California
American Shad
The Lower Sac
Updated
← Back to mapFish › Shad
Alosa sapidissima
A sea-run herring that fills big coastal rivers each spring, taking small bright flies in the current and fighting far above its weight.
Size range
14–24 in
Size range
Typical adult length in the waters we cover.
Water temperature
Coolwater
Water temperature
Preferred thermal regime for this species.
Active season
April through June
Active season
When anglers most often encounter this species.
Origin
Introduced
Origin
Stocking and native history where this species is found.
Habitat
Rivers & Large Rivers, Anadromous & Migratory
Habitat
Primary water types where this species is found.
American shad are the largest of the herrings, an Atlantic fish carried west in the 1870s that now runs up the big rivers of the Pacific coast every spring to spawn. They spend most of their lives at sea in large schools and enter fresh water in April, May and June when the water warms past the mid-fifties. The runs can number in the millions, and a shad on light tackle is a long, jumping fight.
Also known as: shad, white shad
American Shad
American River
American Shad
Eel River
American Shad
Feather River
American Shad
Klamath River
Unverified (species research 2026-11-01): Only forum anecdotes (billkiene.com threads) of a lower Klamath run; no agency or shop source, and the fish report species list omits shad.
American Shad
Sacramento River
Episode 187 · Sep 9, 2026
Shad limits and seasons are set by state and often by river section, and the spring run overlaps with closures that protect salmon, steelhead and sturgeon. Check the current rules for the specific reach before fishing.
Regulations vary by state and water. Check the current rules for the water you are fishing.
Status: Native to the Atlantic coast; introduced to the Pacific coast in 1871 and established from California to British Columbia
G5 (Secure) · ESA: Not listedRuns between freshwater and the ocean.
Browse species profiles with habitat, diet, tactics, and linked waters across the state.