Mostly St. Johns Shad Report with Guest Appearances of Specks, Pans and Hybrids-Video

Last Wednesday and Thursday I went fishing down on the St. Johns between Lake Harney and the Econ River. I was focusing on the annual shad run but caught some specks, pan fish and hybrids along the way. The specks are starting to bed in the tall grass along the shore and the best action is with minnows. Some specks can also be found by trolling out in Lake Harney. Pan fish and hybrids can be caught as a byproduct of fishing for the shad. Best jig color for me was a bob-tailed red/white plastic body on a silver jig head. Shad always seem to like the red/white combo and to the pan fish and hybrids it may just look like a shad egg sack.

Being the fishing is so good, expect lots of traffic at the ramp and on the water. By 10 am I had 20 boats and kayaks around me near the mouth of the Econ on a Thursday. Can't even imagine what it will be like on the weekends.

Here is a link to the video I put together with more details: https://youtu.be/suCALvmiRdE

Cool video, thanks for sharing! I've always been interested in making the trip over to the river to fish for shad, I just haven't done it yet.

Cool Video.. Now, I have a question for ya, do you eat any of those or their roe? Or just catching for fun? I've never eaten them, but heard they were good smoked. I always cast net them and use for catfish bait or crab pots.....

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Originally Posted by Orion_70

Cool Video.. Now, I have a question for ya, do you eat any of those or their roe? Or just catching for fun? I've never eaten them, but heard they were good smoked. I always cast net them and use for catfish bait or crab pots.....

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Thanks for watching the video. I always release the shad I catch. Interesting thing I found out when I was researching this video is that shad that spawn in other river systems spawn more than one time in their lives. Being the shad in the St. Johns have to go so much further south on their spawning journey they don'e have enough energy to live to go back out into the ocean and do a repeat spawning trip. From the time I have been fishing for shad I have not seen anything that indicates their numbers are declining but for me I feel better about releasing them. There are enough specks, pans and hybrids to eat for my taste.

Thanks for the video Now I know way the crappie are big they have a lot to eat

specs are spawning in lakes there now?

Great video. Professional job. Thanks for sharing.

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Originally Posted by hdhntr

specs are spawning in lakes there now?

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Thanks for the question.

Yes the specks are spawning in some of the lakes in Florida now.

thanks for the great tips on shad fishing

Great video. Well made and informative. I fished for shad on the American and Sacramento rivers years ago. The look a little different but do fight like crazy. We used shad flies on fly rod there also. Thanks again Next year I’m gong to give it a go. Want to fish theStJohns anyway. What a great river have you fished for shad near Palatka. Thanks

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Originally Posted by Knot2Bad

Great video. Well made and informative. I fished for shad on the American and Sacramento rivers years ago. The look a little different but do fight like crazy. We used shad flies on fly rod there also. Thanks again Next year I’m gong to give it a go. Want to fish theStJohns anyway. What a great river have you fished for shad near Palatka. Thanks

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I have not fished for shad near Palaka but they pass by there on there way to the areas mentioned in the video. I have caught shad as far north as Jacksonville but this was while I was fishing for other species. If you want to target shad I would go to the areas suggested in the video with a hard silt-free bottom.

Around Palatka you will find some great bass and pan fishing. Hope you enjoy your trip!