The shad went crazy, too!...Last Saturday, great numbers...

Shad*Wizard · Post by **Shad*Wizard** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 8:30 am

of threadfin shad decided to spawn in the downtown Stockton area...This was the first large spawn reported up there..This may be the last year to take threadfin shad during the spawn, hope legislation goes through...Numbers are way down...

Cooch · Post by **Cooch** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 7:39 am

you need a trip ta ClearLake! You will be in SHAD Heaven! HAR! HAR!

Cooch

Shad*Wizard · Post by **Shad*Wizard** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 7:54 am

other day with Clamrake*Wizard...Nobody ever writes about the shad at ClearLake...

Cooch · Post by **Cooch** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 10:49 am

shad fishery! To see the various schools scattered all over the lake right now is amazing. And while on a guide trip there on Tuesday, we watch a school of bass attacking a school of shad before our very eyes. We just sat and watched this spectacle fer about 15 minutes.

It was real cool to explain and have both the shad and bass put on this display for my clients. You would have almost thought it was staged! You could see the shad attempting to all git into the middle of the ball. Then the 2 ta 3 pounders would just slash right into the middle of the school with their mouths wide open, comming out of nowhere. Then as they turned sideways, they would whip their tails and dart downward, injuring several shad with each pass through the school. The school would scatter in every which direction, then quickly form their defensive ball again in preperation fer the next attack. As the injured shad wobbled around below the school, we could then see the 4-7 pounders just lumber up to one and suck it in, picking up the scraps. It was quite a sight ta see this whole process, one that I've really never seen anywhere else.

Cooch

Shad*Wizard · Post by **Shad*Wizard** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 11:16 am

a great place to watch them put on a display spawning right now on warmer days...They come in waves, running along the rock walls up there..The only negative, is the guys on the bank waiting to scoop them up with nets...Taking that many spawners may not be good for the fishery, and it's being looked at...Thanks for writing about the ClearLake shad, Cooch...