07-03-2011, 08:20 PM
[cool][#0000ff]In most "normal" years the shad spawn by early June and the babies are over an inch long by mid July. The boils start about the time the shad fry are about 1 1/2" long and begin forming large visible schools. This year the spawn for all species was late...with the long cold winter and cold runoff. Don't know when the shad actually spawned or how successful they were. We will have to wait and see when or if the shadlets show up for the wipers to add to their menu.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Boils are typically an August and September thing, with some earlier and some later.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Anybody hitting the marinas in the next couple of weeks should look for bitty minnies swimming close to shore next to the ramps...especially at the south marina. That is usually where I see them first.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]But also watch for the terns (birds) that fly out over the lake looking for the baby shad too. They will dip down and pick up singles here and there and if there is a boil you will see multiple terns divebombing the splashes. Once that starts happening it is ON.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]My best guess this year is late July at the earliest.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Boils are typically an August and September thing, with some earlier and some later.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Anybody hitting the marinas in the next couple of weeks should look for bitty minnies swimming close to shore next to the ramps...especially at the south marina. That is usually where I see them first.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]But also watch for the terns (birds) that fly out over the lake looking for the baby shad too. They will dip down and pick up singles here and there and if there is a boil you will see multiple terns divebombing the splashes. Once that starts happening it is ON.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]My best guess this year is late July at the earliest.[/#0000ff]
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