I have been baiting for shrimp my whole life but like the idea of deep holing as well.
I currently have an 8ft net, 1.2 lbs per foot with sewn in webbing.
If I will primarily be throwing in 20-25ft of water, do you think I can get away with less weight per foot, if so how much? If this is possible any recommendation on where to get one with the webbing, I’m guessing it would have to be custom made?
Thanks!
14’ Carolina Skiff
19’ Sea Pro
You can use the net you have now. Tim Wade is the man for cast nets,someone will post his info. Throw and OPEN the biggest net you can handle. Going from an 8’ to a 12’ you will see substantial gains in the amount of shrimp caught.
fishbowl is 100% correct. The open part seems obvious, but with a deep hole net you have to pancake for great results. Also make sure to work on timing until you get it right.
Sounds like I know where to get it, thanks.
So can I use less than 1.2 lbs per foot, what do y’all use?
14’ Carolina Skiff
19’ Sea Pro
Ya’ll prefer 1/2" or 5/8"?
I have a 10’ 5/8’s. Slightly larger holes will allow smaller shrimp out and sink a tad faster. PANCAKES are key!
A taped net will round itself out as it sinks too. I watched this in a pool a number of times. A toss with a flat side is round
when it hits the bottom. The total area will still decrease the deeper it sinks, but no where near as fast as a non taped net.
How deep is “Deep Hole” Do you normally throw a cast net in 15’ or less?
I’ve caught shrimp from 12’ to 30’…
I recently bought a taped net to give this deep hole thing a try. The good folks at Haddrell’s pointed me to a Betts Sea Green deep hole 10’ 5/8 taped net. Not real expensive and if take to this seriously I’ll get a fancy net when/if this one ever tears up.
Go to Haddrell’s, ask for help, listen to the experts. 
Make sure the hand line is long enough to allow your net to get all the way to the bottom. The standard 50 foot length on most deep hole nets may not be enough. Some folks splice enough line to have a 100 feet available. If you find shrimp at 40 feet, and I have, a fifty foot line will not cut it in swift current.
Pioneer 222 Sportfish
Yamaha 250
quote:
Originally posted by Long EnuffMake sure the hand line is long enough to allow your net to get all the way to the bottom. The standard 50 foot length on most deep hole nets may not be enough. Some folks splice enough line to have a 100 feet available. If you find shrimp at 40 feet, and I have, a fifty foot line will not cut it in swift current.
Pioneer 222 Sportfish
Yamaha 250
How do you judge where to throw the net in a swift current?
In a direction that it drifts away from the boat. It helps to “chase” the net as it goes down with the motor if your hand line is not long enough. Once you find the shrimp at a certain depth, you can drift that depth and cast with pretty good luck usually.
Pioneer 222 Sportfish
Yamaha 250
To answer your original question, I have been using a net with one ounce per foot for years. I have deep holed from 15 to 35 foot depths with it. I do have an extended draw line. It drops a little slower but if you are under 30 feet it doessn’t matter a whole lot.
quote:
Originally posted by Long EnuffMake sure the hand line is long enough to allow your net to get all the way to the bottom. The standard 50 foot length on most deep hole nets may not be enough. Some folks splice enough line to have a 100 feet available. If you find shrimp at 40 feet, and I have, a fifty foot line will not cut it in swift current.
Pioneer 222 Sportfish
Yamaha 250
40 foot in swift current? I’ve had trouble being consistent on slack tide in 30 foot!
I’m by far no expert, but I was shown a couple of spots and I like to anchor during low slack tide. Was fishing with a friend with rip tide trolling motor with the anchor feature, that would probably be great for moving water.
Another issue with my current net is tangling.
I’m loading and throwing pretty quickly, my friends Tim Wade net doesn’t seem to tangle as much when I use it.
Does anyone know what keeps down on the tangling?
14’ Carolina Skiff
19’ Sea Pro
quote:
Originally posted by in the grassAnother issue with my current net is tangling.
Does anyone know what keeps down on the tangling?
14’ Carolina Skiff
19’ Sea Pro
Unfortunately the only thing to fix that is to get a Tim Wade net.
So shallow water would be under 15’? Deep is anything over 15’?
I am going to work the bay this weekend and see what I can dig up. I will be targeting between 10-30 feet around the tide changes. 12oz curls when the tide is moving too much.
Cant beat an I pilot for deepholeing! You can stay put at slack or chase the net during the current, Try to stay over the net all the time to be sure it opens and stay open till it hits the bottom, might try to guage the drift and throw upstream from your mark and watch the net fall and where it lands with a little practice you will be able to hit the target every time! Good luck!