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American Shad

American Shad

American Shad are the largest member of the herring family found in Massachusetts waters, commonly reaching 18-24 inches in length.

They're anadromous fish that spend most of their adult lives in shallow marine waters along the continental shelf, co-occurring with river herring, Atlantic herring, and Atlantic mackerel.

Scientific Name: Alosa sapidissima

Physical Characteristics:
  • Commonly reaching 18-24 inches in length with distinctive silver, diamond-shaped scales and 59-75 gill rakers.

What to know

Habitat Distribution

  • Found in Massachusetts rivers, spending most of their adult lives in shallow marine waters along the continental shelf.

Key Locations

  • Connecticut River, Merrimack River, Palmer River, Taunton River, Jones River, Indian Head and South Rivers in the North River watershed, Neponset River, and Charles River.
  • Prime locations include Rocks Village (Ferry Park) in West Newbury, Spiro's (Chippendale's Dance Studio) in North Andover, and The Dam (Pemberton Park) in Lawrence on the Merrimack River.

Specific Spots

  • Fish deep pools, slow-moving currents, tributary mouths, and areas below dams where shad congregate during their upstream migration.

American Shad FAQ

Answers from onWater's species guide.

What are the best lures and bait for American Shad in Massachusetts?

Flutter spoons sizes #00 to #3 (with #1 and #2 most popular), and shad darts from 1/32 oz to 1/4 oz. Top colors are chartreuse/fluorescent green combinations, hot pink and chartreuse, red and white, and all hot pink. Also effective are jig-and-grub combinations, small tube plastics.

What flies work for American Shad in Massachusetts?

Flashy-tailed clouser minnows, soft-bodied streamers, darts, and 1/64 oz micro jigs in bright colors like pink, orange, and chartreuse.

When is the best time to fish for American Shad in Massachusetts?

Best from mid-late April through the third week of June, with peak activity when temperatures hit 50°F in early May. Spawning occurs in spring when water temperatures reach 50-65°F, typically from mid-late April through July in Massachusetts rivers.

How do you catch American Shad in Massachusetts?

Cast across current allowing lures to swing downstream while retrieving just fast enough to keep near bottom, adding wrist twitches and jigging motions.

What do American Shad eat?

Adult American shad feed on a wide variety of zooplankton, shrimp, and small fishes while in marine environments, using ram suspension-feeding to filter plankton, mainly copepods and mysids. However, they eat very little during their freshwater spawning migration, occasionally feeding only on small prey.

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