Shad Cam!

The shad cam is a camera in the fish ladder at Bosher's Dam on the James River in Virginia.  In the proper season you can see the shad and herring running up the river.  This is the season. 

American Shad

Shad and herring are anadromous  fish (meaning live in the ocean but spawn in freshwater) that run up Chesapeake Bay tributaries in spring to spawn.  There are multiple species of both shad and herring.  Herring are relatively small, but shad get pretty large.  In colonial times,  huge fishing industries existed for these fish in the tributaries. George Washington had a commercial fishing operation in the Potomac River at Mount Vernon for shad and herring.  Herring are targeted as both food (pickled and kippered herring) and bait (they make excellent live bait or cut for striped bass), while shad are primarily targeted as a sport fish, being highly sought after by fly fisherman for catch and release fishing.  As for how they taste, consider the following recipe:

1. Clean and split down the back a good 3-pound shad.
2. Heat plank very hot, lay fish upon it, skin side down, or that portion will be raw.
3. The hot plank cooks it.
4. Brush flesh carefully over with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Bake for 30 minutes in a hot oven.
6. Baste frequently with melted vegetable shortening.
7. It may be cooked in a gas range having the flame over the fish.
8. When cooked pour over the fish 2 tablespoons melted vegetable shortening and juice of 1 lemon.
9. Garnish with parsley and quarters of lemon.
10. Set the plank on a serving dish and serve with butter sauce.

Hickory Shad

Shad and herring populations have been substantially reduced in the bay do to interference with their spawning runs by dams and other obstacles to the fish, as well as plain old overfishing, and shad are protected from harvest in Maryland.


Thanks to Capt. Mike Starrett.