Shad spawn

How much longer until the shad spawn should be in full swing? If memory serves me right I think 2nd to 3rd week of May?

Been going on for at least 2 weeks around the DFW area.

It's been on at Lavon for a month

Two weeks ago the shad were all up in the moss edge on my favorite lake, near Athens, and I assume they were spawning judging by the huge numbers. Thinking it depends on the lake and water temp?? Pretty sure somebody on this forum will know more about it.

Water temp and moon i believe. They were on at Ray Roberts last weekend.

Two weeks ago at longview it was full tilt

Fluke time is now

Shad are spawning now.

going strong at Roberts

Went to PK this past Saturday & saw some shad activity in shallow water temps were 71-74 degree, not sure if shad spawn has started there. I did not get there until midmorning.

shad will spawn the rest of the year until the water cools down, it's not a 1 time deal

Good info , I saw them large groups early morning around rocky banks , water temp around 71-74 .

Gizzard shad spawn once a year normally in April.

Threadfin spawn during late April into May, they spawn again in mid-July, and again in September or early October

Thank you Fast Lane, that is awesome information! I appreciate all the responses.

Of course, there are some differences in timing with respect to location, water body and weather, but generally speaking....

Gizzard shad, as mentioned above, tend to spawn once a year in the spring. The other common shad, Threadfin (these are closely related both belonging to the Genus, Dorosoma) tends to spawn continuously throughout the warmer part of the year with peak periods in the spring and again in the late summer. The early spawn being temperature, daylight length and climate related, the late peak period being more related to the maturation of the young of the year, spring spawned, shad. once started the Threadfin spawn will continue, at a reduced rate every night into morning, all summer long.

It is the spring peak spawning period when the shad are most noticeable as they seek the sunlight warmed shallows with newly flooded vegetation for egg laying. The spawn becoming so frenzied at times that some of the shad flop out of the water and die. The later spawns happen in deeper, cooler waters as surface waters become too hot and are not as noticeable.

Newly hatched gizzard and threadfin shad are perfectly timed to coincide with the need for the earlier hatched bass fry to make the important transition from planktivore to piscivore (zooplankton based diet to fish based diet).

So...on almost any given summer night, a large, live gizzard shad on an 8/0 hook by a drop off.....ain't no tellin'.

Been on at Ray Roberts and lake Bonham

Not going to find a better answer than this. Fishbreeder (Brett) wins again with outstanding answers!