I just spoke with George and put in an order for a 17 gallon Grayline shad tank.

Yes I will look a bit white trash with it and a couple of rod holders out in a bass boat but I don't care that much. I've been wanting to add live bait to my normal bag o'tricks.

Can you guys point me to the best advice for catching and caring for shad. I fish Ray Hubbard four to five times a week so any pointers you have about the lake would be appreciated.

Thanks gang!

Jackson

Most important is figure out how to strap it in your boat so going down the highway it does not blow out (no it did not happen to me, but I saw it happen )

Go to the Grayline homepage and print out the FAQ sheet...

I do not fish RH...but...all about the same for catching bait:
7' radius , 3/8 net -- get there before sun up and throw under the lights of the marina. Get there after sun up go to a creek with the wind blowing into it, use your electronics and look a little deeper to find the shad then toss the net on them.

Man, I put Roger's back up Grayline tank in my boat last week and to tell ya the trueth I can just throw bait in it and fish with no prep. If ya want to keep them lively overnight, you might want to use shad keeper and a block of ice or a handfull of rock salt and a block of ice. Other than that You are good to go. Greyline's are awesome. I had another high dollar tank and couldn't keep bait for more than a few hours. I am impressed to say the least!

I like to use a horse "muck bucket" from Tractor Supply. Put your caught baits in it for a few minutes, let them stress and then sort them out. Keep the ones you want and dump the rest.

1 can of Morton NON-IODIZED salt added keeps them happy and their scales on. When you handle them keep your hands wet, when you net them try for one or two at a time.

Keep people out of the tank (kids love to harrass the baits)....the less stressed your baits are the better they will be on a hook. As someone said on another thread...They should be schooled up and swimming happily down in the tank. If they are skipping along the sides of the tank, the water may be too warm.

Add some ice if this happens and a little chlorine killer for peace of mind. If you have baits in the tank, keep the top open if possible, this allows some ammonia (from waste) to escape.

Awesome information guys. I appreciate it!

Wife bought the iodized salt by mistake the other day and I didn't see any difference. Shad were still very lively after 5 hrs. I'm now wondering if I should stay with the iodized. Theses guys were unusually active.

Water softener salt in the 40# bags is the cheapest way to go. About a dime/lb. It is noniodized and dissolves fast.

i just ordered a tank today and it wasnt a grayline.
i think it is a keep alive. did i mess up?
ive never had one.

Everyone just keeps saying how phenomenal a Grayline is so I thought that if I was going to dish out money I might as well get the good one.

Sadly.... It is 3 tanks of gas. (I only got a 17 gallon) I was going to try to build one as others have done but then there is always the question that a rookie would have. Did I build it wrong so that there is a flaw in my tank or did I mishandle the water or bait?

If Graylines are that good, sign me up. The guy who owns the place I think.... George. He asked me to call him when I get it and he will walk me through the set up. He was very concerned that I understand HOW to keep the shad alive.

I love companies that give a darn about the success of their product and this guy REALLY seemed to care.

Just my .02.

Jackson

P.S. And thank you everyone for the great tips!! Keep them coming!!

George will definitely give ya good service. You made a good choice!

got a 10 gallon tank for free and it has worked fine. just have to work harder to keep them alive and lively in the summer time but then again our insulated livewell in the center console works amazingly. Always good to have another bait tank on hand though

go fishing with a guide or a friend that has done it for a while .you will learn a spot or two to catch bait if you are lucky .that saves a lot of time ,gives more time to fish.you have to use salt or they will die in matter of minutes.in any tank.25 yrs of exp. bait fishing everything has happened to me and my shad.they are some sensitive boogers in the summer ,not a problem in the winter. good luck.

Couple more tips. If possible, first put the shad from the lake into a bucket of lake water or boat live well and wait about five minutes, they will foul up that water quick. Then, use a net to transfer those shad into the bait tank, don't pour them. Onther this is to rinse the filter foam by swishing it in the lake after a few hours. Shad scales can clog the filter.

Greyline / Sunshine tanks are hands down the best tank i have ever owned/used.

George is a great guy and stands behind what they build. They have the best filter system i have found.

Considering the amount of time and effort you put into finding and catching bait and keeping it alive , the tank is by far the least expensive part of the process, a quality tank will pay for itself in a short time and last many years. Reduced loss of bait, with better quality bait equals more fish.

non iodized salt and foam killer is all i ever have to use,
hot summers add ice and your done.