[bluefish1928]

I was just reading through regs and realized that you are allowed to keep shad in those rivers that empty into NC's Back Bay.

Shad fights harder than anything else in freshwater in the US and taste pretty good once you get around the extra sets of bones.
Has anyone actually fished those rivers? When does the run usually get hot?

 

[AbuMike]

I have in the past. I fished the Nottoway River and the American Shad (white shad) usually show up some time around the first of March. Hickory Shad can be kept anywhere, not sure of the limits on either. They are usually here in the Appomattox by second week of March.

 

[Croaker D]

Yes bluefish, on the blackwater and nottoway you can keep 10 a day! I now live in Courtland a half mile from the nottoway and the run came early last year and this winter isnt anything like last years so im expecting them in the next three or four weeks! I fish the nottoway 3 or 4 times a week depending on the weather, I've been watching for them daily they will let you when there here, those rascals will be breaking in the water everywhere. They come so thick plenty of shad on my part of river. I would put my kayak out last year in the middle of the river where there is more of a current flow and get my limit in like 25 mins all on gold shad spoons! Absolutely a blast!