Cast net for deep shad.

[Pete D.]

Hey fellas, I have an 8' 3/8" mesh net that I do really well with for three seasons out of the year. Anyone have any advice on a good deep water (30-40ft.) net? Also, have any of you guys had luck catching gizzard shad in the mud on creek beds in 10-15ft of water in the lake? I can catch them in the river right now this deep, but havent had luck on the lake.

[Jason54]

I use a 10' 1.7 lb per foot 5/8" mesh net. I was able to get a few gizzard shad in 20 to 30 fow but they were few and far between. The big shad are so fast they swim out from under it. The bigger and heavier the better.

[Pete D.]

I hear that. That sure is a heavy net!! And with 5/8" mesh youd think it would sink pretty fast. Betts makes a few deep hole nets. They have a plastic webbing around the outside that helps keep the net open down to deeper depths. Anyone have luck with these?

[leeb]

I have a 11' 5/8" 1.9lbs per ft. It said it catches them tow at a time. After I could throw it that seemed to be true for a long time only catching 1 or 2 at a time. I got tired of my shoulders hurting so I learned to really pay attention to the electronics and found that I could get my boat positioned and still in thiry feet of water and catch 6 or more at a time. In deep water you just are not going to fill the net up. I have thrown the same net on bunker and had to have help to get it in the boat.

Now I am struggling again because I changed electronics and I feel my transducer angle is a little off and now when I see the shad on the sonar I come up empty a lot. This is very frustrating because I had a system that worked for me so well I knew when I threw my net I was coming up with fish; and now I am getting sore shoulders again.

[Pete D.]

Man thats a bummer!! Getting the ducer squared off can be hard. I have considered adding a transducer to the trolling motor to find bait easier. I often wonder how far back the bait actually is by using a transom mount ducer and throwing the net from the bow.

[leeb]

Jan 1, 2014 18:03:06 GMT -5 Pete D. said:

Man thats a bummer!! Getting the ducer squared off can be hard. I have considered adding a transducer to the trolling motor to find bait easier. I often wonder how far back the bait actually is by using a transom mount ducer and throwing the net from the bow.

TO FAR! Unless you just happen to be over the mother load. I try to be drifting over the bait as slow as I can go when throwing on shad in 30 feet. I let the boat go about 5 feet after I saw them on the sonar and throw to the side with the most bait showing. I pull the net up fast as soon as it touches the bottom because big shad can get under a net if you let it sit and they figure out up is not the way out.

Right now I think in 30 feet of water at the angle my ducer is at I need to actually go 10 to 12 feet past the mark before I throw.

[BentRod]

If you're throwing from the front and watching the transim sonar, just turn your boat 90deg and throw.

[Pete D.]

Jan 1, 2014 21:51:33 GMT -5 BentRod said:

If you're throwing from the front and watching the transim sonar, just turn your boat 90deg and throw.

Agreed, thats what I do. I have side imaging so I even know which side to turn to. But still, I dont feel like my 8' net has what it takes to get to the deep bait. It is 1.5lbs. per radius foot though, so thats a plus.

[BentRod]

Yeah you really need a 10ft to get deep bait. If you can spread a 8 perfect, you can pick up a few here n there in 20ft. A 10fter will get them in up to 35ft, but again it needs to be spread wide open or it'll be practically closed by the time you get down to the bait.

[jon]

Seems like plastic webbing on the outside of the betts net would help keep the net spread out but would slow the sink rate. Might not be a good thing if the gizzards are swimming out from under it.

[Live Bait JunkEE]

I prefer the 3/4 inch 10foot with at least 1 1/2 pounds per foot for the deep Giz --- the 3/4 will drop alot quicker for sure.

[Pete D.]

Jan 2, 2014 6:27:17 GMT -5 BentRod said:

Yeah you really need a 10ft to get deep bait. If you can spread a 8 perfect, you can pick up a few here n there in 20ft. A 10fter will get them in up to 35ft, but again it needs to be spread wide open or it'll be practically closed by the time you get down to the bait.

WHat do you think, since I have an 8' net should I just spring for the 12' cast net? Go big or go home right?

[Pete D.]

Jan 2, 2014 6:37:34 GMT -5 jon said:

Seems like plastic webbing on the outside of the betts net would help keep the net spread out but would slow the sink rate. Might not be a good thing if the gizzards are swimming out from under it.

Yea I am thinking that it would be useless for shad.

[Pete D.]

Jan 2, 2014 8:38:26 GMT -5 Live Bait JunkEE said:

I prefer the 3/4 inch 10foot with at least 1 1/2 pounds per foot for the deep Giz --- the 3/4 will drop alot quicker for sure.

Sounds feasible. What size bait are you pulling up with 3/4" mesh? What mesh would you use for for the deeper threadfin shad? Seems like catchin small bait down deep is almost impossible due to the fact that the smaller mesh will sink so slowly.

[BentRod]

Jan 2, 2014 9:07:39 GMT -5 Pete D. said:

Jan 2, 2014 6:27:17 GMT -5 BentRod said:

Yeah you really need a 10ft to get deep bait. If you can spread a 8 perfect, you can pick up a few here n there in 20ft. A 10fter will get them in up to 35ft, but again it needs to be spread wide open or it'll be practically closed by the time you get down to the bait.

WHat do you think, since I have an 8' net should I just spring for the 12' cast net? Go big or go home right?

A 12 can be a *bleep* to throw. But if you're only throwing it a few times, it's ok. I'd start with a 10 if you've never thrown one larger than an 8.