If you’ve been walking along the Thames lately and spotted what looks like the river is literally boiling with fish, you’re not imagining things. A massive school of gizzard shad has taken up residence in a little inlet, creating quite the spectacle that’s got locals stopping in their tracks.
These aren’t just any random fish doing random fish things – we’re talking about a proper congregation of gizzard shad that’s apparently totally normal, even though it looks like something straight out of a nature documentary. The fish pack themselves together so tightly in these warmer water spots that it creates this almost mesmerizing ripple effect across the surface.
According to local fish enthusiasts, this is actually a sign that our river is doing pretty well health-wise. The gizzard shad show up to overwinter in London, and their presence means the Thames is in decent shape – even if you wouldn’t necessarily want to take a dip in it yourself.
The fish tend to gather in spots where the water runs a bit warmer, like near the outlet areas. If you’ve seen similar scenes at Greenway, that’s exactly the same phenomenon happening. It’s basically fish seeking out the coziest spots they can find to ride out the colder months.
What makes this whole thing even more interesting is that we haven’t seen numbers like this since around 2012. The shad made a comeback during the first COVID winter a few years back, but then seemed to disappear again for a while. Now they’re back in force, creating these incredible dense schools that you can spot from the riverbank.
Local residents have been sharing photos and videos of the phenomenon, with many people planning family walks down to the river just to witness the spectacle. It’s not every day you get to see thousands of fish moving together like some kind of underwater flash mob.
The fish themselves aren’t exactly gourmet dining material – they’re mostly bones and not particularly tasty, especially if they’re coming from the Thames within city limits. But that’s not really the point. They’re more like living indicators of river health, and right now they’re telling us things are looking up.
Some people have been spotted with nets trying to catch the shad, which has raised questions about whether that’s actually legal. The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority keeps tabs on this sort of thing, so if you’re thinking about trying to scoop up dinner, you might want to check the regulations first.
The whole scene has become something of a local attraction, with people bringing their kids down to see what looks like the river coming alive. It’s the kind of natural phenomenon that reminds you London’s got more going on than just the usual urban landscape.
For anyone curious about checking out the fish themselves, they tend to hang out between Blackfriars Bridge and Oxford, though they can pop up in other spots along the Thames where conditions are right. The best viewing tends to be from the riverbank where you can actually see the water moving with all the activity below the surface.
This particular gathering has been creating quite the buzz in local online discussions, with people sharing tips on the best viewing spots and times. Some folks have even been making regular trips down to the river just to see if the fish are still there.
The gizzard shad phenomenon typically lasts through the winter months, so there’s still time to catch sight of this natural spectacle if you haven’t yet. Just don’t expect the fish to stick around once warmer weather really kicks in – they tend to disperse when spring arrives.
What started as one curious Reddit post about unusual fish activity has turned into a reminder that London’s Thames River ecosystem is more vibrant than many people realize.