Holy Shad

[Freakyfisherman]

I decided to see if I could find any willing fish in the shallow water of Willard bay. My son kept getting bites he couldn't set the hook on. So, I put on a jighead and worm to see if I could catch one of these mystery hits. I could see surface activity that were not carp. So I casted into the swirls and was successful in catching one of these fish. A massive gizzard shad. If the shad are getting this big in Willard, we must need bigger numbers of walleye and wipers to keep them small. My son in law is holding the nasty beast.
Gabe 

[EyLayo]

How did it taste?

[Freakyfisherman]

How did it taste?

It is illegal to keep gizzard shad. So, it is still swimming in the bay. 
Gabe

[Cowboypirate]

First glance at the photo looks like he is holding the infamous Willard piranha.

[Anglinarcher]

LOL, be glad that some live to get that big in Willard.  

If they don't get about 3" in length every year, the YOY die off.  This happens when we get cold springs, low water, ...... and a dozen other conditions, and those monsters that were lucky enough to survive are the ones that keep the population of shad, the life blood of the lake according to many, alive.

I saw those monsters in Lake Powell at the Bull Frog boat slips in the late 70's, and again at Pueblo Reservoir in Colorado at their boat slips in the middle 80's.  They never seem to become a problem, but it is sure unusual to see something that big that we often think of as less then 3" long.

[Bassin_Blitz]

LOL, be glad that some live to get that big in Willard.  

If they don't get about 3" in length every year, the YOY die off.  This happens when we get cold springs, low water, ...... and a dozen other conditions, and those monsters that were lucky enough to survive are the ones that keep the population of shad, the life blood of the lake according to many, alive.

I saw those monsters in Lake Powell at the Bull Frog boat slips in the late 70's, and again at Pueblo Reservoir in Colorado at their boat slips in the middle 80's.  They never seem to become a problem, but it is sure unusual to see something that big that we often think of as less then 3" long.

Gizzard shad were not in Lake Powell in the 70's only Threadfin Shad and they don't get that big.

Gizzard Shad were first found in 2000

https://wayneswords.net/threads/gizzard-...well.1602/

[Freakyfisherman]

First glance at the photo looks like he is holding the infamous Willard piranha.

I cant remember exactly when, but in the 1990s I caught a piranha at 21st street pond in Ogden. It shocked me to see that on my line. I was fishing with a worm and bobber and bobber went so fast under. Crazy that someone put some in that pond.
Gabe

[Anglinarcher]

LOL, be glad that some live to get that big in Willard.  

If they don't get about 3" in length every year, the YOY die off.  This happens when we get cold springs, low water, ...... and a dozen other conditions, and those monsters that were lucky enough to survive are the ones that keep the population of shad, the life blood of the lake according to many, alive.

I saw those monsters in Lake Powell at the Bull Frog boat slips in the late 70's, and again at Pueblo Reservoir in Colorado at their boat slips in the middle 80's.  They never seem to become a problem, but it is sure unusual to see something that big that we often think of as less then 3" long.

Gizzard shad were not in Lake Powell in the 70's only Threadfin Shad and they don't get that big.

Gizzard Shad were first found in 2000

https://wayneswords.net/threads/gizzard-...well.1602/

 That is probably true, but I was only in my pre-teens and took my dad's answer when we saw those "gizzard shad" below the covered boat slips.  Dads always knew the truth in those days, so Wayne MUST be wrong.  LOL

[fishinfool]

I decided to see if I could find any willing fish in the shallow water of Willard bay. My son kept getting bites he couldn't set the hook on. So, I put on a jighead and worm to see if I could catch one of these mystery hits. I could see surface activity that were not carp. So I casted into the swirls and was successful in catching one of these fish. A massive gizzard shad. If the shad are getting this big in Willard, we must need bigger numbers of walleye and wipers to keep them small. My son in law is holding the nasty beast.
Gabe 
I foul hooked many that big. No wonder why the wipers are in there right now. Now you know what bait color to use next time out to catch wipers. Lipless cranks in that color just outside where you saw these will catch you many wipers. Just so you know.