The male shad is an excellent game fish, showing multiple jumps and an occasional end-over-end; it has been called a "freshwater tarpon".
The current world record is listed by the IGFA as 11 pounds 4 ounces (5.1 kg), set at Holyoke Dam, Massachusetts, on 19 May 1986 by Robert A.
Much of the shad's migration places them in the lower portion of the water column which makes this the typical depth of choice for fishing.
[citation needed] Except in unusual conditions, shad stay fairly deep, requiring weight on the line or fly.
Most fishermen use a Y-shaped "shad rig", consisting of two lures spaced one to two feet apart, with a weight on a swiveled line between them or in front of them.
The shad stay near the bottom unless the water is unusually high, so the rig is designed to keep the lure a foot off the bed.