Meridia

Delaware Shad Specialists

Status: active | Rating: 4.5/5 (2 reviews)

Spring shad runs on the Delaware River are one of the great wildlife spectacles of the Northeast. We guide fly and spin anglers for American shad from late April through June. Also offering smallmouth bass trips in summer and fall.

Details

  • Species: American Shad, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye
  • Tags: Fly Fishing, Spin Fishing, Freshwater, Beginner, Intermediate, Spring, Summer, Autumn, Half Day, Full Day, Wade Trip, Gear Provided, Shore / Wade Only

Waters Serviced (3)

DestinationType
Delaware Riverriver
Upper Delaware Riverriver_section
West Branch Delaware Riverriver_section

Reviews (2)

Roger Atkinson5/5Shad on a fly rod is a riot

Wayne put us on a pod of shad running upstream near Callicoon. Caught 15 on a 6-weight — they fight like fish twice their size. Unique fishery, great guide.

Diana Novak4/5Fun spring trip

Good day on the Delaware for shad. Wayne timed the run perfectly. Also caught a few smallmouth as a bonus. Would have liked more instruction on shad fly patterns.

FAQ — Delaware Shad Specialists

Raw guide data (JSON)
{
  "id": "825f7c42-3b92-4a88-82a4-34487341b42a",
  "organizationId": null,
  "name": "Delaware Shad Specialists",
  "guideName": "Wayne Eckert",
  "slug": "delaware-shad-specialists",
  "bio": "Spring shad runs on the Delaware River are one of the great wildlife spectacles of the Northeast. We guide fly and spin anglers for American shad from late April through June. Also offering smallmouth bass trips in summer and fall.",
  "yearsExperience": 19,
  "city": "Callicoon",
  "stateProvince": "NY",
  "countryCode": "US",
  "isVerified": false,
  "status": "active",
  "createdAt": "2026-03-23T22:16:17.655Z",
  "updatedAt": "2026-03-29T16:38:42.883Z",
  "reviews": [
    {
      "id": "10616df9-445d-4531-b710-ff65de30188c",
      "guideId": "825f7c42-3b92-4a88-82a4-34487341b42a",
      "authorName": "Roger Atkinson",
      "rating": 5,
      "title": "Shad on a fly rod is a riot",
      "body": "Wayne put us on a pod of shad running upstream near Callicoon. Caught 15 on a 6-weight — they fight like fish twice their size. Unique fishery, great guide.",
      "tripDate": null,
      "verified": true,
      "createdAt": "2026-03-29T16:38:43.447Z",
      "updatedAt": "2026-03-29T16:38:43.447Z"
    },
    {
      "id": "bd3a88f7-ae5c-4f57-aafc-eb0d8f5bd627",
      "guideId": "825f7c42-3b92-4a88-82a4-34487341b42a",
      "authorName": "Diana Novak",
      "rating": 4,
      "title": "Fun spring trip",
      "body": "Good day on the Delaware for shad. Wayne timed the run perfectly. Also caught a few smallmouth as a bonus. Would have liked more instruction on shad fly patterns.",
      "tripDate": null,
      "verified": true,
      "createdAt": "2026-03-29T16:38:43.447Z",
      "updatedAt": "2026-03-29T16:38:43.447Z"
    }
  ],
  "credentials": [],
  "geom": null,
  "tags": [
    {
      "slug": "fly-fishing",
      "name": "Fly Fishing",
      "tagType": "fishing_style"
    },
    {
      "slug": "spin-fishing",
      "name": "Spin Fishing",
      "tagType": "fishing_style"
    },
    {
      "slug": "freshwater",
      "name": "Freshwater",
      "tagType": "water_type"
    },
    {
      "slug": "beginner",
      "name": "Beginner",
      "tagType": "ability"
    },
    {
      "slug": "intermediate",
      "name": "Intermediate",
      "tagType": "ability"
    },
    {
      "slug": "spring",
      "name": "Spring",
      "tagType": "season"
    },
    {
      "slug": "summer",
      "name": "Summer",
      "tagType": "season"
    },
    {
      "slug": "autumn",
      "name": "Autumn",
      "tagType": "season"
    },
    {
      "slug": "half-day",
      "name": "Half Day",
      "tagType": "trip_format"
    },
    {
      "slug": "full-day",
      "name": "Full Day",
      "tagType": "trip_format"
    },
    {
      "slug": "wade-trip",
      "name": "Wade Trip",
      "tagType": "trip_format"
    },
    {
      "slug": "gear-provided",
      "name": "Gear Provided",
      "tagType": "trip_inclusion"
    },
    {
      "slug": "shore-only",
      "name": "Shore / Wade Only",
      "tagType": "boat_type"
    }
  ],
  "faqs": [
    {
      "id": "63e7db88-439a-4676-9ccb-b6f198b8c041",
      "question": "When is the shad run?",
      "answer": "American shad enter the Delaware River in late April and the run continues through June, peaking in mid-May. Water temperature is the key trigger — when the river hits 55-60 degrees, the run is on. We monitor conditions daily during the run.",
      "sortOrder": 0
    },
    {
      "id": "e04b69b8-7b6a-4c13-97d7-61816a3c61c6",
      "question": "Can I catch shad on a fly rod?",
      "answer": "Absolutely — shad on a fly rod is one of the most underrated experiences in East Coast fishing. We use 6-7 weight rods with weighted shad darts or small Clouser-style flies. Shad fight incredibly hard for their size — think 3-5 pound fish that make screaming runs.",
      "sortOrder": 1
    }
  ],
  "destinations": [
    {
      "slug": "delaware-river",
      "name": "Delaware River",
      "type": "river"
    },
    {
      "slug": "upper-delaware-river",
      "name": "Upper Delaware River",
      "type": "river_section"
    },
    {
      "slug": "west-branch-delaware",
      "name": "West Branch Delaware River",
      "type": "river_section"
    }
  ],
  "accommodations": [],
  "species": [
    {
      "slug": "american-shad",
      "commonName": "American Shad",
      "category": "anadromous",
      "seasonality": null,
      "notes": "Primary target April through June"
    },
    {
      "slug": "smallmouth-bass",
      "commonName": "Smallmouth Bass",
      "category": "freshwater",
      "seasonality": null,
      "notes": "Summer and fall trips"
    },
    {
      "slug": "walleye",
      "commonName": "Walleye",
      "category": "freshwater",
      "seasonality": null,
      "notes": "Spring bonus fish"
    }
  ],
  "reviewCount": 2,
  "avgRating": 4.5,
  "imageUrl": null
}