Dense shoal of Menhaden atFTW

[CT-Rich]

I thought I was pretty much done diving for the year, but last week I was down in Fairfield and took a walk on the beach. The water was flat and inviting and a large school of menhaden were milling around in a river. Then, Saturday Sabrina Strawn texted me asking if I was diving today. Long story short if she was willing dive wet in November, I could dive dry....

I needed to work Sunday morning so I wasn’t able to get to FY Wetherill until almost three. Mike Bilheimer met us there (he changed his mind after telling me his gear was stowed for the winter). The water was flat and the tide was 2/3 out when we splashed. Visibility was 10’ close to the beach and dropped to 5’ the farther we went out. Close in to shore there were schools of menhaden (or are they shad?) in several areas of both coves. They were about 12” long and the schools were easy to spot even from a distance in the water (just look for their fins out the water).

I’ve seen a few bait balls in RI, and they are pretty cool. These fish were just schooling, but there were a lot of them. I think our bubbles and lights were freaking them out, the end of the dive was getting to twilight. Not a lot else seen on the dive, 55 minutes max depth 34’

 

[lexvil]

 

[DanSinks]

Well I was all ready to post my little video of a school of "herring" that I saw Monday at Ft Wetherill but now that I see this @CT-Rich post I guess I won't report my "herring" sighting.
After all it's not everyday you see a school of endangered "herring" on a dive.

What's That You Say?!! Their Not Herring?!?

 

[DanSinks]

We were watching from shore for a while, the school of fish were hanging around on the surface with their tail fins sticking up out of the water, I guess this is called "finning"

here is a photo, sorry it's not better quality......

 

[CT-Rich]

here is a photo, sorry it's not better quality......

If it makes you feel better, I debated referring to them as Shad... of course, Menhaden are a species of Herring. And so are Shad. We are all good (shad are a bit larger).

 

[DanSinks]

(My way of wording it was supposed to be funny) I'm not really sure what they were, as @formernuke said, they are baitfish(the day before), all I do know is it was close to 80 on Monday and I was very happy to get one more dive in!!
There always seems to be something special to see at FTW(although was only there twice this year).

 

[tkaelin]

A/k/a bunker?

 

[Ghost95]

A/k/a Pogies.

 

[tkaelin]

Great videos and glad you took advantage of this warm weather to get another dive in. Fond memories of "snagging bunker" in the late afternoon off Southport in my 13' whaler and then fishing at sunset with them live and rigged for stripers. Many moons ago.

 

[TuckerIdaho]

menhaden/pogies/bunker one in the same. gizzard shad look similar but don't have the spot.