anyone good with a castnet

[Biteme]

I have done some checking and found that it is legal to throw a castnet for baitfish in the marine zone. So I purchased one and plan on trying some new techniques this year in astoria. I am a full time fishing guide but let me tell you I am no Jose Wahebe when it comes to throwing this thing. If any of you are accomplished at throwing one of these I would be happy to take you along for some experimental fishing hopefully with some really fresh bait and some throwing lessons for me.

[Pilar]

Years ago my grandfather fished the shallow brackish waters of Pensacola and East bay with a cast net. He caught Mullet and bait fish and rarely shrimp. The key seemed to be shallow water, < 5 ft. The net traps the fish against the bottom until you haul it in.

I don't remember much about how he threw it except for a spin he put on the net to spread it out. He made it look easy!

[THE REEL HEY_YALL]

Nothing to it at all once you get the hang of it.

Pensacola [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

First things first, you loop the rope around your elbow and thumb, like you are rolling up an extension chord. Set this down.

Pick up the net, and be careful not to twist it up as they are a beeyotch to fool with when they tangle. Ok, now the technical part:

Pick up the net, and try to place half the net in between all of your fingers, but separate them evenly as possible with the weight dangling out the ends. The other half hangs down.

To cast it, you will do a flinging motion like that of a frisbee, but flicking from your outside in, instead of inside out, but either way works with practice.

Before I usually fling the net, I grab the rope right below the net (about 2 feet down or so) with the empty hand, just to help keep it from tangling in the net and release it as you release the net.

With some success, it should go out in a fan. When you feel that you have reached the desired depth, start pulling up on the rope as fast as you safely can, as this will help keep the weights together trapping the fish.

I suggest going with a larger model if you can as your diameter will increase. You can fish these pretty much at any depth, but we always tried to keep the depth no greater than 30' Bring a snorkel and mask because those things can get hung on logs, etc. very easily, and don't forget the knife.

Hope this helps you. Also, target around pilings or piers.

[Mr. Fisherman]

KT,

If you don't mind..
Where were you jigging the bait and how do I get there? My boat drafts abot 20", Can I make it?

Where should I launch from?

I wanna stock up for silvers [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Thanks for the post.

I am also interested in those nets. If you are sucessful BM post here and let us know about your experiences.

Thanks in advance,

Mr. F.

[Killertraylor]

For an easier alternative - try some bait jigs. I was in the Astoria area this last weekend and at high slack I put out a spinning rod with a bait jig - little white and pink flies spaced about 8" apart with a weight on the end of the line. I cought 2 dozen anchovies in about 15 minutes doing this and the sturgeon gobbled them up - nothing like super fresh bait! If you had 3 or 4 people jigging you'd have enough bait for the day in less than 20 minutes. There are lots of anchovies in the river right now and in my experience they just get thicker as the summer goes on. I would like to have one of those nets for when I see the bait flipping out of the water during salmon season - I'll bet you could really get them quick on some days.

[Biteme]

thanks for the info. anyone want to go show me there expertise on throwing one of these later this week. then we can go get some gators with all of that fresh bait we will have

[Killertraylor]

Mr. Fisherman - I was jigging bait down by the A-Jetty near Ilwaco. I just went out off the end of the jetty in about 80 feet of water at high slack tide. I had heard that the charter boats were doing the same thing up by the bridge on the flats. You'd be fine running out of Ilwaco to get there in your boat. Once you go out of the boat basin and past the coast guard station and out the protected entrance, the A-Jetty is the first small jetty you see on the right, just downriver and about 800 yards from where you enter the river. There is a really deep hole off the end of it. You get some ocean swell in there sometimes, but rarely any nasty chop. Just make sure you go at High slack and you should be fine. It might get a little rough out there at low slack if the NW wind is blowing. I'll be there again this weekend and I'll let you know if there's still bait in the river. If you are really serious about getting some good fresh bait to freeze, contact Ed McClure at the Chinook store - 360-777-BAIT. You could probably arrange to get some fresh anchovies right out of the tank - they'd be starved and firm. You can also buy the fresh ones he has in the store, but they are several hours old by the time they get down there - still good bait, but not fresh like the stuff you jig.

[THE REEL HEY_YALL]

BiteMe - I'd love to show you how to throw one of those things as there's nothing to it really. I'm afraid that I'm booked up though. Go find a Fishing the Keys website, or King Mackeral fishing website, etc. down around that area, since that's how we catch our bait. They use them to catch their bait and hopefully there will be a site that will help you with this endeavor.