Shad Fishing - February through April

Hickory and White Shad make their spawning runs up the coastal rivers of North Carolina Feb-April of each year.  In our opinion, the Roanoke River near Weldon NC is the best place on the planet to experience the shad run.  Other rivers such as the Tar, the Neuse, and the Cape Fear also have good spring shad runs.  The hickory shad usually show up in the Weldon area during the first two weeks of March and hang around until Mid April.  Even a slow day shad fishing on the Roanoke, is usually more action than you will experience in other locations.  Over one hundred fish in a day, is a definite possibility when fishing the Roanoke.  Shad are great fun on ultra light spinning rods, or 4-5wt fly rods with a sinking line.  They earn their nickname “poor man’s tarpon” from their flashy silver scales and their ability to jump multiple times when hooked.