Why shad?

[spook]

I am a recent addition to the ifish group and have thoroughly enjoyed reading all the posts, especially all the tips and tricks on how to catch springers. I am with many others out there that have not caught a fish yet this Spring but I will keep trying. The fishing has been great but the catching has been lousy. I don't have a boat so I have been fishing from the bank at Meldrum Bar, Clackamette Park and Dahl Park. I fished F4 with Texas Rig (thanks again to Mofish for the taxi ride out to Texas Rig)with Fishin' Eddie parked alongside. In fact, that may be the reason we didn't catch any fish that day. I have noticed from numerous posts that fishing too close to Fishin' Eddie could jeopardize the fish catching.

Anyway, back to the subject. I have noticed a lot of posts about fishing for shad. What are shad good for? Are they worth eating or just fun to catch? In my younger years I lived in Kansas. If we caught a shad we would cut it up, put it in fruit jar, let it set out in the sun for about a week and use it for catfish bait. It was considered too boney and oily to be good eating.

So, thanks to all for all the good advice. Keep those cards and letters coming, folks.

Jerry

[bait boy]

That there is prime oversize sturgy bait, and makes a darn good addition to a crab pot. (for bait that is)

[Terry H]

Spook--Shad are God's gift to the spring salmon fisherman.
About the time you are sick and tired of real slow boat rides---UP JUMP THE SHAD---.
Most days when the water is clear ,you can catch,5,10,maybe 20 or more.
You might talk to the guys at fisherman's for tackle info.
Shad are most likely the best crab bait you can get,they are also killer stergeon bait [especially oversize].
If you like pickeled herring,shad are great
pickeled
I've had shad smoked and canned and it is terrific.
They are great fun for the kids to fish for,there is usually enough action to keep them interested,and pound for pound have more fight than most fish you could catch.
Oh,and the nice thing also is that if you loose one ,there are approxamatly 1000000 more behind it .Have fun.

[Pilar]

Spook, I would say that there is no harder fighting fish for size than the lowly shad. As mentioned above they are awesome as crabbait.

You can turn a 4lb shad and a 4lb lead ball into the largest freshwater fish in North America, right by Bonneville Dam in the Gorge. They can grow to 18 feet, ahemm, ah ask ********* about the 18 footer. And you might have an hour or better fight if you can hang on to your rod for that long.

Best of all is the effect Shad have on kids. It's no brainer easy and kids really dig it. Big fight, no bait, tricky bite or hardcore tackle to mess with. When the bend happens pick it up and go.

Use a steelhead rod so you can get really lucky and land the occasional Springer that will grab your wee Dick Nite spoon. Find a busy boat, watch and learn.

Be forewarned, Shad are addicting and your kids will bug you mercilessly to go do it again.

[CrazyHorse]

I just fish for em cuz they're fun to catch. Which is the reason I fish for a lot of the fish I do. except for sturgeon and flatties...THEY GO ON MY PLATE :smile:

[Keta]

Smoked shad are good eating. :grin:

[Fishalot]

The thing that I would like to know is there any one out there that has seen or heard of Fishing Eddie catching a springer graemlins/berry.gif . I to have caught a Springer while on the Bunsen burner Boat this season, the thing is he never sees his rod go down because he is pulling on my line acking like a fish :grin: . I sure like the guy, however I am glad that his Fishless Eddie mojo does not rub off on others. :wink:

Fishalot

[AngleThis]

Shad are good for only three things...peeler bait, crab bait, and fun for the kids.

[Keta]

*********,
You havent tried then smoked have you?

[fish_on]

Shad are good for proving that your boat has a bad bad case of the skunk. After going 6 weeks without a springer I tried shad. As with salmon I watched as all the boats around me caught fish and I was skunked. :whazzup: Time to go over the boat and find the cause. Maybe BOE and I should fish together with our bad luck were bound to catch a fish. :grin:

[omnivore]

You are kidding fish_on, right?

If you can't hook a shad now, then you're a hopeless case. Sell all your fishing paraphernalia and take up golf. You'll be doing a lot of hooking there. Slicing, too. You'll save money, time, and respect, too. :grin:

[fisheromen]

The Burmese have a saying "If you look for a wife, look for a virgin; if you look for a fish, look for a shad". I was surprised when I spent time in Bangladesh to find the lowly shad all over in fish markets and highly prized. Much of SE Asia considers them great eating. So yes, they can be eaten and they aren't bad if prepared right. In fact, on the east coast of the U.S. they are held in a lot higher regard than here as a food fish and the roe goes for a pretty penny in season. It is also quite good but so rich that I can't eat more than a skein at a time. I know everyone here is much too refined (read ignorant and snobby - or maybe just spoiled on salmon, steelhead, and sturgeon) to do anything but laugh at me - laugh away. But if you are interested you don't have to admit it to anyone. Just do a simple search and you'll come up with some good recipes for both shad and their roe.

PS. I have to admit I enjoy our native species more but I also welcome the change of taste occasionally.
PPS. I also enjoy eating fried smelt - imagine that!

[crabbait]

Fisheromen and Keta - You the man! I grew up with a meatcutter dad and we learned to try everything. Fresh Smelt are excellent table fair when rolled in cornmeal and quick fried and I haven't met a smoked fish yet that was not delicious.

Pickled herring are great, too. I remember one time when a buddy and his wife and I were fishing sturgeon from the bank with pickled herring. I had just baited my hook and decided to have a mouthful while I cast out. I thought my friend's wife was gonna hurl! She hucked and chugged for about five minutes. Guess she didn't know that pickled herring was made for humans, we just feed it to sturgeon occasionally. :grin:

[Paddlefish]

Keta:

Based on his posts of the last couple of weeks, please don't be inviting Angle to be smoking anything!! :shocked:

[Dan Christopher]

i was fishing at the dam for shad about 15 years ago and here is the story.

i was catching a few fish (all males) and was giveing them to the korian guy next to me.then i started releacing them.will i finelly got a hen,started to release it and another guy that hasen't got a fish yet started to have a fit."you not going to let that one go are you"he said..."well ya" i said "but do you wantit"...oh my he was about frothing at the mouth."those are such good eating" he said.he (droped)his rod in the sand as i gave it to him , he takes out his knife right there,splits the belly,takes out a hand full of eggs and shoves them in his mouth.he was in heavin.he stretches the fish out to me and said "try some there great fresh".i about throw up right there,looking at him with egg goo all over his face.slobering over that nasty fish.the korian evan looked at him funny.so i will tell you ,i guess to some they are good eating to me they will always be a face full of egg goo.

well thats the story and if you ever see some one do this turn away and dont watch,you dont want the nightmares :hoboy:

[CATCH AND EAT]

Ahhhh, it's easy for anyone to catch a fish in Fishin Eddies flameout boat. Mofish and I proved that. Everyone has caught fish except him. At least he knows how to run the boat. Catch a fish, thats another thing.

What do ya get when you put Fishin Eddie, BOE, and Spooled together on the water for Springers????????? Breakfast only! he he he :grin: :shocked: :tongue: Sorry boys. Could not resist. :smile: Springer fishin.....puhhhhh....

[ 05-21-2002, 01:01 PM: Message edited by: CATCH AND EAT ]

[Z-Man]

Egg Goo????
huh...must be an aquired taste :smile:

[Fishing Eddie]

Spook just when I was going to ask if you could get out there you go dogging me again :hoboy: You Catch&Eat, and fishalot next time you out there eating my pancakes and eggs I might have to slip you some x-lax and see you can walk on water, you'll be setting there and all of a sudden :shocked: what was that 5 minites later you'll be looking like :mad: then you'll ask for paper and pen and looking at the boat next to you for some graemlins/1zhelp.gif opps waited to long. Then you'll just ask for the paper. :whazzup:
Take care,Rod

[Mofish]

Ha Spook.

You are very welcome for the ride. I am just sorry you did'nt get into any while parked next to On Fire???

You know come to think about it I have yet to see Eddie get into a springer. I have seen him do good at B10 but did'nt everyone???

I have seen him hookup on an oversize while springer fishin but thats just about it.

I have been praying hard for Eddie and I know that my prays will be ansered.

Love Ya Eddie. :grin: :grin:

[spook]

Hey, Rod, I wouldn't dog you, you're my buddy. But according to all the hearsay evidence from Catch&Eat and many others that have fished with you, you stir up a mean breakfast but not much else. Now I have heard rumors that you have put a couple fish in the boat, but as I recall they were started by you. You said you were getting ready to ask if I could get out. Well, I wouldn't mind seeing for myself if those "fisherfriends" of yours are right or the rumors are right.

See ya'.

Jerry

[fishbait]

Good recipe.

Brine shad in regular heavy salmon brine
Rub with black peper
Place each piece on a small piece of cedar shake or shingle
Smoke for 6 hours w/ apple chunks
Take out and cool
throw the shad away and eat the pieces of cedar board

They are absolutely the best crab bait. Cut in large pieces and stuff into a large tupperware container. Much better and neater that freezing whole.

[Keta]

The shake is too tough. :grin:

[CATCH AND EAT]

Fishin Eddie, you need a confidence builder experience. May I suggest The Rainbow Trout Farm in Sandy? he he he eh ehheheheheheheheh..... ah hawwwwwww! :grin: Dude, you're getting shelled on this thread.

[Fishing Eddie]

graemlins/berry.gif graemlins/berry.gif graemlins/berry.gif graemlins/berry.gif

[CATCH AND EAT]

graemlins/icon_argue.gif :cheers: graemlins/hearton.gif Teee he he!

[Fishalot]

I think I saw Rod or Fishing Eddie as you all know him last night at Oregon City Fredies looking at fish in the Sea food section. Is he a kind of short guy with some scruff on his face. If it was he was telling the guy behind the counter all kinds of fish catching stories. I followed him and then he went and picked up some eggs,pancake mix and sausage.
Mofish I will Pray with you that this guy will catch a Springer :wink: .

Fishalot :grin: :grin: :grin:

[scrod]

About 98% of the world's population think shad are delicious. That's why I live here. :grin:

[fisheromen]

Okay, okay, okay. Fess up! None of you snobby shad bashers out there have actually every tried it prepared well, have you? Then shut up will you!!! :mad: Sure they smell awful, but the taste really is really quite good.

And believe it or not, there are actually people out there who like fish but don't care for sturgeon or salmon (though I am not one of them).

And no, don't panic, I'm not upset :grin: . Just makes me sick when people are snobby. :hoboy:

[scrod]

OK Fisheromen,
Snob huh? We got 19 on Wednesday. 6 went for soup, all gone, 6 were slow baked, all gone, 4 were smoked, half eaten, 3 in the freezer for crab bait. I can't wait to get more for bait. What a versatile fish. :tongue: