Gizzard Shad

[Grant Sadler]

Can anybody shed some light on this, the reports I've heard is that when the GIZZARD SHAD die we start catching WALLEYE I've been ice EYE fishing for some years now and never heard this before.

They say that the Shad are staying alive longer this year, I think maybe because the Bay was warmer this year maybe set things back a little . Someone knows the answer on this I'am sure, like Jason

[sjk984]

In past years early on when the shad are around the fish I do catch have full bellies of shad. I always just atributed it to the Competion of bait fish with lures. When the shad are gone the fish seam to feed more.

Just my thought.

I never thought about walleye eating shad till I accidently cut the stomach open on 1 two yaers ago and out popped 3 3'' shad.

[Josey_Wales]

shad die off from the colder water temps... the statistic is that roughly 97% of the shad die off in the winter due to the cold water temp. Those shad that do die, get eaten by the walleye. Kind of like trying to smallmouth fish on ST Clair when the Mayflies are all dying... Difficult due to the food source.... They will die, the walleye and other fish will eat them, and when this buffet ends they will be hitting the lures again.