Dead shad?

[67MIke]

I went fishing at the pond behind my house yesterday afternoon and at first I thought someone caught and gutted a bunch of fish just off the bank. After fishing a while we found that they are dead everywhere, mostly floating to the banks. It's a pond about 4-5 acres big. Any idea what might have caused it? It looks to be about 100-200 shad big as your hand dead but no other fish. mike

 

[JB]

Re: Dead shad?

Bad news, Mike. <br /><br />Find out what watershed drains into that pond, what is happening in that watershed and get the AG or Fish and Wildlife people to test the water.<br /><br />I have heard of shad die-offs from overpopulation or spawning stress, but I would not take any chances. Don't eat any fish from there, don't even go there until you know the score.

 

[DJ]

Re: Dead shad?

I agree with JB. Your local DNR would probably be very intertested in that. If the pond is private, the polite thing would be to talk to the owner first.<br /><br />I cannot see any sense in ratting out the owner if he did something legitimate.

 

[Ken G]

Re: Dead shad?

Some municipal water companies put gizzard shad in their untreated water reservoirs as an indicator of water quality. The shad are so sensitive to water quality they are the first fish to die if problems arise. Since no other species were affected hopefully its nothing major.<br /><br />Like DJ said I'd talk to the landowner and see if they've used any herbicides on vegetation in the pond or in the surrounding area. It might also be due to fertilizer runoff from surrounding properties if in an agricultural area.

 

[67MIke]

Re: Dead shad?

well it is a semi private pond, and cattle have one side covered and the other belong to houses 3 or 4. This is the first year we had this problem and I only use the pond to fish for fun. A friend said the o2 might be down from the unusual dry spring we had but I'm not sure. Thanks for the help tho - mike

 

[Boatist]

Re: Dead shad?

Mike <br />I do not know if the shad you have is a different type than we have or not but our shad die when they spawn just like a Salmon does. Happens every spring.<br />See link.<br /><br /> http://www.bio.umass.edu/biology/conn.river/shad.html

 

[67MIke]

Re: Dead shad?

They look similar to the pics.I'm going to try to look into it a little further Thanks Mike

 

[Ken G]

Re: Dead shad?

I would bet money that you don't have American shad in a pond in Alabama. You have either gizzard shad or threadfin shad. Both are excellent forage fish but I can't think of any parts of either that would be fit to eat.<br /><br /> http://fishing.about.com/library/weekly/aa090400a.htm <br /><br /> http://www.geocities.com/kystriperj/gzsh.html

 

[Boatist]

Re: Dead shad?

Ken <br />In California we have the Threadfin Shad but they also die when they spawn. People do eat them. Most people smoke them. A 5 pounder is really fun to catch with 6 pound test line. I mostly let then go but a couple of years did bring them home and give them to a neibours who wanted them to smoke.

 

[Ken G]

Re: Dead shad?

Boatist,<br />If I wanted to smoke one, how do I keep it lit?<br /><br />I'd say we have a classic example of people using the same common name for different species of fish. The gizzard and threadfin shad that I was referring to are members of the genus Dorosoma. The American shad is a member of the genus Alosa.

 

[Boatist]

Re: Dead shad?

Ken <br />I do not think anyone said a specific type of Shad. All he said was only shad dieing. I just wanted him to know normal for many types of shad to die when they spawn in the Spring.<br />The Threadfin Shad we have here in California die when they spawn. Many were saying must be polution but can also be natural just like a Salmon.

 

[67MIke]

Re: Dead shad?

Sorry it took so long to get back on this, Went on vacation and then the 'puter broke.<br /> After the shad (whatever type they were/are) washed up dead, There has not been a single other type of fish float or wash up? I guess the spawn was to much Thanks Mike

 

[walleyehed]

Re: Dead shad?

Threadfin shad seldom get over 3-4" in length.<br />Gizzard shad are the ones growing to larger sizes, and like the Threadfin, they also have a "thread-like" trailer from the back of the dorsil fin but not as long.<br /> The problem I see with the die-off, is the shad should have spawned 1 to 1-1/2 months ago, in your location.<br />Oxygen levels drop dramatically this time of year, and the smaller the pond, the quicker the drop.<br />It's always best to error on the side of caution, as far as consumption goes, but I would recommend going to the pond before sunrise and look for fish moving slowly on the surface, "piping" for air..If there is no surface activity, and I don't mean feeding activity, just slow movement at the surface, your oxygen levels are OK.<br />Zoo and phytoplankton bloom heavily during the day, but die-off and decompose after sun-down, burning desolved oxygen in the process, and the oxygen level will be lowest just before sunrise, and if lower-than-normal O2 is the case, the fish will be on the surface.

 

[Boatist]

Re: Dead shad?

walleyehed<br />Mikes first post was June 3, at that time shad were running here but had not reached their peak. He is on other side of the US from me but to me if it was a problem with the water I think you would also have perch bass and trout wash up. Anyway really does not matter now.

 

[walleyehed]

Re: Dead shad?

Boatist, I missed the post date from the original post, and that could be the issue after spawn.<br />Shad require 3 times the desolved 02 of that of the largemouth, which requires an even higher amount than sunfish such as bluegill, longears, etc.<br />Perch, such as Walleye, Sauger, ringed, (or Yellow) require 02 levels just below that of adult Shad.<br />Thanks for bringing the date to my attention...I wasn't paying attention to details.