I saw shad trawls for sale in a catfishing catalog out of LA. You drag them behind the boat to catch shad. Are these legal in TX and if so are they worth it?

Mudshark, yes, these are legal in Texas. I have thought of purchasing one also. The negative is that they are difficult to pull up and keep the shad from escaping. I have considered installing a winch on the transom of my boat so I could retrieve it with some speed. Let me know if you decide to get one and let us know how it works.

Never thought about the winch part of it. I can't throw a cast net worth a dang and with the weather coling and the shad going deeper i figured this may be the easy way out. A monkey can troll so i figure what the heck troll for bait. If that makes me a sub-monkey then so be it.

i guess that's why I enjoy trolling so much

The reports I've heard about them is they weren't very effective. Don't know never tried them myself.

Go to the calusa castnets website (don't have a link) and watch the video, that's how I learned. It is alot easier to throw from the deck of a boat because you are higher. May want to stand on a bucket to practice in the yard. The bigger the net, the harder to throw, I have an 8ft. net and it works great.

Thanks bigfoot...I can actually throw the net and make it do what it should...I am lacking in the where to throw it department.

Before daylight try areas with lots of lights such as marinas, bridges, etc. If you have a fish finder you can usually see them. Try flats as well.

I have one and it works pretty well but most of the shad are dead when you get them in and it is a pretty good drag pulling it in and makes your boat motor work hard.
Bill

Anyone have a link? I can't even throw one of those idiotproof cast nets with a frisbe in it.

Alakbama, I'm in Hurst, and it's been a while, but yell one day and I will teach you gow to throw one. There is a slight trcik to it, they dont show in the instructions.
David

David, I think I'll take you up on that, I just went today and bought another one of those idiotproof nets and was going to give it a shot again. I'll P.M. you when I get a chance to try it out, it'll have to be on a weekend because I work nights.

I have a hard time throwing a net myself. One in every four time it might be half open. Sure is a lot of work when you can't do it right.

http://www.calusa.com/

Go to the "How to throw a castnet" link on the left side of the homepage.

Thanks for the link, they sure make it look easy.