If you’ve ever fished the shad spawn, you know what an amazing experience it can be. I highly encourage you to get in on the action if you haven’t. Find the shad, and catch the bass. It seems easy, right? Not so fast. Through experience and a ton of research, I’ve uncovered some specific tips and techniques to take full advantage of this special time of year.
To catch bass in the shad spawn, locate shad when they are active early in the morning on hard edges like seawalls, grass lines, and riprap. Work shad imitating lures like topwater, flukes, spinnerbaits, and swim jigs quickly across the water surface to elicit a reaction strike from waiting bass.
Follow along below to put yourself in the best position to make the most of the shad spawn to increase your chances of success.
When Do Shad Spawn?
The shad spawn occurs during a narrow window of time when certain conditions are present.
The onset of the shad spawn is typically directly related to the weather because of its effect on water temperature. Shad will generally begin their spawning activities when water temps hit the high sixties through the high seventies.
Different parts of the country see shad spawning activity begin at different times of the year — all relative to the changes in water temperature in that region. The farther south you go, the earlier the shad spawn begins. Go north, and it starts later because the water warms up later in the season.
Although there is no hard and fast rule, shad usually begin to spawn after the bass spawn is over. There are times, however, when they can be at or near the same time.
Where Do Shad Spawn? 7 Spots to Find Shad Spawning
Shad have a relatively predictable pattern of movement regarding locations for their spawn. They look for anything that provides a hard edge that they can use for their spawning activities. The following are common spots to find shad spawn activity:
- Main lake grass points
- Floating docks
- Bridges and the lines of riprap on the sides of the bridges.
- Weedlines that form a visible edge. The outside edge of grasslands should always be checked for shad activity.
- Seawalls
- Cover near the mouths of creek arms.
- Any hard edges near the bank. Shad love to tuck in close to the bank.
What Time of Day is Best to Fish the Shad Spawn?
Peak shad spawning activity occurs during brief periods of the day. To take full advantage of the shad spawn for bass fishing, you’ll need to get up early to be on the water at first light.
Low light means a high activity for shad and bass. After the sun reaches full light, shad activity typically comes to an end. The brief period between first light and full light provides the best chances for fishing success. At best, you’ll typically have 2 to 3 hours of good shad spawn fishing after first light.
Note that early morning shad spawning activity could be extended if you’re fishing under overcast skies, which means less light and more time to fish the shad spawn.
How Do You Know the Shad Are Spawning?
To effectively fish the shad spawn, it’s helpful to pay attention to nature’s tells that you’ve timed things correctly and found the right spot.
First, look for obvious signs of shad activity like bait flickering or even jumping out of the water (usually in an attempt to escape bass in pursuit).
Second, use nature as your guide by looking for other predators who are also after a shad meal. Pay close attention to any birds either diving on bait or sitting in areas of the lake (identified above) where shad may be spawning. Bird wildlife can give away great clues that you should be looking for to identify shad spawning areas.
There are a few ways to tell where it’s happening. For one, the blue herons will be perched along those areas gobbling up the massive schools of bait. Gulls and egrets will take advantage of them, too.
11 of the Best Lures for Catching Bass During the Shad Spawn
You’re out of bed early, on the water, and you’ve found a great shad spawning area. Before discussing specific lure choices, note that white is one of the best color choices for the shad spawn. Now, it’s time to tie on one of the 11 best lures for catching bass during the shad spawn.
1. Spinnerbait
Spinnerbaits are probably one of the most common and popular lure choices for the shad spawn and for a good reason.
Spinnerbaits are outfitted with blades that mimic flickering shad. Additionally, as a moving bait, they can be fished quickly to cover water thoroughly.
Finally, they are a good fit for open water or can also be in sparse grass settings since they are relatively weedless.
2. Topwater Popper
Poppers are extremely effective during this special period, especially in more open water settings. Work them quicker than usual to mimic fleeing baitfish.
3. Swim jig
Swim jigs are built to move through grass without too much risk of getting stuck. A white swim jig with a white trailer is an excellent setup for catching bass during the spawn.
I’ve used this exact setup to catch bass during the shad spawn in Lake Okeechobee. The shad were set up on the outside edges of the grass line, and the bass were eatin’!
Swim jigs are generally a better fit in grass when the wind is calm. Therefore, I opt for a spinnerbait or chatterbait in more windy conditions.
4. Vibrating Jig
Bass love to jump on a chatterbait during the spawn, especially in dark or muddy water or high wind conditions.
5. Walking bait
A walking bait can be great to cover water and grab attention. The lure’s erratic movement resembles a shad on its last legs, making it across the water. Bass will seize any opportunity for an easy meal.
6. Frog
When the shad spawn is pushed way back in thick vegetation, a white frog can be a great weedless tactic to get to the bass waiting nearby. I like to work the frog super fast in these situations because that’s what imitates shad movement best.
7. Fluke
White flukes in open or semi-open water are one of my go-to baits for the shad spawn. I fish them unweighted and crank them on top of the water with erratic rod tip movements, once again looking for ways to mimic the movement of shad.
8. Buzzbait
For a louder, more aggressive play, try a buzzbait. Buzzbait fishing is not only very effective (especially in settings with less dense vegetation), but the blowups on this bait are second to none.
9. Alabama Rig
A discussion about fishing the shad spawn for bass would be incomplete without mention of the A-rig. If conditions are right and legal in your state (or tournament), the Alabama rig should always be tied on and ready to go.
It’s built specifically designed to look like a group of baitfish. So fish this bait during the shad spawn, and you won’t be disappointed.
10. Swimbait
You’ll see a noticeable and fairly specific time when the shad activity stops. Immediately after that, tie on a smaller, white, or shad-colored swimbait and work the area thoroughly. After all, the shad know their time is done, but bass may not yet. Sometimes, you can sneak in another bite or two in ten or fifteen minutes after the shad activity ends.
11. Squarebills
Squarebill crankbaits are great for fishing in shallow water during the shad spawn for bass. They’re made to deflect off cover, so fish them around hard cover like riprap, docks, sea walls, or stumps to generate bites.
The Bass Line. Final Word
The shad spawn is a dynamic situation that offers bass anglers a chance to catch large numbers of fish. Bassmaster Elite pro Terry Scroggins says it best,
“When you do find spawning shad, the bass are going to be grouped up in schools, … it’s really easy to take advantage of that situation.” source
Be ready for the next shad spawn, and you’ll be on to one heck of a bass fishing experience!