spawn shallow, but the young stay shallow, Shad move to deeper water during the day, but the carp stay shallow. It's no accident that gold has always been a great color in cranks.

[countryred]

When I have seen it, the shad will follow your lure back to the boat. You will see them flipping around real close to the bank and most times it's early in the morning or when its cloudy. The best day I ever had on Mark Twain was during a shad spawn situation. I threw a white spinnerbait with big white blades along shallow weeds on mud flats. 13 keepers and 5 over 5 pounds.

[laker67]

this is what I see here on loz. Groups of 6 to 10 adult shad swimming in a circle right at the bank. Seems as if this normally occurs in late may.

[countryred]

May seems to be the key month, and it lasts off and on for a while.

[Jim Dunn]

Thanks for the info! Got a small tournament there the 4&5th. Hopefully the weather people are wrong about the forecast.

[Jbrant]

The shad are spawning right now on LOZ. Fished around Bollinger Creek Saturday morning and they were all over the banks - chunk rock mainly (though some gravel spots as well). We started at 5:30 and it lasted until late morning (we stayed on shady banks most of the morning). A few did fall the bait back to the boat. Sunday morning we fished around Proctor Creek -didn't see as many up the lake as we did on Saturday - still saw some, just not nearly as many. Only caught one decent bass (3.25#) around them. They definitely get right up on the bank and splash around - fairly easy to spot.