Fish ID

[fisherboy3]

Had a buddy catch this on the Brodhead in the Poconos. Any idea?

 

[DaveS]

My guess is Hickory Shad

 

[fisherboy3]

Dave,

I dont think so. Its mouth is pointed down and has yellow eyes.

 

[DaveS]

Yea, probably not a good guess. But there are other species of shad too. How big was it?

 

[fisherboy3]

Honestly, not too sure. I didnt catch it. But i would guess somewhere in the 12-15 inch range

 

[HopBack]

Looks like maybe a gizzard shad but I can't see the dorsal fin.

 

[Dave_W]

Gizzard shad.

 

[pcray1231]

Yeah, my guess is gizzard shad as well, but need a better pic of jaw and dorsal to be sure.

But I thought gizzards were only in the ohio drainage?

 

[DaveS]

I too will go Gizzard. Hickories are androminous. Pat you may be thinking Mooneyes?

 

[pcray1231]

Maybe. I'm no shad expert. For reference, can't say I've EVER seen an American or a Hickory. Grew up in the Ohio drainage, we'd catch a few while fishing for other species. Typically when using helgramites for bass. Any size beyond "minnow" and it was between Mooneye and gizzard. At this size only gizzards. And never went shad fishing after moving east.

When I see that aqua green, blunt nose, and dark gray fins I immediately think gizzard, though. The long ray on the dorsal would be the clincher.

 

[fisherboy3]

Its mouth is down as well.

 

[Mike]

Gizzard shad....absolutely!

 

[ryansheehan]

Unless thats a tiny gemmy net that looks like one big gizzard!

 

[fisherboy3]

Nope its not a tiny net. He is a guide and had the client out, so the net is of pretty good size. Big gizzard for sure.

 

[sarce]

Definitely a Gizzard shad, have caught a bunch that size in the Potomac

 

[Swattie87]

So now that we've successfully reached consensus on ID'ing it, time to move on to the real question.

Wild or stocked? ;-)

 

[Fredrick]

Swattie87 wrote:
So now that we've successfully reached consensus on ID'ing it, time to move on to the real question.

Wild or stocked? ;-)

I'm going to say that Mike stocked this fish himself in a gizzard shad enhancement program

 

[Swattie87]

Fredrick wrote:
I'm going to say that Mike stocked this fish himself in a gizzard shad enhancement program

Fingerling or adult stocked? Given the coloration, I'm leaning fingerling.

 

[Char_Master]

Gizzard Shad.

 

[salmo]

So.... do they live in the Brodhead or did it swim up from the Delaware?