Preserved baits?

Anyone ever use any of the commercially available preserved baits? 

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/magic-preserved-baby-shad-baits

I see stuff like this all over the place, but never see anyone using them or talking about them.  Curious if something like that can take place of frozen baits - would be nice to not need to keep it frozen.  Can they be kept after the bag is open?  Can I make something like this at home using herring?

I cannot vouch for their efficacy with regular fishing, but I threw some sardines of that brand in a crab hoop, and the crabs were tickled.

Anyone ever use any of the commercially available preserved baits? 

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/magic-preserved-baby-shad-baits

I see stuff like this all over the place, but never see anyone using them or talking about them.  Curious if something like that can take place of frozen baits - would be nice to not need to keep it frozen.  Can they be kept after the bag is open?  Can I make something like this at home using herring?

I would brine them for bait.

To clarify, I don't plan to purchase any of those.  I just it pretty much everywhere fishing stuff is sold, and it always looked like a smelly sticky mess to me.  But, also don't wanna walk by something if a bunch of people use it with success. 

I cannot vouch for their efficacy with regular fishing, but I threw some sardines of that brand in a crab hoop, and the crabs were tickled.

Haha, that checks out. Crabs eat pretty much everything. 

I would brine them for bait.

Thanks for posting the brine recipe - was planning to do that.  My herrings are all frozen in ziplocks right now, will probably mix a brine batch and brine them as I use them, a handful at a time.  How long do you usually soak them in the brine?

I remember watching a YouTube video where someone trolled those shad for trout with some success. But I don't have a link as it was many years ago.

How long do you usually soak them in the brine?

I usually brine them the night before but you can leave them in the brine much longer.

Sweet, thanks! I'm new to preserving my own bait, hoping to get the best product I can from the herring I caught this year.