The tape on the weights may stiffen the edge a little, but it won't help much to keep the net open.
First is to practice until you can cast that net properly. You can use any net for deep shad, but larger is better.
After descending 25 feet, a net will close as much as 50% of the diameter that hits the water. If you throw a 5 foot net and it lands in a 4 foot circle on the water, it may close to as little as 3 feet or less due to the water pressure on the net itself.
Use the biggest net that you can master. I personally prefer to throw a 10 foot net. I have one in the boat next to the two 7 footers.
Since the handline on most production net is something less than 25 feet, you have to add a length of cord to the handline. I use the handline removed from a hopelessly destroyed net. I usually ruin one or two nets a year, but I catch bait twice to three times a week.
Use your fish finder to locate the shad. Turn the gain all the way up and the shad will appear as a cloud. Bearing in mind the location of your transponder on the boat, cast your net directly on top of the bait cloud and allow your net to go all the way to the bottom.
It's easier if there are two people in the boat... one driving slowly and watching for the bait n the graph, the other positioned over the transponder with the net ready to throw at the word from the boat driver. With good teamwork, bait-catching is a quick evolution as long as the cloud is bait and not suspended junk in the water.
Hope this helps you.
Good Luck and good fishing!