Confused about TPWD rule for Cast Nets.

The TPWD website says that a cast net can be no bigger than 14 feet in diameter. Is that a misprint?
If that is correct, then a cast net labeled as a 7 foot net is the largest legal net you can throw.

If this is correct, then both my 8 foot and 10 foot nets are illegal, because the diameters are 16 ft and 20 ft.

I see fishing guides out on the lake throwing 10 foot nets all the time for shad, so that means they are throwing illegal 20 foot diameter nets.

That must be a misprint....it must be.

No misprint 7ft. radius or 14ft.diameter is the largest you can legally throw, in fresh water, in Texas.
If you get caught throwing a net over 7', they will take the net and give you a friendly reminder to the tune of about $200.

Well, I learned something new today. Guess I will be doing surgery on a net this weekend. I have been throwing the same net for 25+ years and it never crossed my mind that there was a size limit. I don't even know if I remember how to throw a mini-net. Thanks for the confirmation Mr. Kennedy.

I'm sure you can apply for and maybe even get a collection permit for a larger net. You would need a compelling reason to do so.

All those big cast nets and cast netters have caught all the fish in the state so they had to be properly regulated.

Sometimes these things are difficult to fathom, and heck, I'm a fisheries biologist. Oh yeah, forgot, politicians, not biologists make laws. Clears things up nicely for me....

Friend of mine got caught with a 10' cast net and was taking game fish also $385.00 total fine. He said he learned his lesson never again.

Friend of mine got caught with a 10' cast net and was taking game fish also $385.00 total fine. He said he learned his lesson never again.

Ironic you said it twice when he said "never again". LOL....

Interesting, heard this on the radio this morning, thought for sure it had to be a mistake but guess its true. I had no clue, guess my 8 foot net (radius) is illegal, why does academy even sell 8' and 10' nets?

Does it matter if no matter what size net I throw it never comes close to opening to 14 ft dia?

Good point! I guess this is a low priority issue for Game Wardens. Seems silly anyway, a 7 ft net looks about the same as a ten all bunched up and stinking of dead shad in a bucket.

Saltwater use.

surprised no one said this already, you can have a bigger net than 7 foot as long as the mesh size is bigger than normal, its not considered a cast net

If you want to learn how to properly throw a cast net:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKDPFQymjY0

HHH

I have enough trouble throwing a 10 footer.

You need to spread your net out and mearsure it to make sure it is 7 ft. or under.Just becouse it said 7 ft.on the tag that does not mean that is what it is.The gams warden will spread it out then measure it.

wow i never knew about that law and ive had a gw check my license while i was showing an 8ft net but that was in 2008 good to keep in mind now that i know

but just because the store sells it dosent make it legal ive always wandered in states that feeding deer is a $1000 fine how they can sell deer food and corn at every sporting goods store

You're gonna have to explain this because I think you might have gotten bad info. What size mesh makes it not a cast net? I have a 5/8ths mesh and maybe even a 3/4 inch mesh, which are both larger than the standard 3/8ths, and I still can't legally use one over 7ft.

Now that's funny