Species Profile: Hickory Shad

In an attempt to diversify my content and hopefully teach my readers something new, I've decided to start a new regular series. As most of you hopefully already know, I am a life-list angler. I target, document, and count the number of species, hybrids, and subspecies I catch, specifically on fly tackle. Because of that I spend a lot of time to learning about and fishing for many different species of fish. This means I'm more adept at identifying and fishing for an extremely broad range of species than the average angler. This series will attempt to outline species identification, some life history, and methods for targeting with fly tackle. Maybe I'll get to every fish on my life list, but considering it is ever growing... it would take a while. Mostly, I hope this will get a few of you interested in going out and learning about and catching something new. 

Alosa mediocris

(hickory shad)

Hickory shad belong to the Clupeidae family, the herrings. Like all species in the family they are a brightly scaled fish with a silvery white belly and darker back. Hickories typically have an olive back with a lavender to blue iridescence. They have one very prominent black spot behind the gill plate and may have a number of more faint spots in line with it. Aside from being notably smaller on average than American shad, hickories have a lower jaw that extends past their upper jaw when closed. Hickories caught in NY, CT, and MA are unlikely to be small enough to be mistaken with menhaden, river herring, or ocean herring. The typical specimen is about 16 inches and just under one pound.

Like American shad, blueback herring, and alewives, they are anadromous, historically spawning from the St. Johns River in Florida to parts of Maine. Spawning is now uncommon north of Chesapeake Bay, though it has been recorded in the Connecticut River. This is the primary reason why hickory shad are not a common bi-catch for shad fisherman in the Connecticut and it's tributaries during the spring run. Between Florida and Virginia, the two are often encountered in the same water during the shad run. In attempt to restore hickory shad runs to historical levels, some states prohibit keeping hickories. Hickory shad are piscivorous and may be found eating silversides, bay anchovies, and small peanut bunker among other things. Though more common in tidal creeks and rivers it is possible to find hickory shad on the beach front when they are migrating. There is very little known about the migratory habits of these fish when they are in ocean waters. 

In Connecticut, hickories can be caught from late April through November, and may stick around as late as December when conditions are right. Feeding hickory shad often give themselves away with splashy surface displays and numerous jumps, which they also preform when hooked. 

Though I have caught a fair number of hickory shad from beaches, both rocky and sandy, including some of my biggest, if you want to have a near sure bet at catching one fish around bridges. These concentrate both current and bait, and hickory shad are certainly not afraid of a little current. Fish the middle of the tide, when the current is strongest. Though there is no time of day that you can't catch them, low light periods are preferable. Any rod rated 4, 5, or 6 will work well for this type fishing. Use a floating or intermediate line with a simple 6ft leader (3ft of 20lb trilene big game to 3ft of 12lb trilene big game). At times hickory shad can by downright reckless. I have caught them on 10 inch long black flatwings and deceivers tied on 4/0 hooks. Other times, they seem as picky as rising trout and will take nothing longer than an inch and a half. Small surf candies in pink and chartreuse are a great choice for picky hickory shad. 

Though it will vary day to day and tide to tide, I find these fish to be more partial to a swinging fly retrieved with long slow strips than any other presentation. A medium speed two had retrieve is often too much for them, but sometimes when there are tons around blitzing on small peanut bunker this retrieve with a faster sinking line will work wonders. Once hooked up, don't pull too hard. These fish have paper thin mouths and too much pressure will result in dropped fish again and again. Given their propensity to jump repeatedly when hooked, lost fish are a part of the game regardless of how appropriately you fight them.

It is important to not that these fish are fairly delicate. Even gentle handling will result in shed scales. Do whatever you can to mitigate handling if you intend to release the fish. Though not as big as American shad or as glamorous a lot of the other species that occupy the same waters, hickory shad a readily available and probably the closest thing to a juvenile tarpon in our waters. They are a lot of fun on light tackle.

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Thanks for joining the adventure, and tight lines.