[joetrain]

I haven’t posted in a while so I figured it’s time for an update.

January was an ok month for me. Getting some decent crappie on my local river. Figures my two biggest had to go back because I caught them in my cast net while I was looking for bait. They were close to 2 lbs. Caught them on one throw with about 3 small channel cats and about a dozen thread fin shad.

Saved the cats and shad for catfish bait. February was horrible for me. I made about 5 trips up in Va. looking for blues and got skunked every time.

March is starting out good. The white bass run has started on the Flat River. Last week picked up about 6. Today I got close to 30 along with 5 white perch (pictured) and 2 small largemouth. White bass have to be 14 inches to keep them. Today I got one keeper. Threw him /her back. Kept the white perch for catfish bait.

I will continue to fish for white bass for a few more weeks. Water temp was 53 today and I found when it gets to around 56 the fishing really improves

So that’s it from NC. Anybody fishing the lakefront for coho?

~JOE~

 

[Skifish1]

Joe I want to see some dangerous fish. These are all to safe.

 

[Luckydawg13]

Joe I want to see some dangerous fish. These are all to safe.

Joe's just catching bait first for them big blues

 

[choupiquer]

Hows that cast net opening up for you. Practice makes perfect.

 

[joetrain]

I suck at it. I can get it about 3/4 open.

~JOE~

 

[Luckydawg13]

I suck at it. I can get it about 3/4 open.

~JOE~

Did you soak it in Fabric Softener. Supposed to help

 

[joetrain]

Soaked it but didn’t notice any difference.

~JOE~

 

[Luckydawg13]

Soaked it but didn’t notice any difference.

~JOE~

I need to practice more with mine too . I have a cheap one Wal-Mart special,

 

[choupiquer]

Take it out in the back yard and try different ways of holding it, gathering it and tossing it. There are many ways to get it to open and each distance you are trying to achieve may require a little different method. I've been throwing one for thirty years and I still get the occasional "C" shaped toss. Usually happens when there is a nice school of finger mullet right in front of me. Youtube would help.

 

[joetrain]

It is a challenge thats for sure. Kind of wears you out if you keep doing it over and over.

A friend gave me this net. Its a 6 footer. I can see it on my side scan as it descends. It seems like it closes fairly quick and once it gets past 8-10 feet it is basically closed. I’m thinking of adding tape to this one to see if it will stay open longer and if it does I’m going to invest in a bigger taped net so I can hopefully get shad in deeper water.

~JOE~

 

[choupiquer]

The standard nets are made generally for shallow water like 6' deep or less. If you want to go deeper you'll need at least a 6' on up to 10 foot long net. That means at its maximum (which can't really achieved) the net will have an open diameter of 12' to 20'. You will need to double the number of weights around its perimeter. Now you're really talking about a serious workout if you have to throw it several times in a row.

To toss this net you'll basically have to "wear" it by draping most of it over your shoulder. Gotta wear a friggin rain suit to stay dry.

I fished with a guide buddy of mine for big specks. He had that 10' customized net. He fabricated a fiberglass tray that was about 20" diameter with 12 evenly spaced sections. He divided the weights evenly into the sections and rolled up the rest of the net and placed it on top. These was a handle on the disc. He threw it like a frisbee while hanging on to the handle. The net would open all the way every time. The added weights allowed the net to sink faster and stay open longer.

He knew where to toss it by watching the pelican dive bomb the water. He only threw it twice in 10' of water and dumped the load in the bottom of the bay boat while we collected the bait and put it in the live well. In about ten minutes we had a couple hundred 6" shad (pogeys) and two dozen of the biggest shrimp I've ever seen. Damn things were 6 to 8 count.

 

[choupiquer]

Check this out, Joe. See the video.

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/prokast-perfect-circle-net-thrower?hvarAID=shopping_googleproductextensions&ds_e=GOOGLE&ds_c=BPS%7CShopping%7CSmart%7CFishing%7CGeneral%7CNAud%7CNVol%7CNMT&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIivyW3dzl_QIVVxPUAR3lTQx2EAQYASABEgKr2fD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[Skifish1]

Joe I think you need a bigger boat. More stability for the toss.

 

[cletedius]

FWIW, I always had a more difficult time throwing "pancackes" with small (6-8') nets than I did throwing with bigger (10-14') nets. Even though the small net is a lot lighter with less loading-process, I seemed to throw a lot more "tacos" with them.

 

[choupiquer]

Right on, cletedius !

 

[joetrain]

I’m going to get a 10 footer. I didn’t realize that they can be a bit pricey.
~JOE~

 

[Luckydawg13]

Joe what net are you looking at getting

 

[choupiquer]

Be careful. If it gets stuck you're either going swimming or losing it. I'd go with the least expensive net in the diameter you want.