Cast net for herring

[Brokenrod]

I bought a cast net from Cabelas last spring for the up coming herring season in March. It is 6'dia., has brail lines with weights, there also is a disc that comes with it to aid in throwing it, works pretty good, (throwing it that is)I haven't fished with it yet. Anyone have any experience with these things?

 

[Dogbreath]

Hmmm...
You eat Herring?

 

[dog]

Nope, never tried one. I thought about trying it and asked about them at a net shop and the guy told me they are too fast to net like that, so I didnt buy one. I still think it would work, but thought I might do just as well with a jig.

 

[Tsquared]

quote:You eat Herring?

Nothing like pickled herring and a shot of vodka! Makes my Norwegian heart glow just thinking about it!
T2

 

[Brokenrod]

WOW !! We've been 6 hrs without power in the Courtenay area, NASTY !! ,anyway back to the herring. I ran out of choice bait about the middle of July. We jigged up a couple of hundred for the season in 06, seems I used a fair amount of bait experimenting on crab and herring. The point is,I use alot of herring, although eating herring hasn't been one of my favorites. You are right Chris, the shallows for 07, the net should work.

 

[Dogbreath]

One thing about methodology.

Whatever you do don't wrap the retrieve line around your hand!!!

Lay it across your palm and then squeeze it as you throw.

If it's wrapped and you end up covering something fast and strong it can pull you in and under.

This comes from buddies of mine in the tropics not quite as likely to happen here in BC but if you ever got a Seal or Shark in the net and the cord was wrapped around your hand you'd be in deep.[xx(]

 

[Brokenrod]

YEP!! There are lots of sea lions out there at that time, GOOD POINT, Thanx

 

[Barbender]

Good point about not wrapping it too tightly around the wrist. It can cause problems if you snag something big. I have two of them and when I lived in Florida I was netting finger mullet in the surf one day and managed to wrap my net around a 40lb drum (fish not the metal can). Anyway scared the crap out of me as I was not winning that battle. Thankfully someone helped me out. Anyway I dont use the disc. I tend to hang half of it over my shoulder and rotate my body and throw it that way. Takes practice but you can get good reach doing it that way. I have used it out on the chuck when herring ball up with a lot of success. Hopefully you have the same success.

 

[Brokenrod]

Barbender, thanks the herring spawn here in the Courtenay area in March produces loads of herring in the sandy shallows,should be good. Mind you, there are lots of sea lions around at that time so I will take the advice.
The disc works good for me.I can throw the thing 20' ft or so with the net fully open in a circle most every time.
Question: Do the brail lines work well? Some folks here says that the herring will just get out when you bring the net in.what is yiur experience?

 

[Barbender]

They have worked fine for me. I have never had too many herring escape. I tend to target ball ups (not the big ones as that ends up a huge mess on deck). If the herring are large enough you will be fine. Also if you can throw it 20ft then you are good to go. Especially if it opens in a perfect circle then you are ahead of me. It takes awhile to get them out of the net as some will poke their heads through the mesh. Good luck and keep me posted on how you make out. Cheers.

 

[battaglino]

We use to use the in the gulf of Mexico to catch mullets. I have one and I have been tempted to use it but did not know if it was legal. I think it has been at least 10 years since I have thrown it. I was alway worried that it was not legal it probably is up there but not in the states. I will have to bring it next year to VI and and give it try. I think mine if 8 foot. The really good net caster are fun to watch some of them use 10 or 12 foot nets. Catching the drum must have been quite an expreance. Did you get in in?

 

[Barbender]

Yes I managed to pull it in with the help of another surf fisherman standing nearby. Scared the crap out of me. At first I thought I was snagged on a piece of wood or something. But then it started to move very aggressively out to sea. They are a very tough fish. Anyway the toughest part was pulling it out of the waves that hit the beach. I released it to fish another day. Learned a valuable lesson that day. I have heard stories of guys out near the Jupiter Inlet (in Florida) being pulled overboard when hauling in nets of finger mullet that have been attacked by sharks or big Jacks etc. If a sea lion decided he liked what he saw I could only imagine what that would look like.

 

[battaglino]

barbender

That's a great story you never do know what you are going to get when you through a line or net in. I rememeber fishing in the gulf for trout in a bay about 15 years ago with light tackle and picking up a large red fish who spooled me in about 2 seconds didn't even have time to think. The east coast and the gulf have some amazing fish we that Salmon give some great runs but they don't compare to some of the fish back there. I really am going to give the through net a try. Thanks Joe

 

[Barbender]

I got a chance years ago to fish for Red fish in Louisiana. That was a blast. Those fish could fight something fierce. After doing that in the morning we headed offshore in the afternoon to fish around the oil platforms for sea trout and other species. All from a 19ft bass boat. What a rush. You are right about east coast fishing. When I lived in South Florida on any given cast you can catch a different fish. Several times I got bites that chewed through everything. I have been spooled twice and countless times I have been broken off by some fish that grabbed the smaller fish I was reeling in. A fishermen's paradise for sure.

 

[battaglino]

I use to catch a small fish and would have something come along and eat it while you where reeling in on the US east coast. I have never understood why I have never caught a salmon when you hook up a 10 inch shaker and drag it around for 30 minutes. You would think some thing would eat it. Do salmon not eat other salmon?

 

[ozcanam]

They use the cast net in Australia alot. Try Google for the cast techniques.