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This information is an excerpt from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) Outdoor Report for March 26, 2008.

Spring is upon us and the annual run of shad will soon be in full swing, as they make their way into our freshwater rivers to spawn. In recent years, many anglers have been rediscovering these fine silvery jewels from the sea, as increasing numbers of hickory and American shad[/url] are providing exciting, spring angling opportunities. American shad and Hickory shad usually arrive in mid-March in the Rappahannock River and James River and the American Shad usually hang around through May. Remember, it is catch and release only for American shad (check VDGIF Freshwater Fishing Regulations and VMRC regulations).

Shad Cam is back up for the season and enthusiasts can once again enjoy capturing images of American shad and 20+ other species of riverine fishes as they pass through the Boshers Dam fishway on the James River.

The American Shad Restoration Project is also underway, to collect American shad eggs and stock fry, as part of a cooperative effort to replenish shad stocks in the James and Rappahannock rivers. The Pamunkey River supplies the broodstock for the James stockings and the Potomac provides the broodstock for the Rappahannock stockings. Since 1992 over 98 million shad fry have been stocked in the upper James and since 2003 over 18 million have been stocked in the upper Rappahannock.

Fish passage progress continues throughout Virginia. Embrey Dam is now completely gone from the river, and American shad, hickory shad, blueback herring, and striped bass have been found above the dam by our biologists. The Boshers Dam fishway is once again operating for the 2008 spawning run.

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I gotta do this - been talking about shad and herring with several buddies for 2 weeks now.....never done it.......we are going to keep bull shtting and miss the run dang it !!!

by the way - YES YOU CAN keep american shad IF the water way does NOT connect to the Chesapeake Bay

( nottaway river for example- )

I have never fished for them but have seen it done on tv. I dont know if there is even a river here in ohio that they run in. I guess they might run up in the ohio,If anyone knows let me know. Ill be buying some of those shad dart lures Ive seen if so, and a guy can never have to many lures.