Freshwater · Spring runs April-June; Great Lakes fish year-round

Alewife

Alosa pseudoharengus

One page, two lives: on the Atlantic coast of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI and Maine the alewife is the anadromous 'gaspereau', running rivers in spring to dip nets and wharf sabiki rigs; in the Great Lakes it lives landlocked as a smaller forage herring. It is the small cousin of the American shad.

Seasons · Peak

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Alewife — Photo: Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, CC BY 2.0 — Wikimedia Commons

Identifying features

Slim, silvery herring body with a dark shoulder spot
Eye large — its diameter greater than the snout length
Lower jaw slightly projecting; small, weak teeth
Belly with a keel of sharp scutes; back blue-grey
Single dorsal fin mid-body; forked tail

Habits

Anadromous on the Atlantic coast — adults run rivers in spring to spawn
Known as gaspereau in the Maritimes, taken in traditional dip-net fisheries
Landlocked populations live full-time in the Great Lakes
Feeds on plankton and small crustaceans
Winter die-offs of landlocked fish occur on Great Lakes beaches

Distribution

Saint John, NB · New Brunswick★ Primary

Halifax, NS · Nova Scotia★ Primary

Charlottetown, PE · Prince Edward Island★ Primary

Portland, ME · Maine★ Primary

Sudbury, ON · OntarioCommon

Toronto, ON · Great LakesCommon

Québec City, QC · QuebecCommon

St. John's, NL · Newfoundland & LabradorCommon

Boston, MA · New EnglandCommon

New York, NY · New YorkCommon

Where to find them

Gaspereau river mouths and wharves in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia in spring
PEI and Maine river runs below dams and fishways
Great Lakes beaches and harbours where landlocked schools gather

Where they live

Atlantic river mouths and estuaries in springWharves and harbours during spawning runsLandlocked Great Lakes open water and beaches

How to catch them

Wharf sabiki during the run Shore

Rig: Light rod with a sabiki rig of tiny hooks jigged at wharves and river mouths during the spring gaspereau run

Bait/lure: Sabiki rigs, tiny hooks

Key tip: Jig gently in the school as fish push in on the tide — check local seasons and limits for gaspereau first.

Dip-netting legal runs Shore

Rig: Where the traditional fishery is open, a long-handled dip net worked at river mouths and fishways during the run

Bait/lure: None — dip net

Key tip: Fish only in open seasons and licensed areas; this historic Maritime fishery is tightly regulated.

Best baits & lures

Sabiki rigs with tiny hooksDip nets during legal spring runsSmall spoons and flies for river fish

Techniques for Alewife →

Baseline setup

Rod: Light 6-7 ft spinning rod
Line: 4-8 lb mono
Terminal: Sabiki rigs, tiny hooks, long-handled dip net where legal

Recommended gear for this species

Rod · Best value

9' 5-weight fly rod outfit

≈ US$180-260

Covers chironomid lakes and small rivers with one setup.

Flies · Budget

Chironomid assortment (30 patterns)

≈ US$25-40

Chironomids are 60% of a lake rainbow's diet in spring.

Picks come from our rule library — never paid placements. Prices are guides; affiliate links may earn us a commission.

Typical size

Common 8-11 in at sea; landlocked fish usually 5-7 in

On the table

Fair — oily and bony like other herrings; traditionally salted or smoked as gaspereau.

Similar species

American ShadAmerican shad is much larger, commonly 18-24 in, with a row of spots along the flank; alewife is its small cousin under a foot at sea

Rainbow SmeltRainbow smelt is pencil-slim with an adipose fin and a larger, toothed mouth; alewife is deeper, herring-shaped and almost toothless

Regulations vary by area and can change in-season — always check the official rules for your area before you fish. Regulations guide →

Plan a trip for Alewife

Build today's plan