Threadfin shad are usually easily distinguished from gizzard shad by the fact that the upper jaw does not project beyond the lower jaw. The anal fin usually has 20-25 rays, as opposed to 29-35 rays found in gizzard shad. The upper surface is silver-blue and grades to nearly white on the sides and belly.
Do people eat threadfin shad?
If they are small enough, you could prepare them like we do smelt up in the Great Lakes. Most smelt are around 4″ or larger, so we like to gut them and remove the heads, dip them in batter and fry. Smaller ones can be eaten whole. If you don’t eat the heads, you can make stock or fish sauce out of them.
Can you eat a gizzard shad?
Like most things in life, the answer seems to be “good in moderation.” In a healthy ecosystem where gizzard shad are a native species, these chubby fish play their role as a consumer and accessible prey item without upsetting predator-prey balances.
What color is threadfin shad?
Description: Threadfin Shad are relatively small forage fish with a body shaped like a lance. They have a flattened belly with a sawtooth belly. They are usually silver in color fading to black or blue near the caudal fin. Threadfin and gizzard shad both have a long thread like filament at the end of the dorsal fin.
What color is gizzard shad?
silvery
Gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) – Native. The gizzard shad has a body that is silvery in color with a bluish-gray back with a large purple-blue spot on the upper side of the body just beyond the operculum or gill flap.
How big can gizzard shad get?
Size: q Gizzard shad are commonly found in the 8-14 inch range but may reach lengths of up to 18 inches or more.
Are gizzard shad good for ponds?
They may also serve as an alternative to threadfin shad as an additional forage base in ponds located in colder climates. In certain situations, and if managed correctly, gizzard shad can be an ideal supplemental forage for producing exceptionally large bass.
Why is it called gizzard shad?
The gizzard shad is so named because it possesses a gizzard, a sack filled with rocks or sand, that aids the animal in the breakdown of consumed food. Its generic name, Dorosoma, is a reflection of the fact that, when young, the fish has a lancelet-shaped body (doro meaning lanceolate and soma meaning body).
What is the biggest shad ever caught?
two feet and six inches long
The American shad is the largest shad species. The biggest one ever caught on record was two feet and six inches long. They usually feed on plankton as well as small crustaceans and fishes.
Are threadfin shad good for ponds?
Threadfin Shad are cold intolerant and, generally, cannot handle water temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes them a more appropriate fit for southern lakes and ponds.
How many times a year do threadfin shad spawn?
Threadfin Shad
Spawning temperature: 67-70 degrees. Spawning time: Threadfin spawn during late April in Southern reservoirs. Reproduction Cycles: Threadfin shad can spawn several times per year. It’s not uncommon for threadfin to spawn a second time in mid July, and again in September or early October.
What does a threadfin shad look like?
Description of Threadfin Shad
Color is bluish gray on the back with a persistent black or purple spot just behind the head. The lower side is silver to creamy white. The fins have a yellow tint, which gives it the local name of “yellowtails”).
What is the best bait for gizzard shad?
When deep cranking points, you’re probably going to get bit by fish eating gizzards, and when there are fish shallow or on top, it will usually be threadfins the bass are after. Gilliland says that there a lot of good shad-imitating baits on the market, but the best are crankbaits and spinnerbaits.
How big is a threadfin shad?
The threadfin shad may reach lengths of 8 in (200 mm), but only rarely. This fish is very sensitive to changes in temperature and dissolved oxygen, and die-offs are frequent in late summer and fall, especially when water temperature drops to 42°F.
Is shad healthy fish?
“Shad is a great fish to eat, it’s very healthy for you, and you’re supporting a local fishery that’s sustainable.” Shad, a large member of the herring family, are famously bony fish. Cooks get around that by baking the fish to soften the bones. But for most people, the real prize is the shad roe.
Which fish has a lot of bones?
Carp is a freshwater fish with coarse, tough flesh and lots of bones. Since fish bones are smaller and have less calcium than those of other animals, they can soften (and even dissolve) with cooking. Carp is commonly poached or steamed whole in Chinese dishes.
What is the best way to cook shad fish?
Today’s shad fillets are best cooked by panfrying or baking until the flesh is opaque — about 10 minutes for a 1-inch thick piece of fish. Along the Connecticut River, fiddleheads poke up on the banks just as the shad are arriving, and they are its traditional local partner.
Where do gizzard shad go in winter?
In the winter, when the water grows much colder, the shad migrate back out of the creeks and into main lake depths. On some lakes, this can easily be 40 to 60 feet deep.
How long do gizzard shad live?
Longer life spans are typical in the northern parts of its range and individuals live to 5-7 years and have been reported living up to 10-11 years (Etnier and Starnes 1993; Williamson and Nelson 1985; Miller 1960).
How much is a load of threadfin shad?
One load of Threadfin shad (5,000 to 7,000) or about 25 pounds of fish can cost as much as $1800.00 or $2.57-$3.60 for each fish. Threadfin shad can only survive in most private lakes for only 3-8 month at best.
How many eggs do threadfin shad lay?
Spawning begins in the spring when the water temperature reaches 65 to 70 degrees F. Threadfin are heavy spawners with a single female capable of laying 10-12,000 eggs.
Gerardo Gonzalez loves cooking. He became interested in it at a young age, and has been honing his skills ever since. He enjoys experimenting with new recipes, and is always looking for ways to improve his technique.
Gerardo’s friends and family are the lucky beneficiaries of his delicious cooking. They always enjoy trying out his latest creations, and often give him feedback on how he can make them even better. Gerardo takes their input to heart, and uses it to continue refining his culinary skills.