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Wherever
you may fish, live bait is always the best lure. To save time
and money, you need to keep live bait ready. Cast netting is
the most economic tool for catching your own bait. You can also
use a cast net to catch shrimp, larger fish, mullet, etc.
Cast nets
have been used for thousands of years. A good example of cast
netting in antiquity is after His resurrection, Jesus tells his
disciples to "'Throw your net on the
right side of the boat and you will find some.' When they
did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large
number of fish." (John 21:6 NIV).
Cast netting
is very popular, either in fresh or salt water, and can be used
in different applications from Sport to Commercial fishing. Many
people use cast nets, from kids to experienced professional fishermen,
almost everywhere in the world.
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CAST
NET BASIC STRUCTURE
- Swivel: two metal loops or rings
attached together, that turn at both ends.
- Hand line: a rope which is attached
to the swivel on one end, with the other end attached
to the caster's wrist.
- Horn: a ring with an indentation
around the center, where the top of the net is tied.
- Lead Line: a rope with sinkers attached.
This rope is at the outside perimeter of the net to
sink it.
- Brail Lines: lines attached to the
swivel at one end and to the leadline at the other.
Their function is to pucker the net, thus trapping
the catch.
- Netting: made from nylon multifilament
or monofilament to form the desired mesh.
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HOW CAST NETS WORK
Throwing
the net creates a driving force that causes the lead line to
open the net to a flat form, the lead weights then sink the net.
After the net has sunk, and the brail line is pulled, the lead
line is forced to close, thus creating a pouch in the net which
holds the catch, trapping a school of shrimp or fish. After pulling
the net from the water, opening the leadline will cause the catch
to fall out.
Depending
on what kind of catch is targeted, i.e. shrimp, pin fish, shiner,
mullet, sardine, etc., the correct size of mesh and net will
provide more accurate hauls. As with any fishing equipment, the
bigger the targeted catch, the bigger size of mesh and stronger
netting material needed.
| BAIT SIZE |
MESH SIZE |
NET BREAK
STRENGTH |
| 1" - 3" |
¼"SQ (1/2" STR.) |
5 - 9 LBS |
| 3" - 6" |
3/8" SQ (3/4" STR.) |
7 - 15 LBS |
| 6" - 9" |
½ " SQ ( 1" STR.) |
9 - 20 LBS |
| 9" - 12" |
5/8" SQ (1-1/4" STR.) |
12 - 25 LBS |
| 12" OVER |
1" SQ. OVER (2" STR.
and OVER) |
20 LB and OVER |
HOW
TO THROW A CAST NET
There are
many ways to throw a cast net. If you need to find the right
method, or just need to practice, we have several videos available
to order.
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Cast Net Care |
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The most important thing in cast
net care is rinsing your net after every use. Washing the net
not only washes away the salt water; it also removes fish particles
and slime remaining on the net. The fish slime is particularly
harmful in deteriorating the net. Simply rinse well with a
garden hose and allow the net to dry. Then place the net into
a bucket or any other dry storage area.
Sunlight is another harmful element to the cast net. Do
not allow your cast net to stay in the sunlight for long
periods of time. This is especially important for monofilament
cast nets. Overexposure to sunlight will cause the netting
to become brittle and weak.
Another secret in cast net care is fabric softener.
By using fabric softener you can prevent the
net from becoming stiff and help in the overall
spread of the net. Just take a pail of water,
add a cup of softener, and place the cast net
in the pail, for about one hour. Remove the net,
rinse, and store the net after it dries. This
process should be done when the net is first
purchased and repeated every six to eight months.
Finally, just inspect your net occasionally,
checking for any holes or weak areas. You, or
your local net shop can repair these areas. If
repairing the net yourself, "How
to Make and Mend Cast Nets" by Ted Dahlem can
be a helpful tool. Also, you may contact us for
any twine, netting, or needles that are
used in any repairs.
Order our video, "The Art
of Cast Net Throwing".
This video shows you step by step everything you need to know
about cast net throwing.
 click here for the book or video
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