Dave,
Here's an answer people will want to save.
Believe it or not, threadfin shad are not that hard to haul. Rarely is hauling the problem. This is the step by step way to properly handle threadfin shad.
First, they must be carefully collected from the pond. The best way is to seine them loosely, allowing them free run of the net. Quietly and gently wade out with a wash tub and gather shad and water together. Don't worry about the count. Quickly and gently load into the haul truck with pond water from the same pond. Water should be salted with 3 pounds of salt per 100 gallons of transport tank water. Get an approximation of fish weight, and load no more than 1/3 pound of shad per gallon of water.
It's best to add the salt after the fish are loaded.
Be sure to run at least 4 liters per minute of diffused oxygen into the transport tank.
If you have trouble catching shad in a tub, use a long handled, very soft, 1/8" or 1/4" mesh dip net to "herd" the shad to the partially submerged tub. Never pour shad from a net. Let them swim out.
Also add an antibiotic to the transport tank. Less than one ounce of any good antibiotic will work.
Bring the shad to the vat shed, and pipe them into a round tank, if one's available. Have the vat full of pond water, salted.
Let the shad 'harden' for 5-6 hours, and then slowly flush overnight with fresh, clean well water if available.
After a day, well handled threadfins can be dipped, weighed and loaded, always handled in water. NEVER POUR THEM. Allow them to swim out of the net.
Transport at no more than 1/3 pound of fish per gallon of water. When a hauler gets greedy, all shad die. What this means is...if even a few too many threadfins are loaded, all will die. Load fewer, and pay a little more money. They are worth it.
Regarding MS-222, some hatcheries use it to slow the creatures down, but I rarely use it.
As you can see, handling adult threadfin shad is a methodical process. Screw up any stage and you lose shad.
Some people harvest with gill nets. Expect high mortality. Some people haul too many pounds per unit of water. Expect all to die.
Be gentle, be aware, use salt and antibiotic, and success will happen.
Regarding the eggs, that may be a workable method. I would sure give it a try. But, be sure to haul the eggs in a transport tank with oxygen to ensure they stay healthy.
Last, but not least, shad need food. They are filter feeders, gleaning plankton from the water column. Fertile water increases survival rates tremendously.
Have your hatchery guy cut the amount of shad poundage by half, and buy bluegill. If he is remiss, don't buy dead shad.
If he knows how to handle them, 3 1/2 hours is not big deal, especially done early in the morning. Do not, repeat..do not use ice to reduce temperature for threadfins. They haul fine in ambient temperature spring time water. Temper them with your lake water on arrival, but don't dally. Replace half, then do it again, using a small pump. Be done within twenty minutes, then pipe the fish straight into the lake in one place. Don't distribute them. More shad are eaten if you release in more than one place. Release near deepest water.
There's your quick school on threadfin shad.
