# How many shad?



## dphillipx (Sep 20, 2011)

What is the maximum number of shad per gallon of container? I have  airator with constant fresh pump....just not sure of size of bait tank to build.....


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## BradMyers (Sep 20, 2011)

dphillipx said:


> What is the maximum number of shad per gallon of container? I have  airator with constant fresh pump....just not sure of size of bait tank to build.....



It really depends on the size of your bait. Smaller bait = more. It will also depend if you run filtration as well. Here is a great resource on shad and keeping them alive & well. http://www.arkansasstripers.com/bait_tanks.htm 

To me their numbers seem a bit low but it's better to be on the safe side.


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## geaux-fish (Sep 20, 2011)

My 40 gal. Super Bait Tank 2 will hold 150-200 / 5" thredfins. Don't forget the salt , one cup per 10gal of NON iodized ice cream salt. A tablespoon of bait saver for the whole tank.


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## chad smith (Sep 20, 2011)

I can keep 100-150 5 inch threadfins alive in my home built 35 gallon tank but I keep my filtration and aerator systems runing constant!! Remember you want the shad to all go one way! And you wAnt the water temp to stay clean and cold like around 60 degrees when the weather is hot and the same temp of tje lake water when it's cold! I also use a capfull of foam off, a cap full of shad keeper and 3 1/2 cups of rock salt and my shad stay alive and frisky all day! I keep 30-40 gizzards alive in my tank doing the same method as my threads


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## AStrick (Sep 20, 2011)

Nothing less than 30 gal.


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## dphillipx (Sep 20, 2011)

ok....i went and bought a 35 gallon rope handled tote...i think it will work perfect. it was rather inexpensive at 6 bux at kmart. i am starting the planning phase tomorrow. i am planning to use an aquarium aerator from the bottom as well as a fresh water waterfall type aeration system from the top. my thoughts on this is that i could have a drain type hose at the maximum water level with constant fresh water while parked and use aerator while moving. will this system work, and if so hoe far could i get away with running my drain hose and still getting effective drain?


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## Lake_and_stream (Sep 21, 2011)

If you have a constant fresh water pump running all your bait is going to die. You need to do some reading on keeping shad alive, 35 gall. with the correct setup will hold about 3-4 dozen  6" baits for a all day trip. You need a filter,oxygen,and cool water to keep bait. Also going to want to add 1 cup salt per 10 gallons of water. 

Lots and lots of info out the on keeping shad alive.


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## geaux-fish (Sep 21, 2011)

Check out the Keep Alive sight for some good ideas. Shad (thredfins) are fragile baits, flow ( circular ), oxygen, and temp. are all factors to learn.  Gizzard shad are more hardy and can keep longer with less.


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## Doog (Sep 21, 2011)

geaux-fish said:


> Shad (thredfins) are fragile baits.



+ 1 million.

Don't go down this rabbit hole without lots of resolve.


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## dphillipx (Sep 22, 2011)

how are you guys filtering the water for shad? i thought about using an old aquarium filter for a 65 gallon aquarium. i do have an inverter. but i was wondering if there was any technology or redneck rigs that work for you guys


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## Craigaria (Sep 26, 2011)

I built a homemade tank, works great.

Get a plastic 35 or 55 gallon drum

measure around 12" down and cut around to chop the top off (save the top) You are just doing this to lower the height of the tank and you can cut it at any height you want.

now the bottom will look like a trash can. from the top, cut 5"-6" vertical notches all the way around the top.

Take the 12" top piece and push it down over the notched "trash can"

cut out a 12"-14" opening in the center of the top (access to fill and reach into the tank)

stand on the the top and jump on it until it slides completely down over the bottom part of the drum. It will be very tight when you are done and will not come apart.

buy a keep alive ah460 and epoxy to the bottom of the drum off to one side so the pump pushes water around the side in a circular motion. This kit comes with filter and plastic line to pull air.

route the air line and wires out the side of the top of the tank.

Let the epoxy dry for a day and you are ready for bait!

Use hose water and throw in 3 handfuls of rock salt and a handful of shad keeper and the shad will do great even in hot weather.

Be sure to clean the filter every 1/2 hour or the shad will die. As the day goes on you will not have to clean the filter as often. 

I made one of these out of a 35 gallon drum and cut it down 8" and I have put as many 65   6" gizzard shad in it and they are still wide open at the end of the day in the middle of the summer.

Clean the filter, clean the filter, clean the filter


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## SeeinStripes (Sep 27, 2011)

*Did someone say shad?*



dphillipx said:


> how are you guys filtering the water for shad? i thought about using an old aquarium filter for a 65 gallon aquarium. i do have an inverter. but i was wondering if there was any technology or redneck rigs that work for you guys



I used to build the 'bubba bait tank' a few years ago before I stopped doing it.  It's got a tried and true filtration/aeration system that's about as cheap as you can possibly get.  Buy a 360 gph pump, a couple foot length of 3/4" id hose, a rubbermaid or sterilite container and some silicone.  You can mount the filter box 1 of 2 ways.  Cut a hole in the top of your tank the right size for the box to drop down (like in the pics), or just mount it right on top (as long as it has a flat bottom).  Screw it down by the flange if you drop it down, or screw the bottom directly to the top of the tank.  Always use stainless hardware.  Drill some holes in the bottom to let the water flow back down into the tank.

Put the hose on your pump and route it up into the side of the filter container near the top somewhere.  Secure it with zip ties, hose clamp, rocks, whatever works for you.  Put your filter stuff (bonded poly batting that you can get in sheets from wal mart or any upholstery store works great) in the filter container, turn the pump on, and you are filtering AND aerating.

This will keep ample amounts of bait for short term storage like a day or three.  If you want to go all out, you can't beat a Super Bait tank or something similar.

If you want to go balls to the wall, you can make a tank out of a tote and hold about 800 gizzards overnight which I did recently in 85 degree water.  My setup has 2 of the above filters plumbed with a 1200 gph pump as well as 2 additional Dannco venturi's with 800 gph pumps for aeration.

As far as the advice the other guys have given, most of it is great.  Don't worry about keeping it too cold, under 80 is good.  Salt is a MUST.  Clean filters are a MUST.  DON'T overcrowd your bait, they will die from ammonia (red nose).  For regular amounts of shad, you don't need oxygen.  Bait saver is 95% salt.  Foam-off is good to use if you're scared of foam (it will make your tank scummy and that's about it).

My theory is keep it simple.  I took heavy loads of shad to Arkansas last May, 15 hour hold time by the time we got there, using nothing but air and cool water (under 80).  There were only a few dead out of probably 15,000 threadfin.  Keeping a few for bait is child's play!
































Images courtesy of Striper Soup


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## geaux-fish (Sep 27, 2011)

Nice work, thanks for the pics.


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