Shad ( Twaite & Allis ) species guide • Game fish • Moderate (6/10)

Shad ( Twaite & Allis ) junior fishing guide

Alosa fallax / Alosa alosa

A clear, plain-English guide to shad ( twaite & allis ) for parents, coaches and juniors. See where they live, the best starter tackle, simple bait choices and a three-step plan to help young anglers catch their first one safely.

🎣 View starter tackle setups 📋 Log a Shad ( Twaite & Allis ) catch
Junior-first & welfare-aware • 3-step beginner plan • UK venues & seasons
Skill & size • Seasons • Beginner baits

Skill level

Moderate (6/10)

Best with some experience or support from a coach.

Best time

Spring–Autumn

Pick mild, settled days for junior sessions.

Typical size

1–4 lb common; larger fish possible.

Always match hooks, nets & lines to expected fish size.

🐟

Beginner baits

Caster, Lobworm, Pinkie …

Keep it simple — small hook baits, little-and-often feeding.

Typical venues: Lower and middle reaches of a few rivers with strong spring runs, plus nearby estuaries.
Scroll down for detailed tackle setups, methods and parent-friendly guidance.
Catch your first shad ( twaite & allis ) with confidence

Catch your first Shad ( Twaite & Allis ) in 3 steps

A simple, repeatable plan juniors can follow with help from a parent, coach or older angler.

  1. Step 1

    Highlight as protected migratory fish

    Shad runs occur on only a few UK rivers and are tightly protected. Juniors should primarily learn about them from bankside talks rather than targeted fishing.

  2. Step 2

    Avoid deliberate targeting where protected

    If local rules allow limited catch-and-release, this must be done under expert guidance with barbless hooks and very rapid handling.

  3. Step 3

    Use as a migration teaching moment

    Explain how Shad migrate between sea and rivers, and why clean estuaries and unobstructed rivers are vital for their survival.

Tackle setups that work

Designed with juniors and fish welfare in mind. Start with an IDEAL or GOOD setup for easier casting and safe unhooking.

👉 Swipe sideways to view different setups.

Fly Rod

Beginner tip: Stress local byelaws and seasons – many game fish must be returned carefully and some are protected.

IDEAL

Rod: 8–9 ft #4–#6 fly rod for rivers and small stillwaters.

Reel: Matching fly reel with floating line (WF4–WF6).

Line: Fly line with 3–6 lb tapered leader or tippet.

Terminal tackle

  • ["Barbless hooks where required"
  • "Appropriate local patterns or small spinners"]

Extras

  • ["Polarised glasses"
  • "Priest where legal"
  • "Rubber mesh landing net"]

Game fish like trout and grayling are usually targeted with fly tackle or light spinning gear.

Ultra-Light Lure Rod

Beginner tip: Stress local byelaws and seasons – many game fish must be returned carefully and some are protected.

GOOD

Rod: 6–7 ft ultra-light spinning rod (2–10 g).

Reel: 1000–2000 size fixed spool reel.

Line: 4–6 lb mono or braid with 4–6 lb fluorocarbon leader.

Terminal tackle

  • ["Barbless hooks where required"
  • "Appropriate local patterns or small spinners"]

Extras

  • ["Polarised glasses"
  • "Priest where legal"
  • "Rubber mesh landing net"]

Game fish like trout and grayling are usually targeted with fly tackle or light spinning gear.

About the Shad ( Twaite & Allis )

Shad are migratory herring family fish that run into a few UK rivers in late spring. They are beautiful, fast swimmers and jump like miniature tarpon when hooked.

Junior tip

Emphasise that shad are protected in many places and often subject to strict rules. If they are encountered while fishing for other species, they should be handled quickly, kept in the water where possible and released straight away.

Logged a Shad ( Twaite & Allis ) recently?

Add a catch report so juniors can see where they’re being caught, which baits work and how your tackle was set up.

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Want to discover more species? Browse the full species guide.

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