Shad Contest 2025-2026

Catch fish in the St. Johns River and win things. First to catch all species of shad wins an Orlando Outfitters staff-tied box of flies. Whoever catches the most overall fish species wins a Wolf Moon landing net. We will also hold a random monthly drawing for a $25 Orlando Outfitters gift card.

It's time for some of our favorite fishing of the year: shad on the St. Johns. We are running a catch/photo/release contest this shad season, for shad and other species, with several ways to win. You can be the first to catch the three species of anadromous shad we target on the St. Johns, you can catch the most species of fish, or you can win one of the monthly random drawings.

While American shad are the species most of us target during the shad run, many hickory shad are caught each season as well. The numbers of blueback herring, the third species of shad, are more variable. Some seasons there many blueback throughout the system. Other seasons they are relatively rare.

The St. Johns is home to a wide variety of species other than shad. Most of us are familiar with largemouth bass, black crappie, redbreasted sunfish, redear sunfish, bluegill, and others that we may target or catch as bycatch. There are many more fish that are regularly caught, and others that, with a little creativity, could be targeted. These include green sunfish, mud sunfish, spotted sunfish, warmouth, black crappie, channel catfish, mosquitofish, sailfin molly (if you can tie a fly small enough, those will both count), hybrid striped bass, Florida gar, longnosed gar, bowfin, tilapia, needlefish, mullet - you get the idea.

Basic Information

• Be the first to send in photos of American shad, hickory shad, and blueback herring caught this season.
  • Prize: A fly box loaded with 2 dozen flies for fishing the St. Johns River tied by Orlando Outfitters staff. 
• Catch and identify the most fish species between the start of the contest and March 31st, 2026.
  • Prize: A Wolf Moon landing net
• Send in a photo of any  fish caught on the St.Johns during each month of the contest. It can even be a species you have already submitted. This will enter you into the monthly random drawing. 
  • Prize: $25 Orlando Outfitters gift card

Details: If you plan to enter, please read the fine print below.

• To enter:
  • Email photos to shad2026@orlandooutfitters.com. Multiple photos may be attached to the same email. Any photos we receive may be posted to our website, shared on social media, or used in other Orlando Outfitters marketing.  
  • Photos must be taken this shad season on the St. Johns River and tributaries, south of Lake George. 
  • Photos must include an Orlando Outfitters logo. The logo can be on a hat, shirt, sticker, etc. Stop by and pick up a free shad sticker we put together specifically for this tournament. 
  • Photos must be in jpeg format.
  • Each email must include your name, phone number and email. 
  • Fish species in the photo must be properly identified. A common name is fine for the most common species. Where there is likely to be a question or where multiple species may share a common name, please provide the scientific name.  
• Catch Requirements:
  • Fly caught only. Trolling is okay but fish must be caught on a fly rod with a fly line and fair hooked in the mouth.
• Three ways to win
  • Be the first one to catch and identify these three species of anadromous shad: American Shad, Hickory Shad, Blueback Herring. The date/time stamp on your email will be used to determine when a photo is entered. 
    • If only two of the three are caught, then at the end of the tournament we will choose the first person to submit pictures of American and hickory shad.
  • Catch the most species in the St. Johns River (and lower Wekiva and Econlockhatchee rivers) upstream (south) of Lake George, between now and  March 31st
  • We will hold a random drawing at the beginning of each month, until April. Each person who submits a photo during the prior month gets one entry into that month's random drawing. One entry per person regardless of the number of photos submitted. 
• Prizes
  • First to catch three species:  A fly box loaded with flies tied by Orlando Outfitters staff for fishing the St. Johns River. 
  • Most species: Fishpond net. A Wolf Moon landing net
  • Random drawing: A $25 gift card. One per month with the drawing at the beginning of the following month. 
• Contest Updates
  • We will provide regular updates on our blog and on social media regarding entries and current fishing reports. 
  • Winners will be posted on facebook and Instagram and will also be notified by email. Your prize will be held at the shop for pickup.