Bait net throwing?

[GatorMike]

I've thrown an 8' bait net all my life and never had any problems. I sort of developed my own style when I was young and it always worked for me. Untill now. My son got tired of listening to me complain that my net wasn't big or heavy enough for deep water so he bought me a 10 footer for fathers day. I tried to throw it a couple of times this afternoon and not only did it kick my A$$ but I could not get much of a spread. I found an instructional video on the internet but the guy in the video was about 6'4 and was throwing an 8' net. I don't think his method workd for a 5'7 inch man throwing a 10 foot net. Anybody know of a good instructional video. It's obvious my self taught method doesn't work for a big net.

 

[snapperbait]

Re: Bait net throwing?

Here'a a pretty goodun..<br /> http://www.calusa.com/watchvideo.cfm?name=notrequired <br />download part 3..<br /><br />I gotta try it that way..

 

[GatorMike]

Re: Bait net throwing?

Thanks snapperbait but that is the video I watched If you look at that guy he is throwing a net that barely hangs below his knees when he holds it using his method. Like I said he is about 6'4 throwing an 8 foot net. At 5'7 with a 10 foot net when I use his method the lead line is at my ankles.

 

[GatorMike]

Re: Bait net throwing?

I think I figured it out this morning, I wasn't grabbing the net low enough and had too much net hanging down.

 

[LadyFish]

Re: Bait net throwing?

Really helpful video Snap. I'm finally able to get it right everytime now. At first all I threw were tacos.<br /><br />I can't imagine throwing an 8-10' net. Its a workout for me throwing my 4' one. Those weights are heavy.

 

[snapperbait]

Re: Bait net throwing?

LOL @ LF's "tacos".... I call em' "banana casts"... <br /><br />It's funny.. I can pancake my 10 footer 9 throws outta 10, but I can't throw my 7 footer or my 4 foot glass minnow net for nuttin... Only problem is, the 10 footer has wide mesh, so the baits I want (finger mullet, ect.) swim right thru the holes!.... oh well, the 10 footer was free...

 

[SoulWinner]

Re: Bait net throwing?

LF, wow, you throw a net? Never would have guessed it. That is totally cool. I throw a 4', 6', 8', and 10'. My 10 footer is a mullet net. Haven't gotten the hang of sneeking up on mullet yet, but I migh have success throwing it from a bridge. The 4' - 8' are all bait nets, and with the video listed above, I throw 'em wide open 9 outta ten throws. I also throw the 10' wide open too. I have a 12' mullet net that I can throw wide open maybe 1 or 2 out of three throws. The problem is, I can only cast it three times and I'm beat.

 

[LadyFish]

Re: Bait net throwing?

LOL well when Mr. LF tells me they are out of bait in our area I get to throwing my net.<br /><br />I'm always pulling up mullet, but they are too big for bait. What do you catch with big mullet? Our mullet are generall 12-14".<br /><br />For bait I catch shrimp, baby mullet, baby croaker, and piggys. It takes me 15-20 casts to get just a few in my canal. Although I catch a lot of them, I dont't really want the shad or manhaddens (sp) they die too quickly.

 

[snapperbait]

Re: Bait net throwing?

What do you catch with big mullet?

I don't, but some guys around here rig the big mullet for offshore trolling.. They will also rig several mullet on a "dredge" which is a big umbrella rig and use that as a teaser... <br /><br />I'll use them for cut bait, when there's nothing else...<br /><br />And, some folks eat the nasty things.... yuck.......

 

[GatorMike]

Re: Bait net throwing?

Nothing wrong with mullet. I love them smoked and they ain't bad fried either.

 

[SoulWinner]

Re: Bait net throwing?

Oh man Snapper, mullet taste GTREAT! Up here there are restaurants that serve mullet as the star attraction. There are three restaurants in Milton that make there bread and butter with all you can eat mullet plates.<br /><br />LF, I don't know what the regs are on Red fish in Texas, but I caught my biggest red fish with a 10" long mullet. It was 33" and fat. The slot here is 18" to 27". Menhadden (or LY's as they call 'em here) do die fast, but they really shine and flash in the water and I catch more reds and specks with menhadden than any other live bait. I just leave my aerator on constantly when I have them in the live well. The ones that die, I cut up and put them in a zip lock with holes pocked in it and use them as chum. Hey, it's win-win with menhadden.<br /><br />BTW, LF, if you are good with 4' net, a 6' or 8' net opens a lot easier than a 4 footer. You just have to get used to the wieght. It took a while for me to get used to the extra wieght, but once I did, I started catching a LOT more bait with the larger net. Do you throw blind or throw on bait that you see? Throwing blind is tough work. I learned how to sneak up on bait and throw just when they see me and take off. I throw beyond the little waves they make as they retreat, and catch a good bit.<br /><br />Boy I wish Ms SW could throw a net, or would at least go fishing. Mr LF is in dang good comapny. He's a lucky guy.

 

[LadyFish]

Re: Bait net throwing?

I throw blind SW. Our water is a bit murky. I told Mr. LF I wanted to get a net so we would have a good supply of baby croaker and mullet (FREE) so he bought me one. Its crazy to live on the water and not take advantage of free bait. With live shrimp at $14 pint and mullet/croaker at $7 a dozen its worth it. When the kiddos come over and its a waste to buy bait I can always manage to get something for them to fish with.<br /><br />Being 5'9" I could probably use a bigger net though. I love throwing it.

 

[GatorMike]

Re: Bait net throwing?

Thought I would bring this back to the top to tell a funny story on myself that happened yesterday. Maybe this belongs in the stupid human tricks forum but since it is related to this thread I figured I'd tell it here.<br /><br />I finally got a chance to throw that 10' net for real yesterday. Went out of Port Canaveral looking for some smoker kings yesterday. On the way out we made a stop off the end of the Cocoa Beach pier to throw the net and pick up a little bait. My son idled the boat into a school of pogies and I threw a beautiful pancake. I went to haul the net in and it was so loaded with pogies that me and my 2 sons together couldn't haul it into the boat. My rough estimate was about 300 lbs of live pogies. Had to dump 2/3 of the net before we could get it in and after filling the live well it took us 10 mins to scoop several hundred flopping bait fish overboard. Note to self, do not throw 10' net over a school of pogies.

 

[AJ168]

Re: Bait net throwing?

My friend did that before. We were walking around a large marina and saw some guys trying to throw a 8' net over some peanut bunker. They had no clue what they were doing. The fish couldn't move they were packed in so tight between the docks. So my friend goes over and makes a throw, net opens perfectly. He couldn't even pull it along the bottom. It took 5 guys to haul that net onto the dock.<br /><br />My trick for throwing larger nets is to spin in a circle before releasing to get up the speed required to get them to open. I look sorta stupid doing it but it works.

 

[snapperbait]

Re: Bait net throwing?

Dang GatorMike.. Next time that happens, freeze me 50 lbs worth or so... LOL... Heck, normally I'd kill for a couple dozen pogies, let alone a 10' net full... <br /><br />AJ168... Your technique is definately not stupid.. Being a little guy, that's the only way I can open my 10footer...

 

[AJ168]

Re: Bait net throwing?

I just spent a few days with that same friend and he taught me a new way of throwing a net. Before I could never get my 6' to open all the way. Now it pancakes almost every time. Plus, I don't have to spin in a circle, so I can throw it from my boat.

 

[LadyFish]

Re: Bait net throwing?

One more little tip.<br /><br />Just before I'm ready to throw, I make sure the weights are on the ground. It stops any spinning.

 

[AJ168]

Re: Bait net throwing?

How big of a net do you throw LF. <br /><br />I'm trying to teach my marine science teacher how to throw a net. This is gonna be a tough one.

 

[LadyFish]

Re: Bait net throwing?

AJ, my net is only 4'. I could actually use a bigger one but it does the trick.