It shall be unlawful for any person to catch and retain possession of American shad from the Chesapeake Bay, except as described in 4VAC20-530-31. B. It shall be unlawful for any person to possess aboard a vessel or land in Virginia any American shad harvested from the coastal area.
What shad can you keep in Virginia?
The benefit of fishing there is you can keep a hickory shad or two for dinner. Actually, you can keep as many as you want. In Virginia rivers, as in Maryland and the District, it’s illegal to keep the larger American shad, but hickories are fair game with no daily creel limit in the Old Dominion.
Can you keep gizzard shad in Virginia?
Gizzard and threadfin shad can be collected and used in any of Virginia’s water but there are geographical limitations for herring. There are no restrictions for herring in Virginia waters that are within the Roanoke, New or Tennessee River drainages.
What is the difference between American shad and hickory shad?
The American shad has a terminal mouth where the lower jaw fits evenly under the upper jaw when the mouth is closed. The hickory shad has a superior mouth where the lower jaw protrudes substantially beyond the upper jaw when the mouth is closed.
Is hickory shad good eating?
“Shad is a great fish to eat, it’s very healthy for you, and you’re supporting a local fishery that’s sustainable.” Shad, a large member of the herring family, are famously bony fish. Cooks get around that by baking the fish to soften the bones.
How do you catch hickory shad?
A solid rule for hickory shad fishing is “light and bright“. Hickories tend to feed in the top of the water column, near the surface, so light lures stay in the strike zone. Small darts and jigs in yellow, orange or chartreuse will consistently take fish.
What do hickory shad eat?
Shad feed on small fish, fish eggs and crustaceans.
Can I use bluegill as bait in Virginia?
Any legally possessed game fish may be used as bait when fished whole. Must comply with creel and length limits. The only game fish that can be used as cut bait are bluegill, sunfish, and bream.
Can you cut up bluegill for bait?
Bluegill can be used live or as cut bait for catfish. Many people think bluegill are the best flathead bait available. I have caught many trophy flathead catfish using bream for flathead bait. Personally, I prefer using bluegill as cut bait for flatheads, but I have caught many flatheads on live bluegill also.
What is the best bait for shad?
The best bait for American shad are small, artificial lures including jigs, spinners, spoons and similar lures. Shiny or brightly colored lures work best, although shad also are known to bite a shiny bare hook, especially attached to a swivel to give it some swaying action.
Are shad and menhaden the same?
Shad, alewife, and herring – terms representing the herring family have come to be used to describe the menhaden.
Is herring same as shad?
Blueback herring, alewife, hickory and American shad are members of the herring family (Clupeidae). They are anadromous fishes, which means they spend the majority of their adult lives at sea and migrate up coastal rivers in the spring to spawn in freshwater.
What do you do with shad?
First, you can poach the shad in broth or salted water and then flake out all the meat, using the meat to make fish cakes like my recipe for fish cakes with wild rice; I use this recipe for another bony fish, the northern pike. Or, you can chop the skinless shad roughly, bones and all, and buzz it in a food processor.
Can you grill shad?
Usually smoked, grilled whole, baked, or deep-fried, shad can be easily cooked and served as you would salmon.
When can you catch hickory shad?
Hickory shad generally precede their larger cousins to Maryland waters, arriving by late February or early March. Although their runs generally peak by mid to late April spawning may continue into mid-May. American shad arrive in state waters by mid-March with numbers peaking by mid-May.
Can you use hickory shad for bait?
Although never guaranteed, I’ve learned from surfcasting in the late summer through fall that the presence of hickory shad often implies the presence of striped bass nearby. As much fun as they can be to catch with the right gear, hickory shad also provide surf anglers with some of the best striper bait available.
Where do hickory shad come from?
The hickory shad (Alosa mediocris) is a member of the herring family Clupeidae, ranging along the East Coast of the United States from Florida to the Gulf of Maine. It is an anadromous fish species, meaning that it spawns in freshwater portions of rivers, but spends most of its life at sea.
Will shad eat minnows?
Live baits including worms, small minnows and grubs can be used to catch shad, but artificial lures are usually more effective and considerably more economical. Shad are not programmed to feed while they are spawning, so many anglers use artificial lures to trigger a reaction strike.
How big do shad get?
Common length for female adult shad is 24.3 in and common length for male adult shad is 19.7 inches. The maximum reported length for an American shad is 29.9 inches. The American shad’s body is blue or green in color along the top of its body with silvery sides.
Do shad eat flies?
Shad are feed mostly on plankton like other herring, but they have been known to consume shrimp, small fish, and fish eggs. It is puzzling why shad readily take flies and other lures, being the plankton feeders that they are. It could be out of aggression or perhaps simple curiosity.
How many rods can you fish with in Virginia?
two rods
Most states in the USA allow licensed anglers to fish with two rods at a time. However, in some places like Minnesota, anglers can use only one rod while open water fishing.
The freshwater rod & reel limit for every state in America:
| State | Lines Allowed | Special Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia | Unlimited | 1 while trout fishing |