I just talked to my Dad who is trying to catch a few papermouths on Fork. He stated that there are tons of shad that are floating and barely alive and the Gulls and comerants and pelicans are having a field day. I know that shad can't tolerate long periods of cold water but does anybody know if this is above the norm or is this Mother Nature at work? Also will this hurt or help the lake in reference to fishing?

Mother nature, shad will come back fine.

I believe Fork needed a little shad die off. It hasn't happened in 10 years or so and the lake was over populated with bait. There is no sizeable sand bass population so the bass have no real competition for the bait. It's my thoughts that the shad die off will make the bite better as the fish will be more competitive for food.

I agree 100% with KD it will make the bite better !!!!!!!!!!

I was thinking that myself, just needed to reassurance. Like you said, it has been a long time since I've seen it there. Hopefully they will get real hungry!

same way on toledo bend

Hey guys..I'm just wondering how big the shad at fork get? In ct we have mostly alwives and every yr on the best lake in the st(Candlewood lake) we have a die off and that lakes fishes like a bear for both smallies and LM. Its nothing to bring in a bag of smallies in the fall that go 35LB. I fished a 8 fish limit and had 27lb's of smallis and didn't finish in the money once.Keep in mind any bass over 5lbs is big for up there.It won't hurt that lake at all. It will make it harder for the next few weeks of fishing though.After that it will be lights out on there. To many easy meals right now if they are dieing like that.

Just means Jerk Bait season has started in earnest.

Right down the road at Tawakoni the same thing is happening.

Isaw it there a couple years ago as well and the Shad population was as strong as ever last year. They seem to recover well. No worries.

+100,000

How cold did lake temps get during this last spell.

Threadfin shad die off when water temps drop below the 50's, that would be my guess as well.

Last Saturday I saw 39 on the Bird and 41 on the Lowrance unit.

Coldest I've seen since the coves iced over a month ago.

The die off should help the bite, as Kelly said. There was no shortage of bait fish on Fork, at night I've seen what looked like literally millions of shad across vast areas.

Most winters it seems the lakes get down to about 46-48 and they survive. It's the blistery cold winters when we have a die off. I had heard several reports of temps below 42 during the week of the snowstorm.



Source: Luckily it's the first couple of sentences.

http://www.suttlefish.com/Threadfin_Shad.html

the shad do this every yr in any giving lake. Maybe not the mass amount you speak of though. The bass sense this aswell ,which makes a great opprtunity to go to coves and start wacking some really nice bass. Its just part of the cycle that happens every yr and this trends the spawn. Big females moving out of creek channels and up to feed. males are in eating and looking to make beds. Good luck on Fork guys and dont forget to post those pics.

I'm headed out to Fork tonight and I was already planning on having a rougue tied on just because I always do pre-spawn, but I'm even more excited about the possibility after reading that. Sounds like the weightless flukes will get some work tomorrow too.