shad Archives - Page 3 of 5 - Carolina Sportsman

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August 4, 2026

Chip Bragg prefers a better than hand-sized gizzard shad to weed out bites from smaller stripers.

Fill up your bait tank with big gizzard shad when targeting Lake Murray stripers

Striper fisherman Chip Bragg confesses catching big gizzard shad might be as tough as catching big stripers on those same shad. […]

Guide Rob Bennett likes to toss tiny jigs on light tackle to shad on their run up the Cooper River and the Rediversion Canal this month.

SC’s shad run gives February anglers some real hope

One of South Carolina’s hottest-biting February fish is typically referred to as “bait” the rest of the year. It’s time for the shad run, which gives anglers tired of waiting for warm weather an excuse to get on the water for the first time of the year. […]

Rapala’s Shadow Rap Shad

Rapala’s Shadow Rap Shad

Rapala, one of the most-recognizable and respected brands in the artificial lure manufacturing business, introduced a jerkbait at the 2015 Bassmaster Classic. […]

Dearal Rodgers said a handful of patterns will work for bass fishermen on Lake Wateree in June, some of them related to the bluegill and shad spawns.

Key on shad, bream beds

The bluegill and shad spawns add up to a big bonanza for bass fishermen on Lake Wateree this month, according to tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden.

Many of these fish are small, but they fight like trophies, especially on ultralight tackle.

Shad fishing already heating up on Neuse River

For some, it’s the blooming of dogwood trees that mark the beginning of spring. But for many of North Carolina’s anglers it’s the shad run that tells them winter is over. […]

Colt Bass shows off a couple of Lake James smallmouth bass, which he said are biting well, especially in the Canal Bridge area.

Lake James smallmouth biting live shad and bright artificials

There’s a chill in the air this week at Lake James, not too many boats on the lake, and plenty of smallmouth bass that are biting. […]

It’s not unusual for American shad to reach several pounds in size before they head up the Cooper River on their spring spawning run.

Double up for shad

Using a two-jig tandem rig for shad is the way to go in the tailrace of the Cooper River in the early springtime. […]

The spring spawning run puts countless American shad within reach of anglers in Cooper River tailrace.

Sack spring shad – South Carolina’s best spring run of American Shad is in the Cooper River tailrace

On the eve of spring, an awesome fishery erupts this month in the Cooper River tailrace downstream from 60,000-acre Lake Moultrie. […]

Anglers needn’t fear winter’s cold water, relying instead on white perch and crappie to fill their coolers. Panfish, which feed more frequently in cold water, will be keying on dying schools of bait on deep water flats through the winter.

Forget the cold! Catch white perch, crappie around schools of threadfin shad

Freshwater anglers who think the recent cold snaps have signaled the end of fishing until spring need to set their sights on white perch and crappie. […]

A Johnson spoon fitted with a soft-plastic trailer is an overlooked lure that will catch bass in the fall when they're keying on threadfin shad.

In the fall, follow the shad and spoon-feed the bass

We’re approaching the fall fishing season, and many largemouth bass anglers await its coming with great anticipation. […]

Capt. Sam Jones shows off some nice summer trout his clients caught at Lake Jocassee.

Lake Jocassee August fishing report

Fishing Hotspots

When the calendar turns to August, Sam Jones of Jocassee Charters said some anglers turn to fishing at night in 60 to 80 feet of water. […]

fishing report

August fishing report for southeastern North Carolina

Fishing Hotspots

For Capt. Jot Owens of Jot It Down Fishing Charters in Wrightsville Beach, sheepshead are worth pursing in August for more than one reason. […]

river

The River

Features

Along with summer heat and humidity, anglers temporarily lose the solitude the river provides this time of year and are forced to share it. […]

hook size

Are you using the correct hook size?

Features

Many anglers unknowingly miss out on catching fish because they aren’t using the proper hook size. These tips will help. […]

crossbow

Cross it up: Don’t overlook crossbows

Deer Hunting

For many deer hunters, a crossbow represents much more than simply another piece of hunting equipment. […]

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