By Jeff Tilley
[dropcap]A[/dropcap] cast net represents a lot of things to different people. Most are purchased by fisherman for obtaining live bait for offshore adventures. Many young children start their fascination with the creatures of the seashore by dredging the shallows with small bait net. For years, cast nets have been a means of support for fishing families along rural stretches of remote coastal America, bringing in a harvest of fresh finfish and the opportunity to earn income.
I fish recreationally with a cast net as a matter of preference, not necessity. And, I hope with my stories and yarns, to inspire you in the future to do likewise. I choose a net over a rod, pole or reel. I donât gig, I donât snatch, and I donât troll. I stalk. Most of my inshore saltwater efforts are in pursuit of non-sport fish, like the northern Gulf of Mexico black mullet, but I also pursue redfish, flounder and spotted sea trout. And, I fish in very remote places in the least inhabited parts of the Big Bend area of Florida. I choose the tiniest amounts of water and try to make sure that I pursue my quarry on a hard falling tide.
For those reasons, you will mostly find me alone in my sit-on-top kayak, paddling out to areas where few people are willing to hop out and into the mud of the upper bays, bayous and creek channels. I set up my ambushes at the edge of oyster bars, and will block a channel coming out of a marsh pond. Sometimes the soft mud of the grass islands in pursuit of my elusive and worthy adversaries. I will use the angle of the sun, the rip of the current, the direction of the wind and the amount of water left in the estuary as my tools for success.
I do not always fish alone. And, in this monthly column, I will be sharing with you plenty of stories of camaraderie within the small band of family and friends with whom I fish. I will also discuss some of the technical aspects of cast net culture (or âcoutureâ) such as net specifications, methods of casting, methods of pursuit, and heartwarming stories that tell the tales of the adventures that we have. I also hope to bring you recipes for preparation of the catch and will be doing a bit of investigative and historical reporting that might shed some light on the generations of net fishermen who have gone before me.
I will mostly be reporting from my lofty fishing perch here where the Panhandle of Florida attaches to the Peninsula. But, I hope to give cast net perspective to other parts of the State. There is a rich net fishing history throughout the Southeastern United States, and I hope to tap that large vein of knowledge to become a better fisherman, myself. Of course, as I obtain that information, I will share it with you.
I have developed some very strong passions now that I am well into middle age. I will be discussing those passions at length in upcoming columns. In order of importance, they are 1) my devotion to what we leave to coming generations as our own cultural legacy so let us train up youngsters to come behind us with the same or better skills than our own; 2) my devotion to self- sufficiency and independence from the need for a handout from any agency of government; 3) my devotion to ethical, legal and sustainable harvest of coastal resources.
So, letâs get casting! Contact me at lostcreektilley@gmail.com or click to join me on Facebook at The Wet Net Mullet Fishing Society group page.