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Random Quote: Work only gets in the way of fishing
I am looking for input on catching live bait with a castnet. What is the best all around castnet for catching live croakers, pogies, and live shrimp. Mono vs. nylon, mesh sizes and best diameters. I normally fish with artificials, but there comes a time when live bait can save the day.Most of all I would like something user friendly. also tips on catching live bait.
I would recommend a mono cast net. They sink much faster and allow less time for bait to get out of the way. As far as mesh size, 3/4" to 1" seems to work well for baits you listed and the really small bait can get out easily. The question of diameter is a good one, especially if you've never thrown a cast net before. It is much better to start with a small (4' radius), light net, learn to throw and then move up to a bigger net.
If you do a search for Calusa cast nets, they have a pretty good web page and even have an instructional video you can download which teaches you how to throw. If you have any other questions, post or shoot over an email.
agree that 3/4 mesh is probably what you need, but i'd start with at least an 8 ft. net, and from there go to 10 or 12. you can throw the 8 just like you do a smaller net.
Calusa makes one of the best quality nets in today's angling marketplace. Learning to cast a net is relatively simple and any healthy person can eaisly handle an 8' net. The 10-12' nets are a bit more challenging but can eaislly be mastered.
The things to look for in a high quality net are included in the text of an article I wrote and was published in Coastal Outdoors Magazine:
"The local angler should consider purchasing the BEST net they can afford. We believe if you are willing and able to spend on boats, motors, rods, reels, downriggers, electronics and the like, the effectiveness of each of these pieces of fishing equipment is enhanced by frisky live bait. The experience of the FishDancer Fishing Team is that Calusa is the best net we have ever used. Other net companies (West Coast nets, Betts Nets, Netco among others) make good products, but for price and performance Calusa is the net we would recommend. When seeking pogies you need a net that you can handle, sinks fast, can be thrown in deeper water and spreads to fullest diameter when thrown properly. The Calusa Castnet meets and exceeds each of these requirements. Lets look at each one individually.
A NET YOU CAN HANDLE/SINKS FAST
Fast sinking nets designed to capture menhaden have a minimum 1.5 pounds of lead per diameter foot of net. This equates to a 10 foot net weighting 15 pound dry, add water weight after casting and the net can weigh in excess of 25 or 30 pounds. You MUST be able to properly throw the net to make most use of it, so get the right net for the job as well as your skills. Add pogie weight and perhaps the net could weigh in excess of 100 pounds fully loaded. One time in 1998 the FishDancer team threw the net over a solid school of JUMBO pogies and had several hundred in the net, the weight of the net was too much for myself and Nancy to pull in the boat. We had to let approximately 1/2 of our catch go before we could haul the net in the boat. We utilize a 10 foot (I would love a 12 foot net but cannot throw it nearly as well as the 10 foot net) 5/8 inch mesh Calusa net for our SKA fishing.
A NET THAT CAN BE THROWN IN ‘DEEPER’ WATER
Sometimes the pogies are schooled up thick along the beach. During these times you can catch them with a dip net. Many times they are scattered - by boat traffic, weather, predators, tides, winds - and in deeper water. Some of our best ‘catches’ have come form seeking pogies on the bottom along the beaches in waters near 20 feet. When deep, pogies do not flip, they will appear as a brown spot in the water, blind casting to these brown spots can be very productive in the right circumstances, but you need a net with a long HANDLINE. The Calusa handline’s are the best and longest we have seen. There is a pre formed/adjustable loop to put over your wrist (DO NOT FORGET TO ATTACH THE HANDLINE OR YOU NET WILL BE LOST) and if you do forget the handline on the Calusa net floats, unlike West Coast or Betts. A nice feature of the net you hopefully will not need.
A NET THAT ACHIEVES FULL DIAMETER WHEN THROWN
A 10 foot net that, due to poor construction, only opens to a 7 foot diameter is actually worse than a good 7 foot net. Since the center of the net remains bunched the effectiveness of the net is minimized. There are several design positives in a good net. Panel construction is a must. Each section of the net is a separate panel, tied with reinforced knots to resemble a pie when laid out flat on the ground. DO NOT purchase a net which is not panel constructed, they will perform poorly and although inexpensive, will yield POOR result. When properly thrown, a Calusa net will achieve nearly 100% of its diameter - so a 10 foot net yields a 10 foot circle. Lead weight individually secured to the net are critical to a net’s performance and we seek hand made versus machine made nets. Calusa nets are 100% hand made with the mono produced in Brazil.
Whichever net you choose learn how to properly throw it. This is a skill which can be practiced at home and honed prior to heading out on the ocean. It is difficult to learn how to properly approach the bait, assess their movement - along with the winds/tides - and properly throw the net from a moving boat. Practice in you yard, a park or anywhere there is grass. We would not recommend practicing on asphalt or concrete as you will damage the mono of your net. We find the capturing of bait to be an exciting part of our fishing day and you can too with the proper equipment and techniques. Visit WWW.CALUSA.COM for more information as well as on-line viewing of their instructional video on how to throw a castnet. Tight lines and studly pogies to all."
Jeff
FishDancer
> ))))))">
http://www.FishDancer.net
You will not find a net that catches Pogies, Croakers and Shrimp very well. Shrimp usually require a 3/8 inch net while the best Pogie or croaker net is at least 5/8 inch or greater so it sinks fast. I would buy a good Pogie /Croaker net of at least 5/8 inch and at least an eight footer if not a ten (depending on your skill of throwing) Then buy a cheaper shrimp net 3/8 inch at least 6 foot or so. Shrimp are generally easier to catch so a cheaper net will work. Good luck
The things to look for in a high quality net are included in the text of an article I wrote and was published in Coastal Outdoors Magazine:
A NET YOU CAN HANDLE/SINKS FAST
Fast sinking nets designed to capture menhaden have a minimum 1.5 pounds of lead per diameter foot of net. This equates to a 10 foot net weighting 15 pound dry, add water weight after casting and the net can weigh in excess of 25 or 30 pounds.
One thing wrong here, Jeff. A 10' net is a 10' radius, and a 20' diameter. The weight would be 30 pounds if it's 1.5# per foot of diameter. More likely, it's 1.5 pounds per foot radius. My Betts 10'x3/4 Superpro weighs in at around 17 pounds dry, including lead line. As you mentioned, when it gets wet, it's probably closer to 22-24#. They get REAL HEAVY when bait is scarce and it takes 50 throws to put ten pogies in the well!
You forgot to mention that you are apparently sponsored by Calusa Nets..might be nice to mention next time..Most people like to know this when you write a testimonial type of post.. Not trying to be nasty with you, you must be a good fisherman to have a sponsor..
Thank you for your post. The FishDancer angling team has utilized Calusa products exclusively since we have fished the competitive SKA trail. From our perspective Calusa produces the best quality net on the market and we have attempted to share this observation and experience with the readers of this board.
The article posted was originally writen for publication in Coastal Outdoor Magazine (several years ago) as a primer for those seeking to purchase a quality net. The observations and details of the article are based upon our primary angling experience and not influenced by a relationship with any company.
You indicated that we failed to disclose the fact that we are 'SPONSORED' by Clausa, which is technically true, they provided us a free net for the positive influence this artice had on the sales of their products. Just so there is no lack of clarity, the FishDancer team will only discuss products which we utilize in our competitive fishing activity, and only from the perspective of the angler - we make no money or receive no 'commission' from these posts. They are designed to assist our fellow anglers.
We believe this is compliant with the policies of this message board. By the way if you have visited our website you will note we sell nothing and give away much angling information. Anyhow, thanks for providing me a chance to clarify what could be construed by some as a 'commercial'. Tight lines.
Live Bait 
