Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Raising Forage and Bait cast nets

I finnaly was able to suscribe!!


And now that I have finished my large side job, hopefully I have time to get some pictures and ask more in-depth questions. I have 4 person dam projects to work on, but lack the funding, and lots of other people whom I get to help out, of course all for free or at least fishing rights.

Looking at ordering some new cast nets to help with harvesting bait and fry, I have a 3/8 mesh, but it is a lot closer to 1/2 which disapointed me. and when it gets pulled out tight the holes get easier for things to swim through.
It works great for young bass and perch, not is horrable for fatheads, and seems to only gill trap shiners.

I am looking and an 1/8 inch mesh from mephis net and twine, what would you guys suggest?

What other basic tools do you guys have?

Academy sells 3/16" cast net in radius from 7' to 12'. They run from about $20 to $35.

We use a minnow seine and attached two poles on each end to catch crawdads.

Where is Academy??

Ill try Academy.com?

Academy.com worked. Good site but I could not find 3/16 mesh cast nets, you must live next to a store!!
What one do you go to so that I can call them, because the price is right.

thanks


what materials do you guys suggest, monofillament or multifillament for cast nets??

I grew up along the shores of Lake Superior. We didn't know about cast nets. We had dip nets, seines, and minnow traps. I guess I was at least 40 Y-O before I tried to throw a cast net -- and to catch bait. That was along the Atlantic coast. It was very embarrassing, to say the least. I started with an 8-foot net -- which is way too big for a novice.

The locals threw their nets and got lots of bait. It took me a while to learn how to pull in several hours worth of bait with one or two casts.

For cast nets, size and flexibility both have a lot to do with success. I'd start with the smallest and most flexible net you can find. It isn't too hard to catch bait with a 4-foot net -- just not a lot. The small inexpensive nets may not be real flexible, but they are easy to manage and throw. You will learn to throw a net, and you will learn to catch bait with them.

Search You-Tube and other videos for examples. If you have a friend who knows how to use a cast net, get them to help you. This isn't a new technique, but it does take mentoring and practice. It goes back at least until the Bible's New Testament -- and really a lot further back in history.

Good castin'
Ken

I agree with Ken. For a beginner, go with a 4' radius net. It's very easily to learn with that size compared to a 8' or larger. Even once you have mastered the 4', the bigger sizes really take practice. I had my 13 year old nephew throwing a 4' cast net and catching piles of menhaden in less than 15 minutes just a couple weeks ago. When we tried the larger net, he really struggled. Takes a lot more practice for the larger sizes.

If you have large open areas without underwater debri, vegetation, a large beach seine is extremely effective at collecting bait.

Thanks for the advice CJ and Ken. I do love finding good teachers. They are rare in SD. However to my advantage I have been thoughing one since I was 13. A drunk taught me a few tricks on it in Florida once, but I am far from a master.

This is my net of choice if the terrian and fish size cooperate. And I find it hard to get people to come netting with me.

So which is more flexible, a monofillament or a multi-fillament??
If I had the budget I would get the same mesh size in each, but my pocket book isnt that deep yet.

I have an 8" 3/8 mesh mono right now and was planning on down sizeing a foot.

Traps do work best if the populations are there. I did a little trapping on public land this spring and lost a few traps, gosh darn it anyways. None of the traps I make work as well as the store bought ones either,


thanks again guys!!

Loren