Nickames: tennesee tarpon, skipjack, river herring, herring.

Natural History: A migratory species, skipjacks assemble below dams in late spring returning from the gulf of Mexico or the lower Mississippi River. They spawn from late April to mid June, during which time they can be captured by dip net, cast net, jigs, spoons, or multi fly rigs.

Characteristics: Long and thin, bright silvery, blue-black back, protruding lower jaw and the presence of teeth in both jaws.

Typical Size: Adult length: 12-16 inches

Habitat: Prefer clear waters, normally found in swift current, over sand and gravel in large rivers.

Feeding Habits: Skipjacks eat plankton, minnows and larvae of mayflies and caddisflies. They feed in large schools, leaping out of the water while pursuing prey.

Fish Facts: Most every fish will feed on the skipjack herring until they reach the size of 5 inches at which time they become to large for most fish.

Bait: The herring are used whole and live for Striped Bass. Cut into chunks they make great catfish bait.

Nickames: yellow tails, shad, shad minnows.

Characteristics: Head is strongly compressed, scaleless. Mouth terminal, floor of oral cavity is spotted with black. Bottom lip protruding; upper lip with a slight indication of a notch or notch lacking. Back dark gray to bluish black; sides and abdomen silvery;distinct post opercular dark spot present; spot smaller than the eye. Fins,except the dorsal, yellowish; caudal deeper yellow than the other fins. Body is deep, strongly compressed laterally. .

Typical Size: Adult length: normally less than 9 inches

Habitat: The Shad inhabits large lakes and rivers with moderate current, usually congregating in schools over deep water during the daylight hours, moving into shallower areas at night.

Feeding Habits: Shad are mainly limnetic particulate feeders on larger plankton and filter-feeders on smaller plankton; however, some bottom feeding does occur. Adult threadfin shad may also prey upon fish larvae. .

Fish Facts: It is sensitive to cool temperatures, and below 45 deg. F it has decreased swimming and schooling abilities. It cannot tolerate water temperatures below 35 deg F.

Bait: Shad are used whole and live for Striped Bass. Live or dead they make great catfish bait.

Nickames: Moosebunker, Bunker.

Characteristics: Menhaden have dark greenish backs, yellowish fins and dull silver or brassy sides. Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Anal spines: 0-0. Upper jaw with median notch. Pelvic fin with rounded hind margin, inner finrays equal or nearly equal to outer finrays when fin folded back. Pre-dorsal scales modified; scales on back, above base of anal fin and at base of tail much smaller and irregularly placed. A black spot behind gill opening, followed along flank by approximately 6 lines of smaller spots. .

Typical Size: Adult length: normally 12 inches inches

Habitat: The menhaden is an extremely abundant species of the Atlantic coast of North America. Menhaden are found in very large schools in the warmer inshore and near shore waters, following an annual coastal migration each year. Their habit of traveling in large, densely-packed schools makes them a ready quarry for purse-seine equipped vessels

Feeding Habits: Menhaden are plankton filter feeders and can only be caught with a cast net since they won't bite a hook. Sometimes when you see bait "striking" or rolling on the surface, it is a school of menhaden making surface slurps of minute surface food items. .

Fish Facts: You can spot menhaden in the summer time by the oil slick that will form over a large school. They also have a very distinctive smell if you are downwind of them. They are very fast moving fish.

Bait: Menhaden are extremely oily, which is why they have been commercially netted for so many years for the oil and meal that can be produced from them. They are many people's "secret" bait for almost all species, using them alive, dead, or cut.