You need an effective and efficient cast net to catch more fish. Just as the name suggests, a cast net is used to catch unsuspecting fish by simply throwing it into the water. It’s a circular net featuring a hand line at the center and weight strings on the edge. To use the cast net, the angler needs to throw it into the air then it open before hitting the water thanks to the circular weights. The lead line will sink the net to capture the target once it gets in the water.
The angler can then pull the hand line once the cast net hits the bottom, closing it at the rear end to retrieve the catch. You need to be conversant with a few terms before setting out to look for the best cast net on the market. First, cast nets are usually measured by the radius of the net. For instance, a six-foot net has a diameter of 12 foot.
The size of the mesh refers to the total number of holes in the cast net. The ring at the center of the cast net is known as the horn. The leadline, on the other hand, comprises of sinkers that are sewn on the outer part of the cast net. You should also put into consideration the weight per diameter foot. A heavy cast net that weighs about 1.5 pounds per foot tends to sink faster as compared to its lighter counterpart weighing a pound per foot.
Cast nets have been around since time immemorial and have barely changed over the years. That’s why anglers, both professionals and the novice still use them to catch fish. They are extremely effective an efficient especially when it comes to catching small fish in shallow waters and are equally easy to operate. Any angler out there should have the best cast net at their disposal.
Best Cast Net
Here’s a round-up of some of the best cast nets available on the market:
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Key Features
- Materials: Monofilament
- Weight: 1.5 pounds per foot net
- Dimensions: 3/8-inch mesh, 6-foot radius
Tournament anglers and fish guides usually depend on the cast net to make a living. Bait Buster Professional Grade is the best cast net available on the available on the market. It’s uniquely designed by high-end fishers with smart construction using premium quality materials.
Pros
- It does not spook fish
- It’s super lightweight weighing 1.5 pounds per foot which means it tends to sink faster
Cons
- It’s relatively expensive
As is the norm, professional anglers expect the best cast net to be perfect in terms of performance. And this is where the Bait Buster Professional Grade Cast Net comes it. It’s uniquely designed to help the angler catch more fish as it throws easily. The hand-tied and incredibly soft monofilament mesh makes the cast net open quickly with ease.
This cast net uses round sinkers weighing 1.5 pounds per foot to sink faster. The high-quality floating hand line and the test brail lines close the cast net once at the bottom to retrieve the target. This cast net was uniquely designed by fishers, paying attention to details since they were looking to make it reliable. For instance, the lead weights are attached on the edge to help keep them securely in place.
Bait Buster Professional Grade Cast Net additionally features a patented dragon head swivel for ease of replacing the brail lines. This cast net is made with high-quality materials and features a solid construction. It’s best suited for professional anglers who depend on their cast net to pay bills. It helps catch more bait in record time which is something you can’t overlook if you are not working on a budget since it’s relatively expensive.
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Key Features
- Throwing Disc
- Dimensions: ¾-ich mesh, 7-foot radius
- Weight: 1 pound per foot
Topineer Flying Disc Magic Hand Cast Net has it all. It’s made with high-quality materials and ideal for catching a range of fish species with a throwing disk which makes it easy to throw the cast net.
Pros
- It’s one of the easiest cast nets to throw
- The small sinkers are tied close together so that it can sink faster
- The tyre nylon mesh is incredibly soft as compared to monofilament
Cons
- It has lead sinkers
Topineer Flying Disc Magic Hand Cast Net is easy to throw into the water to catch the bait. However, throwing cast net is not easy as it takes lots of practice and time to master the art. This cast net comes with a plastic disk to help ensure it opens perfectly well anytime it’s thrown to make the entire process easy. It’s the best cast net for the novice and beginners.
Just as the name suggests, the cast net comes with a plastic disc. It takes a lot of time to perfect the technique of throwing a cast net. You won’t throw perfect circles at the beginning but you will get on the right track with ease when using this cast net. The net covers a significant amount of water at 14 pounds per foot which increases your chances of catching more fish.
Topineer Flying Disc Magic Hand Cast Net comes with a 2cm mesh, ideal for a range of bait with a pound of lead per foot that makes it sink faster. The tyre nylon mesh is incredibly soft for ease of opening. Plus, it’s more durable as compared to monofilament. What’s more, this cast net comes with a convenient carrying case that provides long-lasting durability since it allows the cast net to dry after use.
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Key Features
- Materials: Plastic-coated iron weights and copolymer monofilament mesh
- Dimensions: 3/8-inch mesh, 6-foot radius
- Weight: 1 pound per foot
If you are working on a budget and looking for the best cast net on the market, then Goture American is your best bet. Goture American Saltwater Fishing Cast Net covers a variety of uses with the lead line and mesh which makes it an all-round cast net. It’s ideal for catching different type of bait regardless of the depth of the water, whether deep or shallow.
Pros
- It comes with plastic coated iron weights
- It features hand-tied mesh
- The padded wrist loop is made of neoprene
Cons
The one pound per foot radius tends to sink rather slowly
Goture American Saltwater Fishing Cast Net is the best on the market since its versatile. This cast net is easy to throw thanks to the 6-foot radius, the 12-foot diameter, on the other hand, covers a significant amount of water. This cast net works well in shallow water at one pound per foot diameter while the net is ideal for capturing large and medium bait.
It’s the little things that make a huge difference. Goture American Saltwater Fishing Cast Net features plastic coated iron weights that are corrosion resistant, ideal for using in both fresh and saltwater. It’s equally environment friendly and will not mark the deck of the boat. The neoprene wrist loop is easy on hands, ideal for use for an extended period.
Goture American Saltwater Fishing Cast Net additionally features a hand-tied monofilament that’s incredibly soft which makes it easy to open and sturdy enough to last for years. It the best cast net for anglers looking for long-lasting durability and endurance. Plus, it falls on the lower side of the pricing spectrum which makes it an excellent choice for those working on a budget.
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Key Features
- Materials: Treated leadline and bonded monofilament
- Dimensions: 1-inch mesh, 7-foot radius
- Weight: 1.25 pounds per foot
Bett’s 18-7 Professional Series Cast Net strikes a perfect balance between performance and sink rate. It’s the best cast net for professional anglers thanks to the quality build construction. What’s more, it’s quite affordable since it falls on the lower side of the pricing spectrum. The seven-foot diameter net is easy to throw and also covers a huge amount of water to increase your chances of catching fish.
Bett’s 18-7 Professional Series Cast Net features a one-inch mesh that sinks rather fast to help catch larger baits such as pogies, shad and mullet.
Pros
- This cast net is uniquely designed for little to no wind resistance
- It comes with sturdy and long-lasting braided lead lines
- It has double tied knots and its equally epoxy-bonded
Cons
- It’s relatively expensive
Just as the name suggests, Bett’s 18-7 Professional Series Cast Net is best suited for serious anglers. For years, smart features and sturdy construction at a reasonable price have made this cast net a popular choice among the novice and professionals alike. The heavy-duty construction contains a range of larger baits with ease.
Bett’s 18-7 Professional Series Cast Net is built to provide long-lasting durability and endurance. It can resist damage when in use under the water since its durable enough. The reinforced leadline, bonded knots and heavy-duty brail lines make this cast net an excellent choice when it comes to reliable performance.
Butt’s 18-7 Professional Series Cast Net additionally features an aerodynamic shape which makes throwing easy and the sinking rate equally faster. It’s lightweight as the one-inch mesh weighs 1.25 pounds per foot. The lightweight mesh and the balanced lead line work perfectly well together in the water to capture even the fastest of moving baits. Larger baits such as pogies, scads and herring can’t stand a chance with this cast net.
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Key Features
- Materials: Monofilament
- Dimensions: ¼-inch mesh, 8-foot radius
- Weight: 1.3 pounds per foot
The ¼-inch mesh is best suited for catching smaller bait such as shrimps, minnows and pilchards. Bett’s 24-8 Super Pro Cast Net weighs 1.3 pounds per foot which typically means that the sinking rate is faster. This cast net is ideal for trapping faster and smaller baits.
Pros
- The additional weight makes it sink faster
- It was designed by some of the most famous anglers
- It features bonded thread and double selvage which makes the leadline stronger
Cons
- Its heavy-duty construction tends to slow down the sink rate
Caching shrimps and smaller bait is not a breeze but Bett’s 24-8 Super Pro Cast Net is equal to task. The challenge usually comes in when using casts nets with tighter mesh to catch small bait and sink faster so that the target doesn’t escape. Bett’s 24-8 Super Pro Cast Net balanced the challenge since their net is uniquely designed to offer long-lasting durability.
Bett’s 24-8 Super Pro Cast Net features a ¼-inch mesh that easily traps even the smallest of bait with precision owing to the heavy than the regular 1.3 pounds per foot that makes it sink faster. Speedsters such as mantis shrimp and pilchards have nothing on this cast net since it typically heads for the bottom. The best thing about this cast line is that the bonded leadline and double selvage are tear resistant. The handline is equally strong and can retrieve a fuller net without a hitch.
Some casts nets are hard to throw which is quite the opposite for Bett’s 24-8 Super Pro. This cast net is quite easy to throw which makes it one of the best on the market. They use professional anglers to design it that’s why its opens quickly with ease and precision.
Methodology
The best cast net is usually made of hand-tied mesh netting that’s incredibly soft. The braided leadline is a polypropene rope featuring securely attached weights. The brail lines that run from the hand line towards the lead line are heavy-duty monofilament.
The best cast net has a range of impressive features such as an aerodynamic design that ensures it opens completely as it flies through the air, a coated lead that doesn’t leave any marks on the boat’s deck, and a heavy-duty swivel on the neck.
We did an evaluation of the best cast nets on our list basing on materials and quality of construction. Here’s a round-up of some of the other factors we put into consideration:
- Ease of Use – The best cast net should open reliably effortlessly
- Netting – Whether the material was pliable and soft enough to trap bait without getting damaged.
- Durability – Casts nets should be able to stand up to elements since they are usually used in saltwater.
- Weight – The cast net should heavy enough to handle the weight of the bait
- Brail Lines – The heavy-duty materials used for construction should be able to withstand the entire weight of the net when full.
- Lead Lines – The weights should withstand a significant number of throws that’s why they need to be secured properly.
Factors to Consider When Looking for the Best Cast Net
It’s always advisable to put into consideration the depth of the water body and the target bait when looking for the best cast net. A heavy lead line has a faster sink rate for deeper water. A lighter cast net, on the other hand, is best suited for shallow water and is equally easy to throw. Here are some of the factors to consider;
The Size of the Mesh
The size of the bait you are targeting helps determine the mesh size. The bait should not be snagged in the cast net but instead, appear scooped. The target bait should be bigger than the mesh to make unloading the net easy and to avoid damaging the target. Larger mesh sizes tend to sink faster and trap the bait before it escapes. For larger bait in deep water, always go for large mesh.
Radius
The radius of the net is equally important. Cast nets with larger diameters tend to cover a significant amount of water which in turn increases the chances of catching more fish. The only downside is that you might require an extra set of hands to cast the net. You can use two hands to throw a smaller cast net.
Smaller cast nets are best suited for catching target bait in shallow water and narrow creeks. Kayak and Wade anglers usually prefer using small cast nets since they are easy to throw.
Hauling
The cast net captures fish as it sinks. The angler usually tries closing the bottom of the net to catch the target by pulling the handline when the cast net reaches the bottom. The angler uses the handline to retrieve the cast net and the bait. Remember, the net can get very heavy when its full so ensure you are using the right cast net if you are going for a significant number.
Throwing
The angler usually bunches up the material of the cast net then coils the handline to throw it into the water. They then swing their arms and twist their bodies to throw the cast net to the air. At this point, the cast net opens, forming a wide circle and then lands on the water. The size of the net you can throw depends on your proficiency and body size.
Conclusion
The best cast net is efficient and easy to throw. Bait Buster Professional Series Cast Net stands out in each category.
