Coquille River S.T.E.P.

Shad

Fishing on the Coquille River is a fairly year-round activity with one species or another available on a nearly continuous basis. However, for many, the summer fishing season begins with the annual return of American shad to the river.

As temperatures rise in late May and early June, anglers began standing on the Sturdivant Park courtesy dock, plinking brightly colored shad darts into the river in an effort to hook the wily fish that some say pound for pound will out fight a large mouth bass.

According to the Shad Foundation, west coast anglers began getting their chance at the native east coast fish when in 1871 Seth Green planted some fry in California’s Sacramento River. The fish adapted so well to the new environment that by 1938, the fish had moved north and about 5,000 shad returned to the Columbia River. In 1988, more than three million shad were counted at Bonneville Dam.

While Oregon anglers prefer to use them as bait for stripped bass and dungeness crabs, east coast anglers value the boney fish as a delicacy and hold annual shad festivals where they are cooked on planks, baked or fried. Most prized is the roe.

“They’re not the most publicized fish, but they certainly come back in great numbers typically Mother’s Day to Father’s Day is what the old-timers go by. However, Mother’s Day seems a little bit early and it’s usually closer to the first of June,” said Allen Ritchie Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist.

The fish have become so prolific that they now return from southern Calif. north as far as Alaska, Ritchie said.

“You definitely need a couple of sunny days that the sun is hitting the water pretty good,” Ritchie said. “A lot of people are ingrained about you got to rise with the sun early and get on it. But shad can be somewhat of a lazy man’s fishery. You know, sleep in have your cup of coffee and pancakes and go fishing in the afternoon.”

American shad can reach a length of 30 inches, and is the largest–and considered the most delicious to eat–of all the shads, which are part of the herring species.

An anadromous fish, American shad is indigenous to the Atlantic coast from the St. Lawrence River to Florida. The fish spend most of their lives at sea in large schools. Shad only enter freshwater to spawn when it reaches a temperature of 51 to 55 degrees. Spawning usually takes place between sunset and midnight and a typical female can lay up to 600,000 eggs, according to the Shad Foundation. The eggs drift down stream and hatch in anywhere from four to ten days. About 70 percent die before reaching maturity.

Adult shad have a row of dark spots (3-23) along their sides and can weigh two to five pounds and be up to 30 inches in length. Shad normally spend three to five years at sea before returning to fresh water.

Recipes

Cook shad roe fifteen minutes in boiling salted water to cover, with one-half tablespoon vinegar; drain, cover with cold water, and let stand five minutes. Remove from cold water, and place on buttered pan with three-fourths cup Tomato Sauce I or II. Bake twenty minutes in hot oven, basting every five minutes. Remove to a platter, and pour around three-fourths cup Tomato Sauce.

Fried Shad Roe

Parboil and cook shad roe as for Baked Shad Roe. Cut in pieces, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and brush over with lemon juice. Dip in crumbs, egg, and crumbs, fry in deep fat and drain.

Broiled Shad with Herbs & onions
Serves 4

From the New York Seafood Council.