Hickory Shad
Alosa mediocris
How to tell it
Lower jaw juts past the upper; spring river runs.
Rules for
Every state
| State | Size | Bag | Season | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | No size limit | 6 per angler (aggregate with American shad) | Open year-roundCT DEEP 2026 · checked | Open |
| Delaware | No size limit | 10 per day | Open year-round except Nanticoke River and tributaries (closed)DE DNREC 2026 · likely · checked | Open |
| Florida (Atlantic) | No size limit | 10 per person (shad and blueback herring combined) | Open year-roundFWC 2026 · likely · checked | Open |
| Florida (Gulf) | No size limit | 10 per person (shad and blueback herring combined) | Open year-roundFWC 2026 · likely · checked | Open |
| Maryland | Catch and release only | 0 | Closed - moratoriumMD DNR 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| New Jersey | No size limit | 6 combined shad | Open year-roundNJ DEP 2026 · checked | Open |
| New York | No size limit | 5 | Open year-roundNY DEC 2026 · checked | Open |
| North Carolina | No size limit | 10/day aggregate with American shad | Open year-roundNC DMF 2026 · likely · checked | Open |
| South Carolina | No size limit | 10/day (20/day in Santee River & Rediversion Canal) | Open year-round; river-specific rules under Shad & Herring regulationsSC DNR 2026 · likely · checked | Open |
Not specifically regulated in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia: each state’s rule for unlisted species applies there (on its page).
State records
| State | Weight | When, where | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | 3 lb 4 oz | 2003 · Niantic River, Niantic | CT DEEP Saltwater State Record Fish (Harvested) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Maryland | 4 lb | 1971 · Susquehanna River | MD DNR Sport Fish State Records · checked 2026-08-23 · MD Chesapeake division record |
| New Jersey | 2 lb 13 oz | 2011 · Mantoloking | NJ DEP Fish & Wildlife State Record Saltwater Fish · checked 2026-09-04 |
| Rhode Island | 2 lb 11 oz | 1989 · Narrow River | RI DEM Saltwater Sportfish Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
On the table
Bony; roe is the point.
In the app
Point the camera at a hickory shad and the name appears before you take the picture, with these rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed, and every catch goes in the log.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask about hickory shad
How many hickory shad can you keep?
Connecticut: 6 per angler (aggregate with American shad); Delaware: 10 per day; Florida (Atlantic): 10 per person (shad and blueback herring combined); Florida (Gulf): 10 per person (shad and blueback herring combined); New Jersey: 6 combined shad; New York: 5; North Carolina: 10/day aggregate with American shad; South Carolina: 10/day (20/day in Santee River & Rediversion Canal).
Where is hickory shad harvest prohibited?
Maryland. Release it there.
What is the record hickory shad?
4 lb in Maryland (1971), Susquehanna River. Other states’ records are in the table.