So this is not a question on how to throw a cast net - I got that down as good as I’m going to get it, it’s all practice from here.
So last night we were shrimping and we had a couple of nets with us. I had my old 6’ walmart 1/2 mesh, my partner had his 7 1/2’ half inch mesh, and I had the new net I ordered but they sent me the wrong one. I ordered an 8’ slightly lighter on the weight (10lbs). What they sent me was a 12’ with a sail on it for deep hole, and god only knows how much weight (It’s HEAVY!).
When we threw the smaller nets - even right on the bait ball we had basically no success. Would seem like you could “Feel them in the net” but by the time you pulled the net into the boat it was empty, or maybe 1 shrimp in it. Throwing the bigger net we would pull up on most throws 8-12 at least - even on horrible throws where the net did not open all the way. It almost seemed to me that the “Sail” around the bottom of the net was helping to trap them in and giving us more success, but i’m wondering: Is there a technique to retrieving the cast net without letting stuff get out?
Any help is appreciated. I still want to have an 8’ net with slightly less weight, but this monster net I got i really like. it’s a shrimp catching machine!
let the net hit bottom…then retrieve as fast as possible while zigzagging the line and use an angle for retrieve(not straightup)…thet trick is to drag net across bottam as it is closing the pockets on an angle…jerking in a zig zag fashion while retrieving ensures minimal escapes from under net…If you raise the net before dragging across the baited area you will lose shrimp…
Agree with the angle, helps a lot…but I never pull fast. I use the “tuck” “tuck” method…(short pulls) to move the leads closer together forming bag with small short pulls. I have found that anything fast pulls off the bottom to much. five to 8 good “tucks” pulls, (very short, not like pulling line up) works really well. for what it’s worth!
Agree with the angle, helps a lot…but I never pull fast. I use the “tuck” “tuck” method…(short pulls) to move the leads closer together forming bag with small short pulls. I have found that anything fast pulls off the bottom to much. five to 8 good “tucks” pulls, (very short, not like pulling line up) works really well. for what it’s worth!
That’s great, i’ll have to try that. I never pull straight up always at a good angle, but usually just give it the old Heave, Heave, Heave till it’s in the boat.
Yea, I have seen cast nets in swimming pools and the jerk jerk works to bag before the drag, but I still use the angle meathod with all that as well and still don’t catch many so don’t listen to me LOL
I do not like to close the net all the way over the bait, if you let the net drag the bottom you will move your bait balls and eventually they will not be where they are supposed to be.
Well here is my two cents worth. It’s been my experience that the heavier nets sink faster and this allows you to catch more shrimp. You need to cast over your bait, make it open as best you can and work the weights across the bottom. Using a good net that is heavy gets more shrimp and a big heavy net is best. I start off with a Black Pearl 8 foot net (opens
to 16 feet) and when I get good numbers of a quart or more per cast I move up to my 10 foot Calusa. I don’t worry too much about retrieval other than bumping the bottom and putting it in the boat. I also like a 5/8 inch mesh to help get rid of the little guys. Maybe this was a nickle’s worth.
Well here is my two cents worth. It’s been my experience that the heavier nets sink faster and this allows you to catch more shrimp. You need to cast over your bait, make it open as best you can and work the weights across the bottom. Using a good net that is heavy gets more shrimp and a big heavy net is best. I start off with a Black Pearl 8 foot net (opens
to 16 feet) and when I get good numbers of a quart or more per cast I move up to my 10 foot Calusa. I don’t worry too much about retrieval other than bumping the bottom and putting it in the boat. I also like a 5/88 inch mesh to help get rid of the little guys. Maybe this was a nickle’s worth