Self-Reliance · Food · Fishing and Harvesting
A weighted circular net, thrown by hand, that spreads open in the air and sinks over a school of bait fish. One good throw can fill a bait bucket for the day. The technique takes practice; the rules take real attention, since they vary more than any other method here.
Learn the throwWhat this is
A cast net is a circular net with weights sewn around its outer edge, thrown by hand so it spreads open in the air and sinks over a school of fish in shallow water. Pulling a drawstring closes the net around whatever's underneath. It's fast, low-cost, and works in freshwater and saltwater alike, from muddy river banks to sandy tidal flats.
In nearly every state, cast nets are a bait-gathering tool, not a way to bring home dinner: the fish caught are typically shad, mullet, minnows, or shrimp, used live or fresh on a hook for other fishing, not the meal itself. That distinction matters, because it's the basis for most of the legal restrictions that follow.
Getting started
Measured from the center horn to the edge. A 4 to 6-foot net is realistic to learn on; larger nets, 10 feet and up, cover more water but take real skill to load and spread. Many states cap the legal radius well below the largest nets sold.
Smaller mesh holds tiny bait like minnows but sinks slower; larger mesh sinks faster and suits bigger bait like mullet[1]. Several states set a maximum legal mesh size specifically to let juvenile fish escape.
A good rule of thumb is roughly 1.5 pounds of lead per linear foot of net radius, which sets how fast the net sinks in current or deep water[2]. Too light and the net drifts before it closes; too heavy and it's harder to throw well.
$30 to $80 covers a decent starter net in the 4 to 6-foot range.
No fishing method on this site varies this much by state
Cast net rules swing from essentially unrestricted to banned outright depending on where you are. Florida allows up to a 14-foot radius; Alabama up to 15 feet; Texas caps it at 7 feet; New York limits certain waters to a 5-foot radius; North Dakota prohibits cast nets entirely[3]. Mesh size limits, species restrictions, and whether a standard fishing license covers cast net use or requires a separate device permit all vary the same way, state by state and sometimes water by water within a state.
The penalties are not trivial, either. Florida treats major net-law violations as carrying civil penalties in the thousands of dollars and license suspension, with the most serious violations charged as a felony[4]. This is not a method where "it's probably fine" is a safe assumption.
The one rule that holds almost everywhere: cast nets are for bait and nongame species. Any game fish caught incidentally must be released immediately, unharmed, back into the water[5]. Check your specific state's current cast net rules before your first throw, not after.
The practice
Most of what makes a cast net open into a full circle happens before the throw, in how it's loaded, not in how hard it's thrown[6]. Slip the handline loop over your wrist, let the net hang free from the horn to shake out any twists, then gather the lead line in sections so the weights are evenly distributed between your two hands before you ever start the throwing motion.
The throw itself comes from rotating your shoulders and hips together, not arm strength: stand with feet shoulder-width apart, body angled toward the target, and release in one smooth, level motion so the weights pull the net outward into a flat circle as it flies[7]. A rushed, arm-only throw is the most common reason a net folds instead of spreading.
Once the net settles and sinks, pull the handline in steadily, without jerking, which draws the weighted edge closed around the catch. Practicing the loading and throw on dry grass before ever using it on water builds the muscle memory faster than trial and error over open water.
Processing to food
Keep live bait in an aerated bucket or livewell, since bait fish die quickly without oxygenated water, especially in warm weather. If bait won't be used the same day, it can be frozen for later use, though live bait generally outperforms frozen for most species.
Sort the net's contents quickly once it's ashore. Release any game fish, undersized fish, or species you don't have a use for right away, handling them wet-handed and briefly the same as any catch-and-release fish. A cast net doesn't select for species the way a hook does, so what comes up in the net is rarely only what you were aiming for.
Confirm the rule for your exact water, not just your state
Beyond the state-level radius and mesh rules above, some waters carry their own local restrictions, closed seasons, or outright bans within a state that otherwise allows cast nets freely. A standard fishing license usually covers cast net use for bait, but a few states require a separate device permit. General licensing mechanics are covered on the Fishing and Harvesting page.
Next steps
The full comparison of all nine fishing and harvesting methods, plus licensing and consumption advisory basics.
Fishing overview →
Where cast-net bait most often ends up: on a hook for a day of rod-and-reel fishing.
Freshwater fishing guide →
Live shrimp, mullet, and pilchards caught by cast net are staple bait for coastal saltwater species.
Saltwater fishing guide →
See the fish cleaning and filleting guide for the step after this one.
Sources