Why should I go fishing during the shad spawn?

Threadfin shad spawn when the water hits the upper 60s in temperature, usually in late April in Georgia.

The shad spawn is anticipated by bass and hybrid fishermen each year because you can usually catch a lot of fish while these baitfish are laying their eggs. When shad spawn they move in to rocky banks like riprap and the females run the rocks inches from the bank laying eggs and males join them to fertilize the eggs. These baitfish are easy pickings for predators. Bass and hybrids will run in right on the bank and eat them, and hold just off the bank and eat anything that comes by them. Shad spawn right at daylight, and it is usually a prime time to catch fish, until the sun gets on the water.

A spinnerbait fished right on the edge of the rocks or slow rolled out from them is a good choice. The bass will also hit crankbaits and top water plugs fished around the shad spawn. We are right at the end of the shad spawn now.

Last Sunday I couldn’t wait to fish Oconee in the Flint River tournament since I just knew I could catch some fish early. But a problem with the shad spawn is bass gorge themselves so much at daylight they are often hard to catch the rest of the day. That certainly proved true for me in the tournament.