Before the devastating effects of Hurricane Agnes, the waters of the Susquehanna River, Deer Creek and Octoraro Creek teemed with huge numbers of spawning hickory shad.
Granted, the historic storm was responsible for the untimely demise of a small segment of the river's total shad population, but overfishing, pollution and loss of upstream spawning areas nearly caused this popular gamefish to become extinct.
The first hickory shad usually arrive at the mouth of Deer Creek by the second week in April. Despite unusually cold, wet spring weather conditions, the fish arrived right on time, entering the creek last Friday.
Often dubbed as "poor man's tarpon" because of its fighting ability, this particular species bears a strong resemblance to American shad, which is somewhat larger.
In Maryland, shad are under the protective umbrella of the Endangered Species Act, a state mandate providing certain levels of protection, thereby preventing a particular species from becoming extinct.
When shad populations in the Susquehanna River basin dipped to dangerously low levels in the mid-1970s, Maryland's Department of Natural Resources enacted a full moratorium, prohibiting catching, possession or sale of shad caught in Maryland waters.
Similar to striped bass fishing restrictions, a person may not attempt to catch shad for any reason other than to conduct approved scientific studies. A good example of these research programs can be observed by visiting the fish traps and lifts situated at the base of Conowingo Dam.
It's here biologists from federal and state agencies collect thousands of spawning shad, which then are transported upriver to various sites. A significant number of fertile eggs from several East Coast sources are transported to a large hatchery facility where they're hatched. While the young fish are still in the larvae stage, they're marked, then removed from the hatchery and transported to several major Susquehanna River tributaries where they're released.
"Approximately 10 [million] to 12 million fry are fed with a substance absorbed by their bones, making it easy for us to identify them under the rays of an ultraviolet light," said Maryland DNR fisheries biologist Harley Speir. "The fish will be stocked in the Juniata River, Penns Creek, several other upstream locations as well as sites below Conowingo Dam."
