Sea fish
American shad
Alosa sapidissima
Get to know the species, pick your region, find your spot.
- Habitat
- Nehir ağzı · nehir · liman
Best times of day
When in the day it bites best, month by month.
- Active at dawn and dusk
- Poor at night
In October
-
Dawn 85
0.5 h before sunrise → 2.5 h after
-
Midday 50
1 h before midday → 2 h after
-
Dusk Best 100
2 h before sunset → 0.5 h after
Not productive at night
Moon phase
Effect of the moon on night fishing; the scores compare the phases.
- New moon 20
- First quarter 20
- Full moon 25
- Last quarter 20
Best phase: No clear effect
Windows across 12 months
| Best times of day | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dawn | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 60 |
| Midday | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 80 |
| Dusk | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 90 |
| Night |
Windows follow sunrise and sunset; clock times change with place and date. Scores are relative within the month: 100 is the best window of the day.
4 sources · confidence medium
Habitat
Where it lives and in what kind of water: ranges compiled by the research.
Depth
0–250 m
mostly 0–100 m
Water temperature
8–30 °C
ideal 18–24 °C
Salinity
Migrates between fresh and salt water
0–35 ‰
Shore types
- Delta / alluvial shore
- Cove / inner bay
- River / stream mouth
- Channel / strait link
- Harbour mouth
Bottom
Lives in open water
Ranges from FishBase, AquaMaps and the literature; a general tendency, not a hard limit.
Confidence: shore type high, temperature high
Bait and tackle suggestions
Recorded baits and fishing techniques.
Bait by month
Baits documented for shore fishing, month by month and by water clarity.
In October
Out of season
12-month bait calendar
- January
- Out of season
- February
- Out of season
- March
- Out of season
- April
- Lures: Shad dart, Spoon, Fly
- May
- Lures: Shad dart, Spoon, Fly
- June
- Lures: Shad dart, Spoon, Fly
- July
- Out of season
- August
- Out of season
- September
- Out of season
- October
- Out of season
- November
- Out of season
- December
- Out of season
This is the usual pattern; the water and weather on the day can change it. Colour is fine-tuning: bait type, size and action come first. Confidence: natural medium, lures high. Colour and presentation guide
Fishing rules
The regulation holds no separate minimum size or closed season entry for this species. The provisions for Türkiye as a whole apply.
Before you go, check local area and method restrictions.
Species profile
- Scientific name
- Alosa sapidissima
- Water type
- Saltwater
- Other names
- American shad
