Delaware River Shad Run Delivering 65-Fish Hauls; Stripers Push Past Trenton

What's Biting

What's Next

The Delaware shad run typically builds toward a mid-May peak before tapering off as water temperatures push into the upper 60s°F. JB Kasper's report in The Fisherman — NJ/DE Freshwater notes that catches "picked up" this past week, suggesting the run is still climbing rather than cresting — the next ten days should represent the best of the season. In the tidal stretches below Trenton, shad tend to stack in mid-river current seams on outgoing morning tides; above the fall line near Lambertville, small chartreuse or red dart jigs worked on a drift are the traditional approach. Plan morning sessions around the outgoing to get fish actively on the move.

The spawning striper push above Trenton is also in its prime window right now. These fish typically begin dropping back toward the estuary by mid-to-late May, so the next one to two weeks represent the narrowest opportunity for non-tidal river bass. Confirm current NJ regulations before targeting them — above-tidal stripers are typically managed as catch-and-release during the spawning period.

Canal trout fishing should remain solid through this weekend. Pine Barrens streams are running at a moderate 36 cfs (USGS gauge 01408000 on the Manasquan River as of May 7), suggesting stable, clear conditions without the turbidity that follows heavy rain events. Early mornings before the sun hits the water and the last hour before dark are the most reliable windows; worms and Powerbait remain effective in the slower canal stretches.

For Pine Barrens stream anglers targeting largemouth bass and chain pickerel, early May is when post-spawn fish begin actively feeding in and around emergent vegetation. No specific reports for Pine Barrens interior streams arrived this week, so conditions are best described as seasonally typical — warm afternoon hours with slower currents should concentrate fish along vegetated edges. The waning gibbous moon transitioning toward third-quarter over the next few days generally supports a diffuse, steady bite rather than the compressed peak-feeding windows of the full or new moon.

Context

The spring shad migration arrives at the Trenton–Lambertville stretch of the Delaware River on a fairly predictable schedule, typically peaking between late April and mid-May as water temperatures climb toward the upper 50s to low 60s°F. This year's run appears to be running normal to slightly late — JB Kasper notes that catches "picked up" this week after a slower early-season start, a pattern echoed by Old School Outdoors' dispatch from Ewing, both reported in The Fisherman — NJ/DE Freshwater. OTW Northern New Jersey's spring coverage attributes the broad surge in NJ fishing activity in part to a cold 2025–26 winter that suppressed early water warming statewide, pushing migrating species back by roughly a week or two compared to milder recent winters.

The river striper spawning push follows a similar calendar. Stripers historically reach the Trenton area by the last week of April and are largely gone by Memorial Day weekend, making the current moment a reliable interception window. The 35-inch fish documented in Lambertville nets confirms the main pulse has arrived on schedule.

For trout, NJ Fish & Wildlife opened the 2026 spring season on April 11 with a strong allotment — more than 180,000 rainbow trout and 20,000 brown trout provided through a partnership with the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission, plus access expanded to more than 20 additional stocked waters. Stocked fish typically disperse over the first several weeks post-release, making early-to-mid May one of the more productive windows before summer heat degrades the bite in shallower waters. The positive canal reports from JB Kasper and Old School Outdoors align squarely with that post-stocking window.

One broader signal worth noting: OTW Northern New Jersey called April 2026 potentially the "best April ever" for New Jersey striped bass statewide — a characterization referring primarily to coastal and bay fishing, but reflecting an exceptionally active spring fish movement across the region. Whether the Delaware River's freshwater shad and striper runs are similarly elevated cannot be confirmed from available data alone, but the haul numbers from the Lewis Shad Fishery and the Lambertville striper reports are encouraging signs heading into the peak of the season.