April 16, 2003 (rt23 news) - There have been reported catches of American shad from Trenton to Easton. Conditions are ideal with water levels near normal and the water temperature over 50 degrees F. Today’s warm weather will, of course, only improve the conditions.

A commercial gill-netter out of the Salem River (NJ) who had been catching a maximum of 600 pounds of American shad per day last week, has in the past couple of days, caught 1,000 pounds per day. Traditionally, this is the poundage he had caught during other years at the height of the run. There were many good-sized roes.

The recreational catches referred to earlier were mostly bucks, although yesterday an angler caught a 7-pound roe and some bucks at Bull’s Island. At the mouth of the Musconetcong River a nice roe and some bucks were landed. Another angler caught a 6.8-pound roe at the mouth of the Lehigh River, as well as another roe and nine bucks. Last year during this same week when it got to 90 degrees, the same angler caught 30 shad.

All indications are that the main run of American shad is underway and on its way upriver.













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