Years ago when I was a young boy, we had a surefire way to net large amounts of shad and ninnows. Just before sunrise while it's still a bit dark, hold your lantern right over the side of the boat performing figure eights in a likely forage fish area.
One person on the motor/trolling motor and another at the bow of the boat with a large Dip Net. At a slow speed, preferably in an aluminum boat, head for a soft sand or gravel bank. The shad and minnows would ball up and give you a couple seconds to strike. Dip away and you get yourself a nice net full! It also worked when setting the lantern at the edge of a dock but didn't give as bountiful numbers. Later on I found a lantern holder and it turned into a one-man process. See below
