Each year, when the mornings are still cold and the dogwoods start to bloom, American and hickory shad migrate through a historic urban fishery in our very own James River. For many Richmonders, this is the annual shad run. During a small window of time in the early spring, people are lined up, fishing shoulder-to-shoulder, while boats fill the river as fishermen experience what the river has to offer.
Both American and hickory shad return to the James and other freshwater tributaries to reproduce. According to the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources both hickory and American shad are anadromous, meaning they live along the Atlantic coast and in the Chesapeake Bay but return to both tidal and non-tidal freshwater tributaries to reproduce.
Since early European colonization, shad fishing has been a staple fishery both economically and culturally in Virginia. Due to overfishing, habitat destruction, and competitive non-native species, the shad population was at a low in the 1980s and 90s. Nevertheless, shad remained a staple in Virginia. They were considered a fish that helped early colonizers survive after long winters, and were written about in author John McPhee’s novel The Founding Fish. Organizations such as the James River Association and other groups have been working to conserve the habitat and ecological systems that are native to the river.
Going to fish in the heart of downtown Richmond much different from other types of fishing. Freddie Reed (‘27), a passionate fisherman, stated that, “The love for shad fishing is like nothing else. They aren’t considered some extravagant trophy fish, but all the little characteristics of the fishery make it something so remarkable.” For many fishermen, the appeal is in the experience of fishing the James this time of year…