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I bought a 4' bait cast net and watched Youtube and figured out how to throw it, so I'm getting pretty decent circles as the net enters the water... I let it settle a couple seconds and then draw it in... So far I have yet to catch a minnow, even though I am trying it in a 10+ foot deep river with minnows working the surface... I did catch a 18" carp on one cast, so it does work on something... (That opens a separate question, Is it legal to keep carp that are caught in a casting net if you use them for bait?) I let it go, because I didn't know so best to be safe... Anyway back to my main question, how do you catch minnows, what kind of spots should I be trying, any technique tips that might help me out??? Are they only good when the minnows are really schooling up??? I think my net has 3/8" mesh... they claim it's good for 2" to 5" minnows... I would really like to get onto the carp minnows if I could, but so far I'm a failure at this... I did get a few fathead minnows in my trap when I was out this week, that is better than the past few weeks... Anyway any help would be greatly appreciated... Thanks J
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To my knowledge. Carp isn't game fish, so you could've kept it.
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That would be kind of fun to net carp like they do mullet in the ocean. Always wanted to do that when I was on my mission in Florida. Shrimp too, I would have loved catching and eating them. Thanks for the info. J
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Maybe I should bring my net Saturday, and we could schwing a few tosses on the way out? Mine's a 8' and 1/4" mesh. Did some pestering master TD on nets and some googling, U-tubing on flinging 'em. But I'm a spaz!
Location can be key, and size selection - I've been checking this year, and haven't seen the invasion at this one spot this year. But last year it was nuts with carp minnows for a time.
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TubeDude and Kentofnsl have been known for casting a net or two, maybe they can help. There are a few places that are really good when they turn off the secondary water, the channels that water flows through are some of the best. The lower the water gets, the better your odds of getting all the minnows you want.
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Minnows are fast. I remember as a child how hard they were to catch with a dip net. They see it coming and move away fast.
Now, I have a six foot cast net. It should seem to minnows under it to be everywhere at once with no place clear of it to go. But, that's just my theory because I haven't used it and need to start and practice.
I was just thinking of that before reading your post because I was reading:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Complete-Book-...rf+fishing
... and thinking about the advantages of live minnows for when I someday go surf fishing.
But, I should practice with the equipment to be ready.
The main thing I learned from the cast net seller was it's sight fishing. You see the minnows or a fish and then you cast your net over it.
Cast it over a school of minnows. They'll move. But, with a larger net they won't see where to move to be out from under it.
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I would think you're right, don't know for 100%, but where - as you point out - non-game fish, and you can bow-hunt, snag, spear, I think net -em, just no crossbows.
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[#0000FF]Sounds like your problem is simply catching minnows rather than being able to throw the net.
If you are seeing a few minnows near the surface, that does not mean they are in concentration or that they can be easily be caught by a cast net. My guess is that they see and/or hear the net and scoot out before being caught.
Best minnowing with a cast net is in shallower water...less than about 5 feet deep...where you can see schools of minnows and cast right on top of them. Some will escape but not all.
A couple of other factors: The number of weights, their placement and the rate of sink of the net. A lot of the cheaper nets have only enough weight to spread the circle but they sink slowly...not good enough for fast-moving minnows. And the deeper the water the more time they have to escape.
It is always best to let the net sink clear to the bottom before pulling to close the bottom and to bring in the net. Almost always. If there are any snags on the bottom you won't have a net very long. You will either rip it up pulling it free or it will become a permanent part of the bottom structure. That's why it is best to use a cast net in shallower water and in water that is clear enough to see what is on the bottom, as well as the minnows.
PS...Okay to keep carp that you have accidentally netted...minnows to bigguns. But if you have a good net you will want to avoid big carp. They have jagged dorsal spines that get tangled in the netting and they can rip it to shreds. Been that done there.
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Yote, bring your net we may see a good spot. Sounds like you have a great net. I got the smaller one because I doubted my ability to throw it. Now I've got it I wish I would have went a little bigger. Kind of fun skill to pick up. I hope we'll see something to throw at but they don't seem to be real congregated yet. See ya tomorrow. J
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Thanks Curt for the tips, hey I'm having all kinds of issues with my new computer and FireFox browser viewing the site... It's blown the size way up and I can't move it around and it keeps trying to run stuff in the background... My Norton says there aren't any bugs but it started when I tried to upload that photo sizing software... I recommend not to do that.... Anyway thanks for the netting info and see you tomorrow... J
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Hey Ron, it is really sort of fun trying to throw the nets and make them spin out into a big circle, I think you'll like it... Plus it was fun seeing a carp come in... Have fun with it...But remember no LIVE minnows in Utah... J
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TD, thanks for the tips, I think I'm afraid to let the net go all the way to the bottom because of the snags that might be there... I'll try in some shallower water that I know is snag free... Since the water is murky I will have to go off areas that I know are safe... I have an area in mind that I know has minnows but is shallow so I'll try it... They may not be very thick, but I hope to at least catch one so I can gain some confidence...
You are a 100% correct on those carp dorsal fins they are rough on nets... It got all tangled up in my net and I think I ended up breaking a few line segments to get it out...Appreciate the tips and I guess I need to just practice until I learn where to find them... This net I got was supposed to be good for netting in deeper water because it is supposed to be a fast sinker, but who believes all the advertising says... Have a good one and I'll catch ya later... J
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[#0000FF]There are no fail-safe spots to throw a net. Seems like an unwritten law that there will always be some tiny stickup or end of a big rock that reaches out to grab your net.
I had to buy a new one last year after tearing up one I had been using for several years. The first disaster came when I made a perfect cast into some shallow but murky water...where I had done well on chub minnows before. As soon as the net splashed down the water erupted and there were THREE huge carp all fighting to get out of that net. About hauled me into the water. And it was almost an hour before I was able to "pacify" those carp and break off their spines enough...with pliers...to extract them from the net. In spite of my greatest care I had some holes in the mesh.
I managed to do a reasonable repair job on the holes, using monofilament line. But it had some kinky spots and did not throw as well.
The final catastrophe came the following spring when I was after some chubs in a small west desert pond. The water was quite clear and I had no problem seeing the minnows. Problem was that I did not see a protruding finger of volcanic rock sticking up and away from me. It was partially disguised by sediment. But it grabbed the weights on my net and dared me to try to get it back. The water was about 7 feet deep...too deep for wading...and it was cold. And I forgot to bring my scuba gear. So I thought I would give it a mighty haul and try to repair any damage caused by ripping it loose. Yeah, right. The whole bottom ring of weights tore loose...one section at a time...until I finally brought in a weightless net. I did recover the weights too, but the repairs needed were too extensive and beyond my level of expertise. So, I bought a new one...more expensive and not as good as the one I replaced.
One other suggestion...if you do replace or upgrade. Next time go for the 1/4 inch mesh. You have still not gotten into a lot of minnows yet so you do not know about how the smaller minnows get stuck in the mesh of the 3/8" nets. You can waste a lot of time after each throw just cleaning out the ones that got stuck. And your net will not open well with stuff stuck in the mesh.
Also, with the 1/4 inch mesh I end up with a lot of nice little 2-3" chublets. Those are great for ice fishing or even for late season open water fishing when the predators are keying in on young of the year minnows. The small ones really work well at Willard to simulate the small shad through the summer to early fall. Otherwise, I prefer 3-4 inch minnows for most fishing but if you are after big kitties...or big trout...use a chub 6" to 8". Those are good for burbot at the Gorge too. One good thing about saving the big ones is that you can chunk them up and use smaller pieces if you need a smaller bait.
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[#502800]Try this:[/#502800]
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[url "http://boyslife.org/hobbies-projects/projects/69/make-your-own-minnow-trap/"]http://boyslife.org/hobbies-projects/projects/69/make-your-own-minnow-trap/[/url]
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[#0000FF]ANN...another nice notion. Artsy-craftsy and all that but I doubt that the originator ever caught much with it. I have made several like that over the years and have never scored a single minnow. No married ones either. I have watched minnows swimming around them but never going in.
I have been using both traps and cast nets for several decades. I started by making my own basket style traps out of discarded window screen material when I was a kid in Idaho. Actually sold minnows to some of the local bait shops.
Later I got into forming and soldering together both round and square shaped traps from galvanized wire mesh. They worked too.
Today the two-part round minnow traps are widely available at a reasonable price so it is really not economical (in time and materials) to even try to make your own. But they do work and are easy for the average minnow hunter to use. The key is always being able to find the minnows and then to bait them into your trap.
One thing I do to improve the attractiveness to spooky minnows is to spray paint my new minnow traps a dark (algae) green. In side by side tests I have proven to myself that they catch more minnows when painted than either natural metal or black ones.
And something that all minnow trap operators should pay attention to is being sure the little safety pin type catches are firmly locked before chucking out a baited trap. Otherwise they come apart and don't catch many minnows.
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I usually just cut pieces of carp for bait but I've caught minnows before. You're going to laugh but I never used a cast net, I used a regular landing net. They go scattering when you first put it in the water but if you leave it underwater and don't make any sudden movements for a minute or two, they come back. Then pull the net directly vertical when the fish are over the net. As you can tell, the landing net obviously can't have holes or if so they must be very small. But it works.
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Thanks TD I'll do that when I replace this one. Smaller grid and larger diameter. I hope this one lasts a while and I learn the mistakes before I get too expensive of one. Maybe this fall you can show me how? Later J
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[#0000FF]You find some minnows and I'll bring my net. All my fave spots have dried up this year.
I can definitely show you how to make some spaz throws. Maybe even some good ones. I have a 10' net (5' radius). Not too difficult to toss but you really have to clean it up and prep it right after each throw or it won't spread well on the next one. Kinda like repacking a parachute. Do it right or the next use won't be pleasant.
Good plan on practicing with a "budget" model. And when you are ready to upgrade there will likely be someone who will buy your used model at a reasonable price...unless you wanna save it for carpin'.
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Thanks for the tip, have you tried it? I heard something like this for a bee trap but I haven't tried it yet. My wire trap works well if the minnows are around the area I place it. They are just not around lately. Thanks J
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It's a deal I'll get spotting and keep practicing. A little bird told me Cutler draw down is mid October so I hope we find some before or it will be tougher to find a spot to get at them, but they should be concentrated. Maybe we can just pick up dead ones that don't get to deep enough spots. Later J
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