???????? cast net

OK. I bought a cast net from Bass Pro.
I got a 7 footer with 1/4 inch mesh.
Any tips on throwing this thing from the deck of a boat?
Do I just tie a regular old rope to it or would a thinner cord of some kind be better?
Do you just fling it out there like a big ol frisbee or more of a pitch and drop type thing??
If you are throwing it early in the morning around marina lights, how far do you let it drop? Maybe 5 or 6 feet?

I've got it sitting on the kitchen table and haven't even opened the box yet.
I know I will learn it from trial and error.
Maybe some of you can help before I start with the errors

One thing I can tell...I'll never get that sucker back in that little plastic box it came in!!

I'm hoping to be able to use it and save some money on live bait this spring and summer..thanks in advance..

Tx- I'll try to help with words and that may give you a start. It should already have a rope on it. First with a slip loop secure it to your arm (very important) . Hold the net at the top with the wieghts on the bottom. Then about half way down the net wrap your hand around both net and rope. Roll the rope up like you would any othe rope and grab that also with the hand holding the net. Grab one wieght and bring it to that hand also, then about 3-feet from that wieght grab another wieght. That should be with your left hand (if you are right handded)hold it out at arms lenght. Get the net swinging like a pendelem(sp?).When you get ready to throw flip your wrist over as you let go.

It will take some practice(alot) but maybe this will get you started until you find a way that feels right for you. There are alot of different ways to throw one and these guys here know all of them.

Good luck,
FL

Glad you didn't get the 10' net! That one takes a lot of practice to get to where you aren't throwing your hat, your body or everything attached to your boat into the water with it.

You will need to read the instructions on "gathering" the net in your hand very carefully (right handed, gather in your left hand). Then you have a couple of feet or more (up to what you are comfortable handling) hanging from both sides of your right hand and learn a sweeping motion to cast out with.

When throwing in 10' or less depths, you let it go to the bottom before retrieving it. In deep water, I will let it drop to the end of my line and then give it a swift jerk to close the net before bringing it up.

Be sure and wrap the line around your wrist before you throw it. I watched a guy throw his right out in the middle of the lake one day without it being tied on and he watched it sink to the bottom. I had to leave before I died laughing. We all learn somehow. He just learned the hard way.

Have a 5 gallon bucket to hold your net over and open into. The bait will fall into the bucket, instead of all over the deck of your boat.

One thing to absolutely remember. Any game fish caught in the cast net have to be returned to the water imediately, by State law. Even if you get that 18 pound bass in it. BIG fines!!

Good luck and don't get frustrated when you try and learn to throw it. It takes time. Get in the back yard and practice standing on the picnic table or bench.

Here are a couple of online videos that are pretty good

I would not suggest the 2nd one with dial up since it is 21 minutes long. Both are pretty good.

http://www.ausfish.com.au/castnet/ This one shows 2 different ways to throw a castnet.
http://www.islamoradasportfishing.com/castnet.htm this one is very good. it covers how to pick a cast net, several ways to throw it... it is 21 minutes long total. If you want to skip straight to the part where it shows you how to throw it..it is 6min 50 seconds into the video

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• 
  Shawn
  www.[censored]

Dang!! Now I'm really worried

Excellent post Shawn!!

Tx-Weeble....I want to bring my lawn chair and watch the first 30 minutes of practice. I remember all too well my first attempts years ago. Can I bring some friends? Bet they would want to watch too.

Me too. I'll bring the beer and video camra.


FL

Practice, practice, practice, practice, practice.

Maybe we can sell tickets to this thing.

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David

check out: http://www.calusa.com/howtothrow.cfm

They also have a video at Bass Pro in Grapevine. Their method works great for me, and I throw a 7fter too.

Videos? First thirty minutes of practice??
I thought I could just toss this
thing out a couple of times.
Load my bucket with an assortment of
minnows and shad and head out for a great day
of free live bait fishing.

I've got to tell you guys. I love a
challenge.
I am a little bit confused about wrapping the net around my arm.

I know if I can get this thing in the water, it will be well worth the investment.

Who's in Charge of the TFF video's? This might be good instruction ( or better laughs).

Weeble I bet you know where the power plant discharge is in Greenville, go there & practice, Millions of baitfish. One of the guys I work with goes every Sat. morning & gets his bait there.

Tx-Weeble, Maybe I shouldn't speak up here being a GURLLLL but you will find your own way with lots of practice. Your best bet is to have someone with you that has experience throwing a net. It won't take you long. The one important thing I have found is to make sure the net is hanging straight with no snags from the line, before you even attempt to throw. Happy casting, Sharon

TEX,
DON'T TRY TO THROW IT TO FAR FROM THE BOAT AT FIRST.

DON'T HAVE A LOT OF RODS AND CLUTTER IN YOUR BOAT WHERE YOU ARE STANDING. THAT NET CAN GET TANGLED ON ANYTHING. SOME PEOPLE CARRY A SMALL PLASTIC TARP TO DRAPE OVER THE DECK AND TROLLING MOTOR TO KEEP THE NET CLEAR AND TO KEEP THE SHAD SCALES OFF THE BOAT AND TACKLE.(GOOD IDEA) THE SCALES STICK LIKE IRON AND WILL NOT WASH OFF.

DON'T THROW IT IN BRUSHY AREAS. ONCE IT GETS HUNG IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET LOOSE WITHOUT DESTROYING THE NET.

DON'T GET DISCOURAGED. IT IS ACTUALLY EASY ONCE SOMEONE SHOWS YOU HOW.

MAYBE AT THE NEXT SEMINAR WE SHOULD HAVE A DEMO.

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GOOD FISHING.


ERNEST
"I LIVE FOR THE THUMP"

Let me add one safety tip. DO NOT WRAP THE ROPE AROUND YOUR WRIST! Get one of those big rubber bands and loop it through the loop of the castnet rope. Put the rubber band around your arm. When, not if, you get it hung up on something, a big wave or wake will not pull you into the water if you are only attached to the hangup by a rubber band. Voice of experience...

I too bought one one those cast nets, but the 5 foot model. I could never learn to throw one, even after being shown by several people. I then bought one called the Fish Net Spreader (I think this the brand) at Wal Mart. It features a metal ring in the center in which to loop the net over. It also came with video tape instructions. As a beginner "netter" I always recommend this one to those starting out using a cast net for the first time.

The first thing you want to do before you throw the net and I mean the first thing is stow away those rods and reels, Move them all the way to the back of the boat would be the Ideal. I'm experienced with a cast net and I still manage to have one of my rods on occasion reach up and grab that net. Also if you do use one enough sooner or later it will happen. Oh yeah, wear your life jacket if your alone. If you fall overboard the water doesn't have to be really deep if you get tangled in that net. Good fishin! Jimbo

For Sale: One 7' bass pro cast net..
New, still in box. $2.00

Glad so see some of the great ones weighing in on this thread.
Honestly I can see my trolling motor getting in the way of this operation.
The tarp sounds like a great tip.

Boy this cast net thing sounds like a great way to start the day at the lake.
It could get me cussing way earlier than normal.

How can I reach you for that cast net?

Question for Clong and others: I have TRIED to learn this also, bought one of those BPS green plastic cast net casters, no real luck. Do the nets with the circle built in REALLY WORK? I keep seeing them but never saw anyone reply before.

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Thanks and Gig'em, Mark Fairchild

It's easy to throw the net, once you relax, but if you get frustrated, it becomes really difficult. Don't wear shirts with bottons, or zippers. The lines will get caught on these items in a hurry. A 7' net is just as easy, if not easier, than a 5' net. However, your 1/4 holes will sink a lot fast and you may have difficult covering up the bait. You might be able to add more weight to your net to get it to sink faster. There are several sites on "how-to-throw" a net.

Check these out: http://www.ausfish.com/castnet/
which is a video you watch from your computer and http://www.seeinstripes.com/castnet.htm which is more of a picture format.

I purchased a new net while staying on a house boat in lake cumberland, Kentucky. I was going to show my brother-in-laws how to throw a net, while anchored in cove on an island for the night. Took it out of the box, loaded it and thew it. Nice perfect spiral and fully open on the first cast. Forgot to tie/wrap it to my arm, and watched the loop go down.
I could have jumped in and grabbed the loop, but we were tied up to a tree, pretty close to shore, so I thought I would throw on my snorkle gear and grab it in the morning...
Lake Cumber is a deep lake, even close to shore. I no longer demonstrate how to throw a net to my brother-in-laws.. They are too much like family and tend not to forget those stupid things you do .

Sorry, I intended to say:
Your 1/4 mesh will sink a lot slower compared to a 3/8. I have seen pictures and discussions about adding weight to the cast net to make it sink faster (but I have not actually attempted this).

The 1/4 mesh is good for shallow water and great for catching minnows. I have even caught tropical fish in a 1/4 inch mesh net. I bet it would be also be good for catching ghost minnows at night as well as very small shad (good crappie and sand bass bait at night).

Enjoy.

One thing you may want to do, before you use the net is to *measure* the actual length. Check out the thread recently posted here where someone bought a 7-foot net from Walmart, and the game warden gave them a ticket because it was actually 7-foot 3-inches or something like that -- the maximum size allowed by law is a 14-foot diameter == 7-foot radius. Just in case yours also measures slightly over 7-foot radius...

Rodney

Yes they really work. It takes some practice to throw it, but I gave my regular casting net away after I bought the one with the metal ring in it.