Shad
Pomatomus saltatrix
The top surf fish of the east coast: a fast, sharp-toothed shoal hunter, best at first light on sardine and spoons.
Size: Most are 30–50 cm, about 0.5–1.5 kg. They can reach about 100 cm and 10 kg; the SA angling record is 10.3 kg.
Where: Along the whole SA coast, but most common from the Cape east to KZN. Shad spend summer and autumn in the Cape, then follow the sardines up to KZN in winter and spawn there in spring.
How to spot it
A streamlined fish with a blue-green back, silver sides and a forked tail. The mouth is big, the lower jaw sticks out a little, and both jaws have rows of razor-sharp teeth. There is a dark smudge at the base of the pectoral fin.
What it eats
Shad hunt in shoals and eat mainly small fish such as sardine, anchovy and pinkies, plus some chokka and prawns. They slash at prey with their teeth and can bite through ordinary line.
Where it feeds
- Gullies and white water close to the beach
- Around rocky points and reef edges next to sand
- Under sardine and baitfish shoals during the sardine run
- Harbour mouths, piers and estuary mouths
How to catch it
Use a short wire trace with one or two hooks and a sardine fillet or half a sardine, cast into a gully on a light sinker. Spoons and metal jigs (15–30 g), cast out and wound in fast, also work well when shad are chasing bait. Light to medium surf tackle is enough.
| Way of fishing | How well it works |
|---|---|
| Bait on the bottomA sinker holds your bait still on the bottom. | Works well |
| Under a bobberA bobber is a small buoy on your line: it holds the bait off the bottom and dips under when a fish bites. | Sometimes |
| Natural or dead baitReal food on the hook: worms, liver, sardine, chokka. | Best |
| Live baitA small live fish or other live creature on the hook. | Sometimes |
| LuresArtificial baits you cast and reel in: spinners, spoons, plastics. | Best |
| TrollingLures or bait pulled behind a moving boat. | Sometimes |
| Fly fishingLight artificial flies, cast with a fly rod. | Sometimes |
Baits and lures that work
- Sardine
- Spoons
- Fish strips or dead fish
- Metal jigs
- Mackerel
- Chokka (squid)
Flavours it likes
- Fish
Shad home in on the smell and oil of fresh fish. Use the freshest sardine you can get and change the bait often, because shad strip it fast.
When it bites
Time of day
| Time | Bite |
|---|---|
| Dawn | Best |
| Day | Slow |
| Midday | Slow |
| Dusk | Good |
| Night | Good |
Be on the beach in the dark before dawn: shad often bite best then and go quiet once the sun is up. Late afternoon and dusk are the next best times.
Best months
- Best: May, June, July, August, September
- Good: January, February, March, April, December
In KZN the shad come with the sardines from about May and are best from June to September. In the Cape they are caught mostly in summer and autumn. Check the current rules: there is a closed season from 1 October to 30 November.
What affects the bite
| Condition | What it likes | Effect on the bite |
|---|---|---|
| Water temperature | Best at 16–22 °C | Medium |
| Time of day | Best at dawn and dusk | High |
| Tide | Hardly matters | Low |
| Swell and surf | Best with some swell | Medium |
| Air pressure | Best when steady or falling | Medium |
| Cloud cover | Best on overcast days | Medium |
| Wind | Best with a light breeze | High |
| Rain | Best in dry weather | Medium |
| Water clarity | Hardly matters | Low |
| Moon phase | Hardly matters | Low |
| Spawning | Feeds hard before and after spawning | High |
High means it makes a big difference to whether this fish bites. Low means it hardly matters.
Tips
- Use a short wire trace or a wire-bodied shad trace, or the teeth will cut you off.
- Hold shad behind the head and unhook them with pliers, never with your fingers near the mouth.
- When birds dive and bait sprays near the beach, cast a spoon right there.
Good to know: Check the current rules: closed season 1 October to 30 November, 4 per person per day, at least 30 cm. Shad lose quality when frozen, so keep only what you will eat fresh.
Are they biting today?
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