Aqua Webs

A cast net makes me think of a spiderweb.  The fisherman prepares his throw by getting his net ready and in casting position.  Sometimes the fisherman throws blind and other times at movement in the water usually displayed on top with a swirl . The fisherman makes his cast and has to wait for the net to settle on the bottom before starting a slow retrieval.  Have you ever seen a bug hit a spiderweb and the spider come greedily charging out of hiding the second she feels the web vibrate with her prey's movement.  The spider  at that point has no idea whats in her web.  It's the same for the cast net fisherman.  The fisherman usually knows if the cast was a success before his eyes scan the net.  The net fisherman is just like the little spider, he feels the bumping and vibration of the net long before he sees the fish splashing beneath the water.  The size of the fish is usually not that much of a mystery either you can tell by how hard the net jumps with the swimming fish darting around inside.  What can be a surprise is the amount of fish in the net.  As a child I can remember my father one time filling a 48 quart cooler with fish after one cast.  That doesn't happen as often now but sometimes we still get lucky and hit the big cast and catch 10 or more fish.  My family went to Orange Beach on Saturday and we dodged the thunderstorms and threw the net a little.  It was no banner day and we even made a stop at one of the fish markets in Bon Secour on the way home to make sure we had enough for dinner.  Even the bad days fishing are great when spent with family making memories that will last a life time.

Emily, Sydnee and Gavin

  My nephew Gavin wanted to give the ten foot cast net a try.

Emily and her cousin Sydnee playing with a hermit crab.

Emily and Sydnee checking out a small silver mullet

Fish and kabob's on the grill.

If you have questions or comments on this story please forward them to alakingfish@gmail.com

Shelby Byrd