Shad 291 



source of "pearl essence" used in the jewelry and display 

 industries. The Alewife will readily strike at an artificial 

 lure particularly after spawning, when it is ravenous and 

 actively seeks food. They are frequently taken by trout 

 fishermen in spring in the coastal streams and often mis- 

 taken for small shad. 



Shad 

 Alosa sapidissima (Wilson) 



Color: Green or dark blue above; silvery white on sides 

 and belly. A dark spot behind the gill usually followed by 

 a series of indistinct spots. 



Distribution: Gulf of St. Lawrence to the St. Johns River 

 in Florida. They have been introduced successfully by 

 man to the Pacific coast of the United States. 

 Size: Maximum length is about IV2 feet with a weight of 

 13Vi pounds. 



General Information: The Shad enters coastal rivers in 

 spring and early summer to spawn. Spawning occurs in 

 both fresh and brackish water, but the latter is more favor- 

 able for development of the young fish. The eggs are de- 

 posited in shallow water over sandy or pebbly bottoms and 

 are mostly laid in the period between sundown and mid- 

 night. An average 30 thousand eggs are laid by a single 

 female, but large fish have been estimated to lay as many 

 as 156 thousand eggs. Unlike the eggs of the other river 

 herrings (alewife and blueback), the eggs of the Shad 

 are partly buoyant and are not sticky when laid; they are 

 therefore carried about to some degree by currents. Young 

 Shad remain in the river until the fall, when they are IV2- 



