Ludicrous

I've tried to throw nets 8 foot and above, watched all the videos, practice outside till the neighbors start getting upset. (after the tenth throw or so I break down into my Happy Gilmore mode) I will not admit defeat.

Goosedog's method below is very accurate:
1. Get net ready.
2. See bait.
3. Snag net on something, overthrow bait, underthrow bait, hit self in face with net, fail to throw net properly scaring all the bait.
4. Cuss.
5. Blame anyone and everyone within earshot.
6. Sip beer.
7. Repeat.


Any of you cast netting pros out there please help us. Advise? Medications we can take to improve our mind set? Hire ten year old, 4'5"-100 pound illegal immigrant from Guatemala that can throw large 12' net with no problem and pay him 5 dollars?

Rate Your Expertise:

4 footer: Great no problem, good open circle each cast, great for picking up 3 threadfins at a time

6 footer: Ok...some work needed, "taco it" every fifth or sixth cast, small amount of cursing, 6 threadfins per cast.

8 footer: Cursing at medium volume, taco every other cast, pure lucky when it opens into something resembling circle. 0 threadfins...not counting the ones I knock unconscious with the lead weights.

10 footer: Loud cursing, six or seven casts and no luck with anything other than ball of net and weights projecting ten feet in front of me.

12 footer: Call the Pope for exorcist. I have yet to try this net, I can only guess as to the outcome. Best to leave this one alone until I get the 8 and 10 down first.

GCOLEJR

I cant throw mine either! lol!

ubettcha13

http://calusa.com/howtothrow.cfm
Practice this way off your dock or in the yard It got me over the hump It is all in the loading of the net
and to answer the cursing starts when the bucket comes out of the storage locker

Tireless

Learn how to throw a 12 ft net and you will have a religious experience when you make that perfect throw on 200 to 300 medium sized pogies ....... and it is your very first cast of the day (the net is still dry). Keep practicing and you will quickly realize it does not take that much to cast a large net ....... its the part that involves dragging it back into the boat that will kill you.

Guest

Im 5'9" and throw both a 10' and a 12' net. I use the "Triple-Haul" method which allows me to throw the net near-perfect, 90% of the time with the 10' and 70% with the 12'. Ive been throwing for about 6yrs now, and I started with a 5' net.

Tireless

Oh yeah.....even a crappy throw with a 12 footer results in bait, assuming they are under the net when you cast it.

rich lattanzi

The first time I tried to throw it I almost ripped my front teeth out of my freaking face. Dont clamp down on it when you throw it. Pratice makes perfect

Cracker

I can throw a 10 footer with no real problem. I have never thrown a 12 but it is really technique once you get over about 6 foot. My big problem is I mainly throw an 8 footer because if I throw a 10 footer, after about 6 to 10 throws I am worn out because of all the additional lead...One big important factor is buy a quality net. Because a poorly made or cheap net will not open well

Guest

Ive been using West Coast Nets for about 4 years now, and they are by far some of the best nets on the market. Calusa Nets are very good as well...

Tom Bare

You need a panel net for the big sizes. I have 7 cast nets 10 and 12', all w/ different mesh size for differenr bait. Squiddly, get with someone who can actually get one to open and promise him a 12 pack if he can have you opening it completely by the end of the session. It really isn't that hard, so my advice would be to buy the 12 pack first!

If we are ever in NC, FL, Mexico or the BBC at the same time, I'll gladly teach you. Should take 15 minutes. And the best news is that I don't drink so you'll learn how to throw the big nets and then have some beer to celebrate with!!!

Tom.

Guest

Sorry, but Im not buying ANYBODY a 12-pack to help me get that extra throw. 9/10 is fine by me for the 10-footer. I rarely use a 12', so Im not worried about gettin it perfect.

rpmunroe

I am very good at throwing my cast net. I fire it into the water with such force that the sonic boom stuns all the fish and occasianly a few get entanged in the mess. I just need to use dip net to get outof the water so the fish caught in it dont get out

hblac

Piss Poor the last time I tried but that will all change now that I have a good reason to learn. Finally got a center console with nice big baitwell. No more trying to throw off engine box. Now for some practice!

Hal

bzalmano

I do OK with 8'. I have thrown a 10' but as was mentioned above it will tire you out fast. My main issue is distance - I can get a decent circle out of an 8' net but I can not throw it very far so the baits have to be pretty close for me to get them. I would like to learn to throw more distance.

Sunday since the mullets where hanging in very shallow water that I could not get into and I could not throw the net over a school that was a distance away I had to get off the boat and stomp around in the muck after them. I finally did get a nice well full although some of the real little fingers still alluded me. If I could get some distance on my throws I would have better success. As far as throwing a 12' net when the thread fins and pilchards are thick I do not know how anybody would be able to lift a 12' net full without either injuring themselves or ripping the net. 8' is Plenty for me .

oldmako

practice, practice, practice.......

When I bouight my fist net at "the fishin hole" on Rodanthe, the guy told me to read the instructions and give it a whirl. I did and I sucked. The next day I was there for something else and he inquired how it was coming. I told him that I was throwing it just fine, but it never opened and just scared the hell out of the fish. He then gave me a quickie lesson in his parking lot!!!

I was tossing it just fine within a few thousand tries. And I don't hold the lead in my mouth!

Bullshipper

I know I am anal when I ask:

When you guys say an 8' net, this really means an 8' radius opening to a 16' diameter, right?

Anyway, I throw a 10/20, and only get a full opening about 60% of the time.

But I am left handed and the gap in my front teeth tends to trap flying leads, so do you give handicaps like in golf?

capt crunch

I just tried cast netting for the first time last fall on peanut bunker here. First throw...no lie...about 2.5 gallons of menhaden. Spent the rest of the evening trying to get it to open up the same way, nothing but mess.

Next day, after watching some of the videos on the internet, I tried a new method. First throw...no lie...5 gallons of menhaden! Spent the rest of the night trying to do it again without success.

My net is about 5' radius (10' diameter).

I get the feeling that once you get the hang of it AND CAN THROW IT RIGHT MORE THAN ONCE IN A ROW, it's like riding a bike and you never forget. Or at least I hope so.

Bullshipper

A soak in some fabric softner like Downy really heaps.

And before you ask Tireless, no, a spin in the dryer on the hot cycle is not recommended for your Circle of Death...

pagan

The biggest rookie mistake is trying to 'throw' the net. Start out just trying to get it open....the rest will work itself out.

power is no substitute for technique....

HullSlap

Good enough with a 10' (20' diameter) to impress my friends..............bad enough to make professional guides chuckle while they load up their well with one cast.