Guys any advice on cast nets? This year I'd like to learn how to cast net for bait. I'm looking to catch minnows, shad, or really anything, I think my kid would like playing with the bait as much as fishing. As a beginner I'm not trying to spend more than around $50. Want to be able to throw it from the kayak. Any thoughts on brand, size, weight would be great, thanks!

I've got a cheap 5' cast net from Wal-Mart, and it works great. I usually catch my bait on the shore beforehand and tow them in a bait bucket. They sell 3' nets, but i'm not sure if I could throw one from a seated position. I can stand on my kayak, but again i'm not sure if I could pull off a decent throw without losing my balance. I will try throwing from my kayak and let you know how it goes. Either way get you a cheap one from walmart and learn to throw from the shore first.

There are tons of good nets out there. In summer months the cheepo nets will do ok. In the spring and fall no chance at all. They arent heavy enough. Look at joy fish nets they are pretty good nets. I throw a banister and have used the same net for 5 years. Ask anyone else with any other net...that just doesn't happen.

Ive also heard bass pro offers a pay extra guarantee where if anything at all happens they give you a new one free.

7' is the largest legal net you can use in Texas.

id start with a 5' net from academy or something. pretty cheap, will last you awhile. Watch youtube videos and practice. Once you get the hang of it, you can spend more on a nicer net if you want. I throw sitting from my kayak. One of tese days ill be awesome enough to throw standing, but not yet...

Thanks for the advice guys, I went ahead and got a cheap one from Academy today. 5' radius, 1 lb. per radius foot, 3/8" mesh by Fitec, $26. If I can actually throw the thing then maybe I'll invest in a better one. So who's giving lessons? I'll bring the beer!

Hey I will sign up for that!!!

This is a topic that has come up a number of times.
For 50 bucks you can get a pretty decent cast net. I recommend you start with a 5 footer (radius). That is big enough to catch lots of stuff but small enough to handle easily and it doesn't require any special features or using your mouth (ucky) or laying it across your shoulder (wet).

I use this technique.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTtGWcpf88g

Easy to teach and easy to learn.

14' my friend

I throw mine seated and can throw a 6 footer and catch bait out of the kayak, I use the Betts Blue 3/8 mesh and get them off amazon for 50-60$ each. The environmentally friendly weights make the net hang so a lot of bait gets away in water over 3 feet and clear nets can spook the bait as well so I go with the blue mono and a fold that will let me throw seated if I must. I have seen your car with the boat on it over around Ray Hubbard and I live a few minutes from paddle park there and would be able to show you how I do it.

Timely topic for me too!

I also want to consider a cast net and throw it from my kayak. I'm also minutes away from Paddle Point Creek in Rowlett.

I'll go out and pick up a net soon.

Perhaps I can get caught up in the fun too?

You're both correct. The largest cast net one can use in Texas is a 14 foot diameter. However, most nets are sold by radius size. A 14' diameter net is the same as a 7 foot radius net.

So again, you're both right.

Hey Bert, must be someone else, I don't think I've ever been to Hubbard! But I wouldn't mind getting out there! Also I wonder if there's a GTG this year? Maybe a few other guys would be interested in a cast net seminar.

I hate the new no lead cast nets!!!!

I would spend the extra and find one with lead weights.
Can't believe the dang environmentalists screwed up cast nets!! The only good thing about the new style, no lead nets are when you are throwing in snaggy waters and need to keep it shallow.

I stand corrected I just looked it up on my phone, it was a silver lexus with the yellow hobie on it. Spring/Summer get together was cancelled due to flooding should be one this fall though. I will say this, if you want to get good enough to catch bait regularly it is like anything else, practice pays dividends.

I haven't thrown one in years. It would be hilarious to watch I'm sure.

And you have to know where to look, gotta find it B-4 you can catch it.

In the transitional seasons it can sometimes take as long to get bait as you fish. Winter months we stick pile bait in the freezer just for these times. As Bert said, " practice pays dividends." Especially from the kayak. I cant throw the darn things from land very well but standing in my kayak feels very natural. You dont need to throw far just get it to open right beside your yak.

Get a 5'net from academy. It's cheaper than the ones at Wal-mart. Watch a youtube video then practice in your backyard. Pretty easy.

There are lots of Youtube videos showing dozens of techniques. But the one I posted above is by far the easiest to learn for throwing a small (5 or 6 foot) net.

A couple of tips to make the cheaper nets work better I forgot to mention,

Net parts,

Hand line - ties to your hand
Lead line - line that the lead weights are on
Braille lines - heavy lines that go through the horn to close the net
Horn - circular apparatus that slides up and down the braille lines to close the nets
Swivel - attaches braille lines to the hand line

Do not leave your net in the sun for extended periods, the uv rays from the sun break down the mono and it gets stiff and brittle

Put about 3 gallons of water in a 5 gallon bucket and a cup of fabric softener, put your net in and weigh it down with some bricks and let it soak 24 hours. Take it out of the bucket and shake out the moisture and hang it from the horn to dry do not hang it with the lead line off the ground as this will tighten all the knots that will loosen up with use and not let the net keep the broken in feel, this will soften it so it lays out and throws easier. Any time it gets stiff or hard to throw repeat. You can also spray it down with reel magic but that gets expensive, only costs a few cents this way.

After using your net when you get home rinse it with a hose and stretch it out and hang it by the horn to dry do not hang it with the lead line off the ground as this will tighten all the knots that will loosen up with use and not let the net keep the broken in feel, your net is nylon and nylon dry rots when it is exposed to excessive moisture. Letting it dry like this keeps the nylon from developing folded memory and making it harder to throw the first few times until it gets good and wet as well. Your net will last much longer if you care for it in this manner.

Extend the hand line, most hand lines are only 12-16 feet on the cheaper nets and will not let you get deep, get 20 to 30 feet of floating dock line and change it out so you can get a little deeper than 12 feet.

Add weight to make it sink faster, especially if you have enviro conscious plastic coated lead that creates drag. Buy some of the rubber core crimp on weights 1/2, 3/4 or 1 oz and take the rubber out and slice it in half long ways then put it back in so it will grip the lead line, lay out the net in a circle and add weights so that they are on opposite sides of the circle or you will unbalance the net and it will not open properly also position them in the center between existing weights then crimp. Be careful how much you add, we are going to use a cheap net for the example, 3/4 lb per radius foot 6 foot net has about 2 oz. per circumference foot at 37.7 circumference feet so to take it to 1 lb per foot radius you need to take it to 3 oz per circumference foot.

Now if you do the above hand line and lead upgrades you could buy a 50-65$ betts, fitec or ahi mid range net and it will have better mono and components as well as lead weights at 1-1.5 lb per radius foot.

Great tips guys. I went out and bought fabric softener for the first time today. Maybe I'll even use it on my clothes! haha