Massachusetts Spring Fish Runs: American Shad and River Herring

Q: When do American shad run in Massachusetts?

On the Connecticut and Merrimack rivers, in spring. That timing comes from the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. The day each year follows the water: the Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission puts the American shad spawn at 15 to 23°C, or 59 to 73.4°F.

Q: When do river herring run in Massachusetts?

On Stony Brook, in spring. That timing comes from the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. The day each year follows the water: the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says river herring spawn once it reaches about 57°F.

Q: What water temperature do American shad spawn at in Massachusetts?

The Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission gives 15 to 23°C, or 59 to 73.4°F, for American shad in Massachusetts. Water inside that range means the spawn can be on; within 5°F below it, the run is getting close.

Q: What water temperature do river herring spawn at in Massachusetts?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service gives 57°F for river herring, the figure each Massachusetts verdict reads the water against. A single figure is a mark: water at or above it means the spawn can be on.

Q: Where can I watch or fish the Massachusetts runs?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service names the Robert E. Barrett Fishway on the Connecticut River.

Q: How can I tell if a run in Massachusetts is on today?

A USGS gauge on the Connecticut River reports the water temperature through the day. Each run card sets the latest reading against the spawning temperature: more than 5°F below the spawning temperature is Not yet, within 5°F is Getting close, inside the range is On, and above it late in the run is Winding down. The other runs follow their usual months.

Q: Does a run start on the same date every year?

No. The months are the usual window, and the water sets the day: a cold spring holds a run back, and a warm one brings it forward. In Massachusetts, the gauge readings on the run cards show where the water stands now.

Q: Why do fish run in spring?

Water temperature is the main signal: each species waits for its own range. Longer days bring fish toward the rivers, and a warm rain that raises and warms the water often starts a push upstream. Walleye go first in cold water; white bass, herring and shad follow as rivers warm.

American shad ride the fish elevator over the Holyoke Dam on the Connecticut and run up the Merrimack; river herring return to Stony Brook in Brewster each spring.

Massachusetts at a glance

Read October 13, 2026

Runs

on 3 waters

Species

American shad and river herring

57 to 73.4°F

Spawning water

river herring to American shad

USGS gauge

on the Connecticut River

Months, temperatures and places are the agency’s own, quoted on each run below. The verdict on each card is worked out in your browser against today and the latest reading at the gauge on that river.

Is the run on?

Every Massachusetts run, and where it stands today

American shad

American shad on the Connecticut River

When: Runs in spring; the water temperature tells you when.
Spawns at: 59 to 73.4°F (15 to 23°C in the source) Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission (hosted by USFWS)
The run: Holyoke Dam and the river below it
Where to go: Robert E. Barrett Fishway

The species is anadromous, ascending coastal rivers to spawn in spring, and often migrating long distances up major rivers such as the Connecticut and Merrimack Rivers.

Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife), read October 13, 2026. Read it at the source

The rules on this water (2), where to fish and notes

Limit2026 regulations

American Shad 5 (Connecticut and Merrimack rivers only, including their tributaries.) Jan. 1 – Dec. 31 3

Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife), read October 13, 2026. Read it at the source

Rule2026 regulations

American Shad are Catch-and-Release ONLY on all waters except the Connecticut and Merrimack rivers, including their tributaries.

Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife), read October 13, 2026. Read it at the source

Where to fish

In Holyoke, Massachusetts, species like America shad, river herring, and sea lamprey get a boost over the Holyoke Dam in an elevator designed just for fish. The public are welcome to tour the Robert E. Barrett Fishway with viewing windows into their underwater world.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, read October 13, 2026. Read it at the source

Note

The spawning run typically last 2-3 months, with the Connecticut River stock entering the river between late March and early April, depending on the environmental conditions.

Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission (hosted by USFWS), read October 13, 2026. Read it at the source

Note

The Connecticut and Merrimack River American shad populations are considered under stress due to habitat degradation, limited access to historic spawning and rearing areas, and abundance lower than management plan targets. However, the populations are considered stable enough to allow for limited recreational fisheries.

Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife), read October 13, 2026. Read it at the source

American shad

American shad on the Merrimack River

When: Runs in spring; the water temperature tells you when.
Spawns at: 59 to 73.4°F (15 to 23°C in the source) Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission (hosted by USFWS)

The species is anadromous, ascending coastal rivers to spawn in spring, and often migrating long distances up major rivers such as the Connecticut and Merrimack Rivers.

Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife), read October 13, 2026. Read it at the source

The rules on this water (1) and notes

Limit2026 regulations

American Shad 5 (Connecticut and Merrimack rivers only, including their tributaries.) Jan. 1 – Dec. 31 3

Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife), read October 13, 2026. Read it at the source

Note

The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) assists cooperative efforts to monitor shad spawning runs in the Merrimack River and conducts an annual backpack electrofishing survey of shad in the South River and Indian Head River and a beach seine survey for juvenile shad in the Taunton River.

Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife), read October 13, 2026. Read it at the source

River herring

River herring on Stony Brook

When: Runs in spring; the water temperature tells you when.
Spawns at: 57°F U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, for the species
The run: the Brewster mill site fishway

Anadromous populations spend most of their adult life in coastal marine waters and return to freshwaters to spawn in the spring.

Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife), read October 13, 2026. Read it at the source

The rules on this water (1) and notes

Closed to harvest2026 regulations

Recreational and commercial harvest of river herring was prohibited by the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) in 2006 out of concern over their status.

Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife), read October 13, 2026. Read it at the source

Note

This iconic mill site is one of the most visited “herring parks” in Massachusetts, with generations of families holding fond memories of seeing herring at Stony Brook.

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, read October 13, 2026. Read it at the source

Note

Counts will be finalized later this year, but from preliminary data, the Herring Brook in Pembroke, the Monument River in Bourne, and Stony Brook in Brewster are three runs with electronic counts expected to post higher than average counts in 2025.

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, run update of spring 2025. Read it at the source

Sources

Where the Massachusetts runs come from

Every month, temperature, place and rule on this page is quoted from these pages, read October 13, 2026. Rules change every year, so check the current regulations before you fish.

American Shad, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife)
Finding Fish on the Move, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Freshwater fishing regulations, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife)
Connecticut River American Shad Management Plan (2017) and Addendum (2020), Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission (hosted by USFWS)
Alewife, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife)
Diadromous Fish Run Update: Spring 2025, Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
Blueback Herring (Alosa aestivalis), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Massachusetts fish run questions

When do American shad run in Massachusetts?

When do river herring run in Massachusetts?

What water temperature do American shad spawn at in Massachusetts?

What water temperature do river herring spawn at in Massachusetts?

Where can I watch or fish the Massachusetts runs?

How can I tell if a run in Massachusetts is on today?

Does a run start on the same date every year?

Why do fish run in spring?

Runs, months, spawning temperatures, places and rules read October 13, 2026 from the pages listed under sources. Where a state gives no temperature for a species, the figure is the species figure its publisher gives, and the card says so. Water temperatures are the latest reading at a USGS gauge on the run’s own river, fetched when the page opens; a run without one goes by the months.

Massachusetts Spring Fish Runs: American Shad and River Herring

Massachusetts at a glance

Every Massachusetts run, and where it stands today

American shad on the Connecticut River

American shad on the Merrimack River

River herring on Stony Brook

Where the Massachusetts runs come from

Massachusetts fish run questions

More fishing in Massachusetts

Spring fish runs in other states