North Australian FISH FINDER TM forums

hey all,

wasnt to sure where to post this question so here will do. whats is everyones thoughts on those 50ft bait nets? has anyone used them? are they just overkill?? just wanna be able to collect bait more efficiently but dont wanna slay a heap of little fish for no reason i hate that poop. any thoughts would be good guys before i buy one and lose it straight up.

If its one of those drag net things, ive used them a few times in QLD.

either 2 person job, 1 goes swimming one stands on bank and make an arc (great for crayfish in dams or live bait) but you get alot of by catch including eels, stingrays etc that arent friendly.

my father in law reckons he used to do it alone in his 13 foot flat bottom punt, somehow using a stick through the net on the back of the boat and pin one side to the bank and jack knife turn the boat so you do a perfect arc into the bank (which is the same method for 2 ppl 1 swimming)

obviously the boat method would be one of the only ways up here with all the crocs and what not. Personally i found it overkill, you do 1 or 2 arcs and get enough live bait for the year, id rather just throw a cast net.

it's harder work than it looks, and you can kill little barra etc when dragging them into the hot shallows, plus you pick up every box jelly in the area etc

that said I've had fun dragging for prawns with those nets in years past

mickxx wrote:If its one of those drag net things, ive used them a few times in QLD.

my father in law reckons he used to do it alone in his 13 foot flat bottom punt, somehow using a stick through the net on the back of the boat and pin one side to the bank and jack knife turn the boat so you do a perfect arc into the bank (which is the same method for 2 ppl 1 swimming)

Once you on a moving boat doing it its called hauling, probably need to be a bit careful on the rules there.

yea, I dont think he was doing it legally, even for QLD. its scarily surprising especially in semi tidle creeks what you catch as by product, but i woudlnt use one again personally.

Any1 know if your even allowed to use on in NT?

Nothing illegal about them in NT or Qld

Min mesh 28mm, Max length 16m.. 3m Drop.. Not allowed to anchor at the end, No pockets. (50' x 1" x 10' in the old money)

Bit silly really in light of the number of 'restricted species' they have over there.

Had one years ago, one bloke on the shore, one 'walking' in the water in a big arc..
Bloddy hard work if you're a short arse and you get the water end.

Used to use it off the front beach at channel is to get snubnose gar.
Gave it away after we caught a school of sards at buff, took two days to clean it up, had the best vegie garden around.

mickxx is on the money re by-catch, amazing the number of juvenile fish they scoop up, and, as Matt said,, box jellies would add to the 'fun'.

We used them down south for garfish, worked a treat...!
Up here.....? Not so sure? Couldnt imagine any good....

Trial and error if keen..?