Finding bait shad

Hi everybody. So I've learned how to throw my little 3 foot cast net from a seated position. I need to know what to look for to find shad in my home water. I live in Arkansas and mainly fish in the tail waters of the lake, from where it starts to really widen into the lake down to where the small river is to small. In this kind of setting where are the shad? Any advice will be useful...Thanks

are you near the Arkansas River ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hR-5agoTi6c

Here in Florida, I see cast netters throwing a feed mash
to attract the mullet, shad, minnows and shiners.
It is chicken feed and oatmeal mixed 50/50,
dampened (not wet) and sit overnight in a plastic bucket.
Put the mash in zip-top bags or tupperware containers.
throw a golf ball size wad within your casting distance to
attract the bait fish.


The chicken feed is the standard layer crumbles, w/o corn or grain.
the oatmeal is the large flakes, not steel cut or finely chopped.
What is left over, can probably be frozen until next trip. (?)


let us know what works for you !!
.