Deer Creek Hickory Shad

Type: Nontidal
Region: Northern
Location: Deer Creek

Hickory shad were biting good all day today at the mouth of Deer Creek. Fisheries biologists from the Pennsylvania Game and Fish Comminssion were collecting male and female shad from the anglers as the fish were reeled in. Their goal is to spawn them in a controlled environment to produce an abundance of shad fry thereby increasing the population. Hickory shad and especially American shad numbers are way down. The shad fishery is anticipated every spring by avid anglers throughout the state. Thankfully, Maryland permits a shad catch and release season. I lost count but probably caught four dozen hickory shad in two hours time most of which were bucks. It sure is fun fighting those feisty silver fish! Some folks call them poor man's tarpon because they pull so hard and jump out of the water. The hot lure of the day was a silver Tony #13 spoon but folks were also catching them on combination shad darts and Nungasser spoons. When the bite is on like it was today it seems the fish will take any lure.