3/21/2015 Blackwater report

[bp]

Water Temp 48
Partly cloudy in the morning clearing off as the day went on with light breeze

Started out the morning at Parkway getting some jumbo minnows, headed up the blackwater side to about b28 when some fish were showing up on the electronics. set out 4 light lines on planers and 1 down rod trolled across several spots where I thought we would get some bites, after looping through  Standiford Creek we caught 2. Released them and got the rods back out and had another hit on the outside board in the main channel, we never got that one on board lost it at the prop. As the day warmed up to about 72 and the wind began to gust a little and after several snags near the bank we decided to head up a cove and try our luck with the casting net. The youtube video's make throwing look alot easier than it is.

[striperjohn]

Hey BP good report. You know I always wondered why stripers down on Buggs Island will eat jumbos up and everyone says they won't work on SML.
Throwing that cast net is something else. What size net were you using. I found early on (took me a couple years) that the smaller nets are much more difficult to use then the 8 foot and up. That's just me but the bigger nets kind of help you open up due to their weight and size.  Calusa's website has a very good video of how to throw each. I like their method the best simply because it takes so little effort and at my age I need less physical effort.
You should try to get up with some of the guys that can show you how to throw that net. It's a little expensive but some of the guides will show you how. Todd and Catsnstripers are about the best I've personally witnessed doing it.
I would show you "God please let this one open up larger than a kidney" method, but either of the aforementioned guys can show you the right way.

[Gator]

I'm with John. I feel like throwing a bigger net is easier than a smaller net. My advice would be to practice in the yard as much as you can. Most important thing for me is to have the net loaded properly. If I get in too much of a hurry and my net isn't loaded properly I will not get the pretty "pancake". Some folks never get it either. In a word PRACTICE.

There is nothing like pulling that net up when it is full of bait.

[bp]

I thought a six foot net was a good place to start. I'll practice until I get some consistency, my first timer son in law picked it up this evening and had a nice circle by the third or fourth throw. Looks like a possible fishing buddy