Castnet tip from Capt. Gus

[elnutsmalljaws]

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.

[fisheater]

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

[biggw]

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

[JoeB]

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

[Chubminnow]

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.

[JoeB]

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.