Delaware River Lewis Island Shad Netting Report

 

Delaware River at Poxono Island

I've known about the commercial shad-netting operation at Lewis Island for decades. Long before my wife and I attended the Lambertville Shad Fest, which essentially involves the Lewis Island netters, maybe 25 years ago. I ate a shad sandwich. 

I've never fished for shad. I can't do everything, so I've stuck it out otherwise, but my best appreciation of shad in the Delaware River is of the little fry, two, maybe three inches long. I've witnessed them a couple of times at Poxono Island in September. Coming down river by the many hundreds of thousands or millions. Dimpling the river surface. Smallmouth bass breaking water as they bust them. 

The river widens like a lake at Poxono. The shad fry spread out, and then they get funneled into the narrower stretch to the left of the photograph above. It's amazing to think of the great number of them that must make it to the ocean. 

Enjoy the report from Lewis Island by Steve Meserve: 

Good Evening Everyone,

Well, we didn't make it on the water on Friday. Too many things going on for too many of the crew. There was also too much going on in town to get out on Saturday.

 

Tonight was a perfect day to be on the river today. The river was down to 1.56'. We still pulled in on the point. The temp was up to 68F. We kept the 200 yards on again. Everything went very well. We ended up with 10 bucks and 2 roe. We also had a smallmouth bass, 11 catfish, 3 suckers and 2 quillback. Not a bad haul for this time of the season.

We will go out again Tuesday. The weather is looking good until Wednesday night when rain starts coming in. And it's going to get hot for a couple of days. Hopefully we'll still be able to get hauls in each night this week. As always, We'll keep you posted.

 

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Take care and stay safe,
Steve

Steve Meserve
Lewis Fishery
1 Lewis Island
Lambertville, NJ 08530

Poxono Island Fishing