cast nets

[buckethead]

For all the recreational fisherman out there I am wondering how many cast nets are used from the beach when going for bait. I was reading on another site how this will have a negative effect on our environment. There were some guys saying that the state should put a ban on all cast nets. How do you feel about casts nets for bait and the environmental impact?

[dogfish]

I don't buy it. Using a cast net is pretty easy once you practice for a few hours. There are many videos how to on youtube. I think there are some here on this site, just search for cast net as a term.
I'm more worried about commercial nets that get torn up or lost. After every severe storm you will find pieces of netting or lobster traps miles from where they were lost. You have large sea creatures like whales, turtles, seals, or great whites getting caught up in the nets every year. That's all commercial netting. I have not seen one instance where this happened due to a net a rec guy put out there and lost. You would have to show me for me to believe that.

[finchaser]

Mostly done for the mullet run by the bait guy's many of which sell to tackle shops. This past year storms killed most of the run. I fish the beach probably 5 days a week and rarely see them but when I do they are not too successful. The boat guys are another rthing.

[Frankiesurf]

If a rec fisherman is catching for his own use then more power to him, he will not deplete the biomass. It is the massive comm nets that take care of that.

10-1 that was a commercial fisherman comment.