Gizzard Shad are entirely freshwater species spending their entire adult life in fresh and slightly brackish water. They range from New York along the Atlantic down through the Gulf Coastal States into Mexico and have been introduced in some western states.

Gizzard Shad ingest mud and filter feed unlike most other shad species. Although they aren't an important fish commercially or recreationally, they are a key component in the food chain and their abundance has a measurable impact on other fish species populations such as striped bass.