AGFC says high water good for threadfin

[Quillback]

High Water Boosts Shad Numbers

Biologists in north-central Arkansas were recently conducting nighttime electrofishing for Walleye on Norfork Lake when they noticed a cloud of moving fish in the water. That cloud turned out to be a massive school of threadfin shad, stretching roughly half a mile from one side of the lake to the other near the dam.

A boost in shad numbers like this isn't unusual following high-water years. In large Ozark Highlands reservoirs such as Norfork, Beaver, Bull Shoals, and Greers Ferry, biologists often see shad populations surge in response to high water from late spring through fall. Flooding at Norfork Lake in 2025, which pushed the lake 25 feet above conservation pool, created ideal conditions for shad to thrive.

High water increases the overall productivity of the lake, fueling blooms of phytoplankton and zooplankton, the tiny plants and organisms that shad feed on. It also opens up additional habitat where shad can spawn and where young shad can hide from predators. While high water can make for tough fishing conditions, these years play an important role in boosting the forage fish that sustain the sportfish that anglers love to pursue, including bass, walleye, and crappie.