A "Fish Most Delicious"

Their Latin name means "fish most delicious" and you can taste them Sunday, April 26th at the Thirteenth Annual Hudson River Shad Festival. The Festival is the third event in the annual "Hooked on the Hudson" celebration, and will be held at the Alpine Boat Basin at the foot of the Palisades Cliffs. Sponsors include the Hudson River Fisherman’s Association, the Hudson River Foundation, and the New Jersey section of Palisades Interstate Park.
Festival Coordinator Eric Nelsen feels this year’s Festival will appeal to a broad audience. "The way I see it, we’re throwing a party," said Nelsen, a long-time Park employee. "We have food, we have music, we have things to do. And lots to gab about. Games to play, fun stuff. We’re celebrating Spring and the Hudson. We’re celebrating being living creatures in a living world. What better excuse for a party than that?"
The annual fishing contest is scheduled from 8:00am-1:00pm. Bait and instruction will be available but you must bring your own poles, cautions Nelsen. This event is always a big hit with the kids, who line the bank of the Hudson and cast and hope for a big one as fervently as any other Sunday fisherman.
The Raptor Project will showcase live birds of prey throughout the day. The Project maintains one of the largest collections of eagles, hawks, falcons and owls in the world. Most are rehabilitated birds whose injuries prevent them from living in the wild.
Music will be provided by several artists including folk singer Paul Wilder, who combines new and traditional sounds in his 11:00am program. At 1:00pm you can hear the Jersey home-grown sounds of Peter Karp and the Road Show, playing a mix of rock and popular tunes.
Bill Boesenberg’s "Strange World of Reptiles" can be seen at 12 noon and again at 1:00pm. A wild edibles walk is scheduled for 12:30pm, and New Jersey Audubon will lead bird walks at 10:00am and 1:00pm. Park Rangers will give walking tours of the historic Boat Basin and vicinity throughout the day.
But the highlight of the day (for a nosher like me) is the Shad Bake at 2:00 pm. Hudson River Foundation educator (and shad fisherman) Christopher Letts will offer free tastings of smoked and pickled shad. This is not to be missed!
Shad fishing is an age-old tradition on the Hudson. From mid-March to mid-May local fishermen set their nets to catch the "run" as shad migrate upstream to spawn. Shad have been known to travel up to 120 miles upriver to lay their eggs.
Since shad spend only 1-2 weeks in the Hudson (most of their adult life is spent in the ocean) they are not in the river long enough to be affected by PCB’s and other contaminants. Shad are a highly-prized fish both for their flesh and roe, and the catch made here will be shipped all over the country.
However, this is a fragile, local industry, at the mercy of weather and Mother Nature. Shad are still in danger of being over-fished by larger commercial fleets, and restrictions prevent local fishermen from setting nets from Friday noon until Saturday at midnight.
Fishermen must also contend with time and tide. Nets set out at low tide will be carried upstream on the incoming, and hopefully will open wide to catch the run. An improperly placed net, or bad timing, will be costly.
Eric has hopes that the Festival will bring people closer to this natural phenomenon. "As crazy as it sounds, events like this keep something important alive. People read the poster, ‘Shad Festival’ and they may say, ‘What’s a shad?’ But for generations, people’s livelihoods depended on the shad run each Spring. Today, we’re more insulated from these natural rhythms yet they still go on.
"As we speak, the shad are swimming up the Hudson. It’s amazing. A visitor to the Festival may not be thinking of this while eating a hot dog or listening to the band, but a part of him has been reminded of those ancient rhythms. Underneath all the fun, that’s the real meaning of hosting a shad festival."
For a complete schedule and directions to the Palisades Interstate Park’s Alpine Boat Basin, call 201-768-0379. Admission to the Festival is free, but there is a $4 per car parking fee. The Shad Festival will be held rain or shine. In the event of rain, tents will be set up for exhibitors and guests.
I’ve joined the celebration in past years, and never been disappointed in the flavor of pickled shad. Last year, I remembered to make a few notes on this treat, better to tell the story: a lot like pickled herring, but sweeter; better texture, and no aftertaste. Mmmmm. And I then went back for more.

The Palisades Interstate Park offers 30 miles of hiking trails and excellent birding. Guided hikes are scheduled throughout the year. The State Line Lookout, a rustic, cliff-side snack bar on the New York/New Jersey border, is open daylight hours year-round. Views of the Palisades and Hudson River are well worth the trip. For a complete list of events, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Special Events, c/o PIPC, Box 155, Alpine, NJ 07620-0155.

For more information on fishing the Hudson River, contact the Hudson River Fisherman's Association at: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/HRFANJ/

Copyright © 1998 Karen L. Siletti