Castnet tip from Capt. Gus

Tips from Gus!

Many times, the first throw with a cast net is the most important one. The quicker the bait can be caught, the quicker you can begin fishing. If you use a cast net frequently, store it in a few inches of water. A wet net will cast easier and open wider.

Gus gives a regular fishing report for Lake Norman in NC and includes striper and bass. There is some good information that applies to lakes around KY.

[URL="http://www.fishin.com/forums2/../reports/nc/lakenorman.htm"]http://www.fishin.com/reports/nc/lakenorman.htm[/URL]

Thanks Peter. It's funny I was just talking to Mr. Splitshot about this yesterday and we were talking about how tough it can be to get a good open net on a throw. I mentioned how hard it gets on your shoulders when throwing a large net so I say another tip is build your shoulders up!:) hagd

[quote=DJD;341084]Thanks Peter. It's funny I was just talking to Mr. Splitshot about this yesterday and we were talking about how tough it can be to get a good open net on a throw. I mentioned how hard it gets on your shoulders when throwing a large net so I say another tip is build your shoulders up!:) hagd[/quote]

Something else that Capt. Chip Merton told me down on the river was that soaking the net in fabric softener helped. I've never done that but it makes sense. Guess my thinking was that I didn't want to soften up my net so the rocks tear it up easier but that is probably not a real concern.

Peter

Yep, I threw a cast net on the Kentucky River for the first time yesterday...me and Ragdaddy were out trying to catch some of the massive amounts of shad on the river right now. My first three tosses were a bust...just about yanked my teeth out trying to time that whole "release with the right hand, then the mouth, then the left hand" thing. LOL But then toss number four opened up and we dragged back 50 good baitfish to the boat. I was like Tom Hanks on Castaway when he finally made FIRE. LOL

Ragdaddy nailed the motherload also, but on his first toss. Lucky, he is.

Calusa.com is a great website that shows you the proper way to throw a net. Never tried it yet but have this site maked as a favorite so if I ever do try and catch my own bait, I will have the steps to throw the net. Tried it a few times long before finding this site and it is not an easy thing to master.

Calusa is how i learned to throw my big net,they make it easy.

Guys just go to utube--put in cast nets see all you want to learn .. :)

What Peter said was spot on. Soaking a net, especially a cheaper net, in fabric softener turns it into a completely different animal. Much easier to open. I get cheap softener from the "Dollar Tree" and soak all of my nets at the same time about four times per year. The Caloosa site is very good, but you'll find that no two people throw a net the same way. I use a cast net three or four days a week and have for 15 years and I wouldn't suggest my method for anyone other than me. Different strokes...... One absolute about nets is that cheap nets (<$75.00) are much more difficult to open that well made panel nets. Phil

It looks to me like the calusa place that Elwood referenced sells top of the line equipment...but this is coming from me (aka - someone who knows nothing about cast nets). I had no idea they had so many cast nets available...so if you want to catch your own bait on Lake Cumberland or Dale Hollow...which net would work best, a 1 1/2" mesh x 12' high net, a 3/4" x 12' high net, a 5/8" mesh x 10' high net or blank x blank ????????? They had more nets on that site than a person could shake a stick at.

I'm guessing the larger mesh nets are for salt water use and the smaller mesh nets are for inland lakes.

On Cumberland for alwives use an 8 ft 3/8 in mesh net. If you can throw a 10 ft. that's fine. If you try a 1/2 in mesh you'll find that you "gill" lots of threadfins and it takes forever to clean out the net before you can throw again. If you're throwing in the creeks for gizzards, a 5/8 mesh net will sink faster and catch more bait.