By the turn of the century, American shad will once again roam unaided throughout most of their historical range. The American shad is the largest member of the herring family. Adults commonly reach four to eight pounds. The Pennsylvania record is nine pounds, nine ounces. These beautiful silvery fish are prized by anglers for their sporting qualities.
Shad are among the strongest and hardest-fighting of all fish found in freshwater.
Their flesh is considered excellent table fare, although it is bony. Like all anadromous fish, shad spend most of their life in the ocean and return to freshwater to spawn. Each spring, adult shad migrate into coastal rivers from Florida to Newfoundland. Spawning takes place around dusk at water temperatures from 60 to 65 degrees. A single female shad can produce up to 600,000 eggs, but most average 250,000 eggs.