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.