question on keeping shad

[Flench]

Hello all . Love the forum . I got a question for you guy's .
A few year's back I use to run a bunch of line's(400 hook's) that I baited with cut shad and it work's great but I have not found away to keep shad .
They almost die as soon as you catch them so I put them on ice but they only last a day . I have tried to frezz them with no luck . They just turn to mush when they get to room temp again . I have tried to dry them and still no luck . So how do you keep your Shad ?
Thx and sory for the spelling . Was not able to go to school . I had to learn by my self .
Again , Nice forum . Glad I found it .

[bobs bait]

when you first catch them change the water out several times put salt in the water helps them calnm down and keeps the scales on you need a round tank as if you use square they will run into a corner and beat themselves to death at home have a large round tank i use fresh water once the r crapped out i just run a small amout hve a overflow pipe on my tank need to have a good aireator place stone or stones standing uo in the middle of tank i sold bait have had 100 dozen at a time had to learn the hard way but finally got good at it

[Weed Wacker]

Hello all . Love the forum . I got a question for you guy's .
A few year's back I use to run a bunch of line's(400 hook's) that I baited with cut shad and it work's great but I have not found away to keep shad .
They almost die as soon as you catch them so I put them on ice but they only last a day . I have tried to frezz them with no luck . They just turn to mush when they get to room temp again . I have tried to dry them and still no luck . So how do you keep your Shad ?
Thx and sory for the spelling . Was not able to go to school . I had to learn by my self .
Again , Nice forum . Glad I found it .

Hay George----I use to commercial rock cod off the coast with 50 hook set line's here in San Diego.. Mostly used salt cured bait. It keeps forever and fish love it. Just take a 5 gal bucket, place 2" of rock salt in bottom,and start layering the shad or what ever ya use. One layer of bait then a 1/2" layer of rock salt. Repeat this till bucket is full. Toughfens the bait up so it will stay on the hook. Unlike frozen that just falls apart. And also prevents it from rotting. As all the oils stay in the meat it still smells like bait. I always drilled a few small holes in the bottom of the bucket to let the liquid drain. But it's not nessasary. Ya can sprinkle garlic powder or other scent on each layer if ya want a little extra smell. Hopes this helps ya out with your dead bait at least.

[Flench]

Thanks Weed wacker , That sound's like it will work . I will have to try that next . I can never make it home with them alive . Seem's a soon as they (shad) hit the bucket there dead .
Jut got back in from the lake and had no luck on a new stink bait I was trying out called Premo that I got from walmart . They just mite not have been biting but I don't know . Going back to Doc's stick bait asap and it's only good for the small ones untill I can get some shad . Went up to the dam today but they were not running .
Thanks again for the reply's guy's . All though I got a warning on my very first post . Thanks for pointing out the RULE'S .

[Fat_channel]

Steve Douglas wrote this, on freezing bait.

Freezing/Preserving baitfish for catfishing | DISCOVER CATFISHING

[Flench]

Thanks for the link Fat Channel

[souders]

Lots of salt and fresh water after they crap out. Defiantly need a round tank get water from as deep as possibly the deeper the colder.

[Flench]

Thanks Souders :)

[dano999]

Steve Douglas wrote this, on freezing bait.

Freezing/Preserving baitfish for catfishing | DISCOVER CATFISHING

I use this method for freezing shad and gills and it works great for me.

[Flench]

Thanks for the link Dano ! I will go check it out now . I got to do something . The ones I netted this morning with my through net died even before I could get them in the bucket .