I’m fishing a new lake this year and the baitfish are Alewife’s. I guess Shad patterns and colors will work. Is there any specific Alewife colors out there I should be using? The lake is predominantly smallmouth. Thanks for any info.

We have a bunch of alewife lakes. This is what they look like.
 

 

On 4/2/2023 at 5:49 PM, Bassguytom said:

Is there any specific Alewife colors out there I should be using?

American Shad

 

Lucky Craft LC Silent Squarebill 1.5 & 2.5 - Tackle Warehouse whichever type you prefer in American Shad

 

The Dine - 4.25" Swimbait (13fishing.com) in American Shad

 

I do not generally match the hatch. I fish blue marsh here and there. I generally just use what I would anywhere else. It gets a nasty green color in summer. I’d stick with chrome silvers and whites. To match the coloration of them. 

Bass Pro Shops XPS RealImage HDS Entice Minnow Swimbait
They have alewife one I’ve done ok with.

14 hours ago, Darnold335 said:

I do not generally match the hatch. I fish blue marsh here and there. I generally just use what I would anywhere else. It gets a nasty green color in summer. I’d stick with chrome silvers and whites. To match the coloration of them. 

the nasty green sounds like an algal bloom (HAB).  We get it here too in places. If I have to fish a lake with it, black and blue seems to be the ticket. 

this was some funky water. 

 

They spawn a few times a year, tiny topwaters work well for them.

2 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

the nasty green sounds like an algal bloom

Yeah it def is a bloom. We get it here on a few lakes.

15 minutes ago, Darnold335 said:

Yeah it def is a bloom. We get it here on a few lakes.

I fish BM as well. I stop fishing there when the blooms get in full swing, I get an allergic reaction to it with red bumps on any exposed skin. Odd but I’m sure I am not the only. 

27 minutes ago, Craig P said:

I fish BM as well. I stop fishing there when the blooms get in full swing, I get an allergic reaction to it with red bumps on any exposed skin. Odd but I’m sure I am not the only. 

I don’t doubt that one bit. When you are in the no wake zone it’s 100% disgusting. I’m on the susky 90% of the time. No bloom just raw sewage. 

1 hour ago, Darnold335 said:

I don’t doubt that one bit. When you are in the no wake zone it’s 100% disgusting. I’m on the susky 90% of the time. No bloom just raw sewage. 

Lol. Lots of rivers and streams in Pa share that “quality”. Impressive what a good nitrogen release can do though.

On 4/2/2023 at 8:17 PM, PhishLI said:

American Shad

 

Lucky Craft LC Silent Squarebill 1.5 & 2.5 - Tackle Warehouse whichever type you prefer in American Shad

 

The Dine - 4.25" Swimbait (13fishing.com) in American Shad

 

What lure is pictured?

54 minutes ago, Marty-WI said:

What lure is pictured?

Lucky Craft LV 500 in American Shad