Greatest of all gamefishes

[Ken L]

Good point.

 

Shad go berserk when hooked - think mullet, think bonefish, think supercharged mackerel.

 

I have caught both British species, Allis and Thwaite - both by accident - the Allis took a cockle presented on a multi-bait scratching rig from the shore whilst on a species hunt (what a bonus!) the Thwaite fell to feathering tactics at sea.

 

On each occasion I was convinced I had a mullet on until I could see the fish properly.

 

So yes, if you were flyfishing for mullet and hooked a shad you would have a real scrap on.

 

However, I would not fish deliberately for shad, and would urge other AN members not to do so

 

Two reasons

1. They are a protected species, so nobody has any business to be fishing for them.

2. They fight hard in the water, and continue to thrash wildly when out of the water. Being members of the herring family, their scales are very easily dislodged as a result of all that thrashing about, so even when returned to the water (as the law prescribes) they will be minus several scales - not a good idea for a fish we are trying to protect.

 

Now I know that Allis shad are heavily protected* but I thought that the Twaite shad were only protected within areas designated as SSSI's.

Your point about shedding scales is very valid though.

 

 

* but not so protected that there is a ban on gill-netting in the Bristol channel or anything like that.....

[Renrag39]

Ignoring the extrapolation then definitely Trout. Only ever caught 2 but they're feisty lil buggers.

 

Top 5, in no particular order, ignoring the extrapolation rule, just considering 'appropriate' tackle.

Trout

Chub

Pike (Jacks)

Mullet

Eel

 

Renrag

[Vagabond]

I thought that the Twaite shad were only protected within areas designated as SSSI's

 

It seems a rather grey area (putting "Twaite Shad protection" into a search engine produces a number of different versions)

 

The safest course IMHO is to regard them as "protected" full stop.

[cannibalspinners]

It seems a rather grey area (putting "Twaite Shad protection" into a search engine produces a number of different versions)

 

The safest course IMHO is to regard them as "protected" full stop.

If its U.K. game fish then none has more raw power than a river caught salmon

or fresh run sea trout

or a resident large brown trout , That can lie in the Rapids for Fun

[Dick Dastardly]

Now I know that Allis shad are heavily protected* but I thought that the Twaite shad were only protected within areas designated as SSSI's.

Your point about shedding scales is very valid though.

 

 

* but not so protected that there is a ban on gill-netting in the Bristol channel or anything like that.....

 

 

I thought that as well? My only Shad (Twaite) was caught back in the Early mid 70's at Diglis Weir on the Severn. It was quite common then to see anglers targetting and catching them. Totally agree with your veiws re not fishing for either intentionally any more regardless of the law.

[Sportsman]

I might go and try for one this year

 

http://www.sexyloops.com/articles/allisshad.shtml

[Vagabond]

http://www.sexyloops.com/articles/allisshad.shtml

 

Yes, and take note how many scales have been lost by the fish in the picture - fine if you are going to knock it on the head and eat it. (Does French law allow that? I expect it does.)

 

Not so clever though if you want to return it.

Edited January 6, 2012 by Vagabond

[Nicepix]

Yes, and take note how many scales have been lost by the fish in the picture - fine if you are going to knock it on the head and eat it. (Does French law allow that? I expect it does.)

 

Not so clever though if you want to return it.

 

Don't jump to conclusions. The French are promoting catch and release, and they have an outright ban on eel fishing. They aren't as bad as you might think.

[Phone]

All,

 

Interesting.

 

Of all the various shad - North America and Europe do not have a common species. The only "shad" I know are bait fish.

 

Phone

[Vagabond]

Don't jump to conclusions. The French are promoting catch and release, and they have an outright ban on eel fishing. They aren't as bad as you might think.

 

 

Not jumping to anything , that's why I was asking - though expecting a "yes"

 

....and "catch and release" for shad could well be useless - for reasons already stated.

 

.... in any case, if the stocks will bear it, there is nothing "bad" about eating your catch.