Cast Nets? What is the best buy for $100 or so?

[99trufish]

What size would I want to use for kayaking use? What size mesh? For Greenies/Pinners. If you know where I can get a deal please let me know. Thanks

[Shep]

Walmart has some for 30 bucks or so.

[Hornetbear]

I like a 6-8 ft --- 3/8 inch mesh.

its a very manageable size.

I like bigger ones on a boat but those have to sink faster and you usually have a livewell.

[seeinred]

A quality net will really make a difference, a good amount of leader per foot (I like about 1.5 lbs/1ft) helps it sink faster, but also gives the net more momentum when throwing it which will help it open better.

I throw a 10ft 3/8" mesh but from a kayak it can be a pain. If you plan on using it from other platforms besides a kayak then maybe it will be worth it to go with a larger net about that size but otherwise I'd stay no bigger than 8ft. I prefer a 3/8" mesh net, but if you'll only be in shallow water you can get away with a smaller mesh like a 1/4". The only real advantage of a larger mesh size is that it will sink faster in deeper water.

You can usually find used ones around on the forums every once and a while, but I did a google search and found some Cracker nets online fairly reasonable. Check it out and shop around, a lot of local shops build their own nets too. Can't give ya price off the top of my head but call around. I know Bett's Fishing Center makes some good nets.

Hope this helps.

[Tide1on]

Tampa Fishing Outfitters
They have these nets for a reasonable price.

[Swamprider]

I just got one of the Joy Fish Mullet nets and it opens just fine. Can't beat it for $50!

[GILs_GONE_WILD]

Casting for bait as I have, you had better have one that sinks REALLY fast or you'll not catch any of them pinners.

Your mileage may very!!

[shallow pockets]

Ego makes a great cast net for under $100. Very nice quality. You can see them at the link below. I would go with a 3/8 mesh 6" for the kayak.

https://www.adventureproducts.com/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[gsellers1245]

SABIKI RIG!!

[BlueTuna]

SABIKI RIG!!

My kids love those! Thats what my son asked to do this weekend "because mom didn't believe that I caught five fish at a time!"

99 I have cast net in my shed - never used, never open the box, unknown condition. It's all yours, send me a PM if you want.

[FrankC]

These folks are giving good advice, but I would add that mesh size is very important. You want to gil as few as possible, so a smaller mesh would get the nod. Also, do you plan to throw the net from the kayak or while standing on the ground. Do you have experience in throwing the net or would this be a new art to learn?

The 1 1/2 pound per foot is a heavier net, but it is a good weight to use for deeper water. Depending on the net, you could go down to just over a pound per foot in shallow water, but the weight makes the net easier to open than a lighter net.

We use 3/8, 1/2 and 5/8 inch square mesh nets for shrimp. The larger mesh sizes result in an awful lot of gilled fish which often would ruin them for use as anything but chum. If you plan on making repeated throws for an extended period of time, stay away from the large nets, say anything over five or six feet.

If I planned to throw from a kayak, I would look even at 3 or 4 ft nets just for bait. You don't need to load a boat just to keep enough for fishing.

The Betts Blue or Green would make a nice bait net if you wanted a heavier net. The next lighter version is fine if the water is not too deep for it. Go to the Betts web site and look at their recommendations before purchasing any net.

I made a small mesh #3 or #4 nylon net for a fellow once a little over 4 1/2 feet with 6 pounds of lead. It caught nearly anything under it on a cast including eating size fish. He called it "killer". A mono net would sink even quicker.

Hey, we have used nets since the days of long staple sea island cotten. You don't need to get a loan on the house for a good net these days. If you do purchase an expensive net, you might want to learn how to repair it yourself.

[Skeeter]

One suggestion I might make is to spread it out in the grass or on carpet to see if it lays flat before you buy it. If it has a neck in it I would look for another one.
A 8ft net with a 2ft neck will throw like a 6ft net.

[FrankC]

Interesting comment and informative. I am familiar with three types of nets, and the attachment to the horn varies. Look out for a net where the netting is bunched up around the horn also, as the bait will get caught in the folds of netting around the horn and be the devil to remove. Sting ray barbs can be hard to find if the barb is in the bunched up netting

A hand tied net has risers or expanders located every three rows starting near the horn. It is easy to empty, as the netting around the horn is not particularly buched up. It also should throw very easy when compared to other construction methods. These babies are expensive, as there is a lot of handwork in them. In the old days, firemen made a lot of these while waiting for calls, and they turned out some great nets. I have the netting for a 6 footer in the closet which I never finished. They changed mesh size restrictions just as the netting was finished

Then you have two main types of panel nets where the individual pieces of netting are tied together to form the net. The panel net can be imagined by thinking of a pie cut into slices. These are very nice but generally sell at a premium price.

Another cheaper net has sections tied together with rows of risers between the sections of machine made netting. These can be bad about bunching up around the horn, but the price is lower than the others in general. They are probably the most common nets you will see in stores. They fall into the cut it up on oysters and just replace it catorgory, but they are repairable If you cannot repair a net, they make good sense. We use them for shrimp, as the oysters eat nets for breakfast up here. The ones my wife uses are full of patches, but the freezer is ready for the fall shrimping season.

Have we sufficiently mixed up the original poster yet Let us know how you like whatever you purchase. Any of them will catch your bait for you. They vary from works of art to workhorses.

[BlueTuna]

SABIKI RIG!!

Swinging into Wally World in a few minutes to pick some up for the kids and then on down to Anna Maria!!