fishing by the nets

[RONDAYVOO]

I have heaard of people fishing the nets, as in going right over and around them. If this is true how do you do it with out tangles?

How do you know how deep they are or do you just stay away from them?

John

[HitMan]

Hey John,

I strongly recommend you come to the Muskegon Charter Boat Association Salmon Seminar on March 1st. Captain Paul Jensen, one of the two Commercial Fishermen out of Muskegon, is conducting a seminar titled, "The In and Out of Commercial Trap Nets." I know Paul has a small model of a real trap net that he is planning on using. He does an excellent job explaining how trap nets work and where you can and cannot safely fish.

Here is the link to the seminar information:

http://www.muskegoncharterboats.com/seminar.htm

To answer your questions, yes, you can successfully fish by them, over them, and between them. You have to become accustomed on how to read each kingpin, buoy, and jug. The nets are on the bottom and the only things that you can get caught in are the lines to pull the traps up. Most people only use Copper and Lead Core rigs when fishing over the nets. But, a normal Big Lake spread can be used when fishing by the nets and inbetween them. Again, you have to be accustomed to how the nets work and what each marker and line represents. Paul will do an excellent job explaining this! Hope this helps a little!

[GLF]

The nets are a good place to loose a lot of hardware. If you are planning on fishing around them, I would highly recommend going to the seminar to learn about them.

There will be plenty of other charter boat captains giving seminars also.

[Priority1]

Good advice above. I like to fish around the nets, but I like to leave a little extra room for insurance. If in doubt play it safe.

[2UNREEL]

I almost lost my dad to a salmon net once. A tangled mess of lures in the hand and lines running to a downrigger ball that hooks an unmarked or very poorly marked net on the Wisconsin side about 18 years ago. If it wasnt for my quick reaction of grabbing him by his ankles and a knife in my pocket he would have been a gonner. I hope to check out that seminar and learn about the nets cause honestly they scare the crap out of me.

[RONDAYVOO]

thanks for the info....... I plan on seeing you at the seminar.

[caznik]

Hi Ford,

I hate nets period and will not fish around them at all. But there was two times last year at Muskegon that I found some to the north and didnt like that at all. About 17 years ago I was fishing with a friend at Manistee and the net was not marked very good at all. I seen the white flag out there about 75 yards and stayed away from it. Well guess what........ We happen to get caught in it anyways and he could not beleve how far away we was. I remember that day he lost a rigger, cable, broke a rod, and lost a bunch of lures. He was not a very happy captain.

rich

[commercialdaughter]

Most trap nets are too deep to fish by, but if the commercial fisherman is using gill nets, then they are not as deep. My advice would be to stay away because if your prop gets caught in the net, it could ruin it and do more damage to you boat then worth it. Most nets are too deep to harm boats, but they are usually marked with flags at each end. Technically by law you are required to stay away from the nets and if the owner would catch you, lets just say it would not be pretty. My dad is a commercial fisherman and he gets pretty angry when people get too close. Some nets are worth 5,000 to 10,000 depending on the size! Just my advice, do with it what you will!

[boomerang]

welcome to the site commercialdaughter, guys sounds like she knows what she is talking about, i tend to always err on the side of safety or the most conservative, seem to me the risk Vs. reward just not worth it!!! the only fishing ill be doing near any net is the one in my net holder on board!! the other ones ill be trying to give a wide berth!!!

[Dv8oR]

Its like everything else...

If you don't know about something, don't do it!

Anyone remember just a year or two ago... the boat that got caught in Ludington, some really poorly marked nets, caught the rigger balls of course and pulled the stern down to ultimately sink the boat????

GLF fishes around and through the nets and stresses me out!!!

(Back to poorly marked is one thing, Trusting the markers is the other)

I'd also like to see the "LAW" stated earlier that requires someone to stay away......