May 13 2026 Shad Spawn Report

[snagged in outlet 3]

I was on the water before daylight.  Cloudy and WT 69-70 everywhere.  Found Shad spawning again.   Nothing on the buzzer or spinner bait.  Pop R got one.  So I had to go Spittin.   The Original Spittin Image has an action like no other and they hammered it.   Kept it within a couple feet of the bank and they exploded on it!    
Once the spawn stopped I cranked em and caught em steadily till 10.  One just shy of 19”.  Even snagged a big ole catfish.   He hit it then I felt it come loose and snag him in the tail.   I chased it around for quite a while to finally subdue him.  
At one point I was going along and saw a turtle swimming on the bottom with a bass following it.   I flipped a senko at the turtle and that bass swam up and smoked it!   Really cool in about 2’ of water.  
 

[netboy]

Did the catfish end up as lunch?

[snagged in outlet 3]

1 hour ago, netboy said:

Did the catfish end up as lunch?

No.   But I had a hard time letting him go.   

[Quillback]

I fished today out of my buddy Jeb's boat out of Big M.  We had a good morning, a few on top early, but most of our fish came on jigs, c-rig, and the ned.  I don't know if the shad are spawning there, but we saw shad shallow.  Mostly spots for us, a few smallies, and a few largemouth.  I estimate we caught around 40 with 8 or so keeper sized, but no exceptional fish.

Sadly, we did not catch any catfish.  😃

[snagged in outlet 3]

9 minutes ago, Quillback said:

I fished today out of my buddy Jeb's boat out of Big M.  We had a good morning, a few on top early, but most of our fish came on jigs, c-rig, and the ned.  I don't know if the shad are spawning there, but we saw shad shallow.  Mostly spots for us, a few smallies, and a few largemouth.  I estimate we caught around 40 with 8 or so keeper sized, but no exceptional fish.

Sadly, we did not catch any catfish.  😃

Early they were on the bank and sometimes fish would charge in and the shad would jump up on the bank to get away.    Crows were eating the shad too.  Dozens of them.  
Later they were just swimming around in big balls.  

[Quillback]

2 minutes ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

Early they were on the bank and sometimes fish would charge in and the shad would jump up on the bank to get away.    Crows were eating the shad too.  Dozens of them.  
Later they were just swimming around in big balls.  

That's so neat when they are doing that.  I dunno if we missed the spawn where we fished or it has not happened yet.  Water temp was 69-70 - what was it where you fished?

[snagged in outlet 3]

8 minutes ago, Quillback said:

That's so neat when they are doing that.  I dunno if we missed the spawn where we fished or it has not happened yet.  Water temp was 69-70 - what was it where you fished?

69-70.    I saw an area I’ve never had any luck on with a shad all over it but it was right at the end of my day.   I think I’m going to reverse my milk run tomorrow.   I think some of the areas I get to later might be better early but I’m just not there.  

[rps]

Shad spawn = Top Dollar. It's drunken unpredictable walk mimics the flipping and swirling shad. One cloudy day I caught over 60 bass with 8 or 10 keeps.

[Bill Babler]

Crazy. I have 1/2 dozen Spitters, and haven’t thrown them in years. 

I was out same time frame no shad on the bank, but out in 10/12’.  

Surface temp 67/69 Nothing on top but they ate a tube and a swimmer. 

Fished all morning Baxter to point 9. Totally shut off for me at 10:30. Fished till noon.

I have caught more 3.5 to 4.5 pound brown fish this year than I have the last 5 years combined. 

They have expanded into typical LM locations in the back of big coves and creeks. 

They’re always on gravel but seem to be everywhere from Baxter to Long Creek. 

Not complaining in the least. 

I said they shut off, but I stopped on a deep run out on the way in and it was covered with K’s. 38’ to 50’.  I was hoping there was a walleye with them but they didn’t set up like walleye. 

3 drops with the Dixie Jet jigging spoon and 3 16” K’s. I deep hooked the 3rd. one and quit. 





 

[snagged in outlet 3]

7 hours ago, Bill Babler said:

I have caught more 3.5 to 4.5 pound brown fish this year than I have the last 5 years combined. 

They have expanded into typical LM locations in the back of big coves and creeks. 

I haven’t caught a smallie this year.   In the same area’s where I caught them like crazy in the past🤷‍♂️