Throw Net suggestions

Hello

I just have the cheap little 3 footer from Academy. Friend who catfishes for real said I would struggle making bait with it bcs its just too small.

Its the only one they offer locally that I can find in stores.

Is there one you would suggest? Maybe a link? I am not trying to spend a ton of money bcs as I throw my net from the bank...the risk of losing it or tearing it up is pretty high ha ha.

But has to be something better for $40 or $50??

There just out of the nets they cant keep them in stock cause of their reasonable prices.... They sell 5/6/7ft nets...you could order on line and ship to your store or find a store that has them and have them transfer....or go to bass pro and buy one and get the gear guard guarantee for a few extra bucks....you can tear a net all to hell and take it back no questions asked ...no time limit....

I heard Bass Pro stopped selling gear guards on castnets.

Academy has a blue 7' net you can order off their website. Its not the best quality though. I have torn mine several times. But you are going to tear them all at some point.

I also use a 7' Lee Fisher Mako series. IMO, it is better quality than the 1 Academy sells and you can find them on ebay or amazon for close to the same price.

I would get a net with lead weights and 1 pound per foot. I catch shad with mine to about 15' deep. Anything deeper and you need a better and heavier net.

Ahh ok they are avail online from Academy in bigger sizes, got it!

Is there a max that is allowed by law to be a legal net??? Do they get much harder to throw? I can handle the 3 footer just fine but I have seen some HUGE nets that I think would be hard to throw, esp. from the bank

Straight from the Texas Parks & Wildlife website-



So, 7 foot (14 open diameter) is the max allowed by law.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/FITEC-RS750-Super-Spreader-Cast-Net-5-radius-3-8-mesh-3-4-Lb-wts/23112229

The smaller ones have always worked for me in the summertime. In winter it’s a different game.

A 4 or 5 footer works just great, from bank or by boat. I bought one back in 1979 & never could figure out how to use it, then sold it in a garage sale a few years later for about $1 or $2. But I ran into two teenagers back in my early Catfish Calendar research on the Trinity River (about 5 to 10 miles downriver from TX 21) around 1983 thru 1985, who were casting & R-n-R ing at "The Park" where I had access to, to camp & launch from. One of them taught me how to use a cast net. And they made it so easy, it almost feels like an art form or expression. I have taught my daughter, friends & relatives, the way they taught me. I kept my first Father-in-law's, and have had two or 3 others since then. It is about time to get another (it will be a 4 or 5 footer).

I am not an expert, but I have had 4 different nets of various price and size. Here are my opinions.

1. You get what you pay for, after you pick a size/weight get a name brand
2. Get as much weight as you can stand, mine is 1.5lbs/ft3
3. Max diameter in Texas is 14ft, so a 7ft radius. Get the largest you feel comfortable with.
4. Mesh size is important. The smaller the mesh the slower it sinks. If you are wanting smaller bait you need to keep the mesh small enough to catch your target.
5. Deep bait is hard to catch without a taped net. The tape keeps the net open while sinking in deep water. The tape also slows the sinking, requiring the heavy net.
6. Long hand line is important especially in deep water, and a good velcro cuff helps.

This has been the best net I have owned, will get a another just like it when the time comes. It throws easier than a 10ft small mesh net I have.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C4ZYJ4M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They sure did, I got a gift card under warranty for my old 6' cast net that got snagged in some brush and got all torn up last month, when I stopped by Bass Pro Shop to get a new net, they said my new net wasn't eligible for Gear Guard anymore I ended up getting a cheaper one from Academy instead.

Thanks for the link! I was all set to get a 5/8" mesh but then I found out OK (I fish Texoma) has a 3/8" max mesh size law. Can't win for losing; TX has a max 7' radius but no mesh size restriction; OK has no max radius but has a 3/8" max mesh size. So basically my best combo is 7' radius 3/8" mesh

So question for you incase I get a TX only net, do you have any issues with gilling the smaller shad with the 5/8"? PITA to get them out?

We catch almost small ones in this net. I was surprised that we don't catch more in it.