Fortunately, there are different ways to successfully catch shad without a cast net. As an example, you can use sabiki rigs, or pre-tied rigs with a main line used to attach various dropper lines.
These dropper lines have a lure at the end, as well as a small hook. Once you put the rig in a school of shad, the fish will immediately strike the small lures. When this happens, you should be able to pull up a couple of shad or even more.
You can stick with a reliable line and a lightweight rod. We highly recommend a fiberglass fly rod or a lightweight spinning rod.
The lighter the line, the better. This is an ideal type of line that works perfectly well when trying to catch shad no matter which region you may be in.
Barbless hooks are also essential when catching shad. These allow you to quickly release fish that you accidentally caught and not really intending to keep. A hook we recommend is either the size 1 or size 2, whether silver or gold in color.
If you wish to catch a heavier and larger shad, then you should use either the yellow or white fly, as well as red heads.
When fishing in colder water, beads are ideal to use. They entice shad in deeper waters but make sure that you put ample weight to make sure the beads bounce right off and onto the surface.
However, you might want to use darts when the water is much cooler and deeper. These tend to sink faster and much deeper as compared to flies.
In the case of mid-level water depths, your best bet is with spoons. You can also use spoons when you fish for shad from a boat. Then, reel them in at a moderate speed.