Why Some Nets Throw Better

A quick explanation

This has boggled the minds of many cast net fisherman. They always wonder why they can cast a net well in their yard, but out on the open water (where it really matters) they always seem to bungle their throws.

The reason why can only be explained by an experienced cast net fisherman.

When you choose a new net, you probably chose it for a particular reason; you may have wanted a bigger net, or a heavier net, or a net that catches a certain species. These are all good reasons to choose a certain net over another net, but there is one other detail to consider.

Often cast net sellers advertise their nets as a "specific" cast nets, with a certain weight and a certain mesh size. Some nets market that they are "higher quality" or built with "better materials". They say what the net is designed to catch and lots of other info & company story ect...

What I will tell you after throwing hundreds of different nets is this; The nets that are better to fish with, are not the nets you would expect.

The exact qualities that net makers advertise as "benefits" are exactly the opposite. They are some of the biggest negatives and actually the reason the cast nets are blah.

What I like and dislike on a Cast Net

I want my net to be light yet sink rapidly. I want a net that opens and does not snap back shut. I want a net that throws just as good wet as it does dry and one that retrieves very easy in rough surf. I want a net that is reliable, with no moving parts and can catch a wide variety of fish. I want it to be throwable for a full day on the water and a net I can trust.

When I pick up a net, I can tell a couple things right away; If it has too much weight, if it has a bad build construction, and if it's going to be good on the water.

There is a huge difference between a real fishing net and a storebought net that comes in a bucket. One net is built for hitting the water and real fishing scenarios, the other is built for the occasional fisherman who doesn't know any better.

This is where we get to the original question "Why can I throw my net in the yard, but the moment I try to throw it on fish, it doesn't open right?"

The answer: "Because your net is constructed to measurements that are wrong... They forgot to factor in that the characteristics of the net change the moment the net gets wet"

A net that is dry has the benefit of being lighter. It is easy to hold on to, because its not slippery, and the line at the bottom (which holds the lead weights) hasn't absorbed any water yet.

Remember that (Extra thick "double lead line") you thought was a huge selling point? Yea, that's going to get super heavy. Not only that, but it's going to slow that nets sink-rate down dramatically. Does it increase durability though? Possibly, but not in a meaningful way. Nets typically don't fail at the lead line. They generally don't wear out, nets usually perish all at once in one huge calamity (Such as throwing over an oyster bar or underwater pilings). They always tear at the webbing, a thicker lead line does nothing to prevent this.

Remember that "Extra heavy webbing" you thought was going to help you net last forever? The manufacturer forgot to tell you that they used a bad construction technique that they hope you will mistake for "extra thick webbing". In reality, what you are holding and throwing is a net with 50% extra (shouldn't be there) webbings that slow down your sink rate and cause the center of your net to sink really slow. This quickly collapses your net underwater and causes lots of extra drag on the retrieve. You will notice this when you are struggling to hold such a bulky net with one hand, often these nets have 6 panels & you can easily see this when your net is spread out.

Remember those "Extra Heavy Nets" you though would sink faster and catch those quick little fish? That net is good if you only plan on throwing off the deck of a boat. You will quickly figure something out about those nets, They get extremely heavy when wet or , god forbid, you cast it anywhere near weeds. Even a light net gets difficult in a weedy environment, near kelp or other weed on the beach. Adding extra lead to that net makes it completely unusable & those nets spend most of their life in a bucket. Not to mention, throwing heavy nets can quickly wear you out and cause shoulder and back injuries if you aren't careful or used to throwing them.

So, what does The Cast Net Sniper Recommend?

I could recommend you to buy a Sniper Net, but that would come off as being self-serving. If I'm being 100% honest, I don't care what you guys buy.

You have to be a really good cast net fisherman to tell the difference between a good net and a bad one. Guys who can really throw a net will appreciate the Cast Net Sniper nets because I designed them for actual net fishing, not to look good in a bucket. They are built to stay light, even when wet and they still sink rapidly because they are a true 8 panel net with big mesh! This is how I can send a net out 40+ feet and catch those fish that are out of range for other nets.

The Sniper nets are built for catching full sized fish & are not bait nets... They are specialty nets, for hunting fish and survival. It lets all the bait go & holds on to the big, eating size fish.

If you don't want to buy a sniper net, then I 100% recommend learning to build your own net. Get into net building as a hobby and you can easily make a useable cast net. Once you learn to build one, you can build all of your nets afterwards & you can adjust measurements on the fly.

All the good cast net fisherman use custom made nets, nobody is actually buying the factory-made nets anymore because there is lots of net makers in the market. You can find guys who makes nets all over the state of Florida. Believe it or not, these guys make hardly any $$ off each net. A Sniper Net is one of the most expensive nets on the market at $499 because it's so much work to make a single one. But there are netmakers right here in Tampa who make cheaper nets & they are making just over minimum wage.

Nobody gets rich off making cast nets, you are supporting one of the toughest trades, where you have to be incredibly skilled, patient and detailed, just to make a net that only a select few value.

Hope you guys enjoyed the Blog and learned something. I typed this up all by hand, this isn't an AI writing, this is 100% Cast Net Sniper writing.

Sincerely, the Cast Net Sniper