I posted this question on the q&a page, but saw this was more appropriate place. I have ano opportunity to use some old catfish ponds to raise BG and TFS in. The lakes vary in size of .5 acre to 5+. There is no need to do it if I can't find a net to seine the fish. So question is where can these be found, used preferably and about how much do they run. I'm trying to figure if it's worthwhile doing since I'll have to lease the property along with other expenses that will be added. BTW net probably needs to be 250-300 feet long and 4.5 feet high.

scampbell, finding a used seine net the size you're wanting is gonna be tough. The 300'X4.5' size is just not something a regular hatchery uses either. There's always going to be vertical and lateral bows on seine nets when being pulled, and that has to be allowed for when figuring the size of the net you'll need. Esshup knows the percentages, and maybe he'll see this, but you may be looking at a 350'X6'to 8'net to properly seine the fish. Nets are sold by running foot, and you could expect to pay $3 to $4 a foot, and that's a starting point. For a net that size, and remember this will have to be a commercial quality net, you might need a double bottom with extra weights. That helps with abrasion, and helps keep the net hugging the bottom. Also, extra floats at the top would almost be a necessity. If there's not enough buoyancy when pulling the net, the top can be pulled below the surface. You don't want that. IIRC, my big seine came out to around $7 a running foot once I added the options I needed.

Probably the best option is to call a net company and let them tell you what they recommend. Some of the bigger ones are Delta Net and Twine, Miller Nets, and Memphis Nets. I use Miller nets, but Delta's actual netting is used by several other net suppliers.

Good advice above.
Another idea...you can attract threadfin shad with moving water. A common practice is to crank on a pump in one corner about two hours before daylight, and at daylight run a short seine across the corner. You'll catch lots of shad.

Bluegills, on the other hand, set up a feeder in the corner, and once you have plenty of fish coming to feed, seine the corner.

I worked with a fish farm 35 years ago...they had 20+ acre lakes. In one corner, they built a levee about 75 feet long, parallel to one side, 50 feet away from the side, creating a little "cove". They'd set up a pump, drafting water from the big part of the lake, pumping it into that narrow cove, creating a current, pushing water away from the cove, into the main body of the lake. They'd leave a seine on the end of the short levee, with a rope attached, to quickly pull the seine across the cove, blocking fish from escaping, then pull the seine, collect and move the fish. It was very effective.

Here is a pic of the feeder seine.

Bob I have been thinking of something along similar lines but on a much, much smaller scale for catching some of my catfish to eat when I want them (rather than when they decide to bite a hook). Was thinking of making a larger than normal live fish holding cage with the addition of one or two openings on the sides with heavy slide down gates on a latch mechanism.

Feed the CC some sinking catfish food via a pipe running to it daily for a week or two. Have trip ropes to the gate latches to shut when I want to capture them.

Learned this as a kid catching hogs. Much easier to get them used to eating feed where you want them and shut the gate than chasing them all over the pasture trying to get them to go where you want.

Don't know if such a system set up with current as the attraction would work or not. But I think I will try the "feed in a cage" bit on my CC later this year.

Thanks guys, looks like my best bet is drain down the ponds and buy something less expensive. Unless I decide to raise some to sell, I can't justify spending thousands on a net. Although this was a catfish operation so there are plenty of ponds to raise bait in that could be marketed. I'll have weigh my options.