Hello, new member here.  Some here may know me from the NAHC.  My name is
Jim Graham (also known as Spooky from my days in 16th SOW (now back to
1st SOW) intelligence AND a bar triva player...I was trying to decide on
a name, and as usual, had on my shirt from work, that has the Intel spook
and "INTEL" on the back---someone shouted "Spooky" and it stuck).  Note
that the "GT" in GTbrewer is "Graham's Tavern" ... aka my brewery
(three-tier system outside) and my keg fridge in my kitchen).  I do not
go by GT.

Most of my fishing experience is fishing with a cast net from a bridge or
a dock.  My first bridge net (now retired as it's too old and worn out)
was an 13.5 foot, 18.5 pound cast net (btw, I only made brail nets
(NEVER a bag net---I've seen people using bag nets, and losing over half
of their catch as it was too big for the bag part of the net).  My
half-finished bridge net will be one pound lighter and the same size,
IF I ever get the lead melting pot to make the weights for the lead line
(oh, and the mold to make them, too).  The old ones weren't mine.

My dock net was, and still is, a 10.5 foot 12 pound net.  I've now
upgraded it to an undersized bridge net with the handline from the
retired bridge net.

This year, I plan to buy a "normal" rod and reel (as opposed to the
"spinning" reel where you have to control the line with your
thumb---every time I fish with one of those, I get it tanged at least
twice....  I'll be fishing from the same bridges either way, but
obviously, with the rod/reel, not for mullet.

Btw, around here, the bottom is all sand, and mullet are most definitely
not a trash fish as they are where the bottom is mud.  They still require
proper handling from the net to the plate[1], but that's another story.

Favorites (cast net fishing, in no particular order):  mullet, speck,
and sheepshead (remove skin before smoking or it's too oily).  I've
never managed to keep a redfish in the net, but I suspect it'd be a
favorite, too.

Later,
   --jim

[1] IMMEDAITELY when caught, straight into a bucket of water right out of
    the guld plus ice jugs; while cleaning, keep the meat clean and out
    of bloody water; keep fish/meat in clean (fresh) water with ice jugs
    at all times when not handling; if not cooking right away, freeze in
    a freezer bag filled with fresh water and a bit of salt---flatten as
    much as possible for fast freezing/thawing.  Salt the fillet for
    20 minutes if frying, then shake in bag with white corn meal, then
    fry in HOT peanut oil, and do NOT overcook.  The small silver mullet
    are best for frying, and go great with eggs and grits or hash browns
    for breakfast.  The big black mullet are best grilled or smoked (and
    if smoked, they're great for making mullet dip).

Posted By vkinder on 28 Dec 2012 06:49 AM
Welcome to the club from Southeast Missouri.

May your stringer always be full.

Thanks for the welcome.  Stringers...I had to think about that for a
minute.  Out here, we use 5 gallon buckets, dip them into the pass or
bay with a long handline, get it half-full, add an ice jug or two, and
use that for the fish.  :-)

And has anyone seen my question about the huge rays I used to see from
the Destin bridge when out with my cast net?  They appeared (from 35' up)
to have about a 25--30 foot wingspan.  One of the two types was
definitely manta rays.  The other *LOOKED LIKE* stingrays, but according
to everything I've read, A) stingrays don't get that large, and
B) stingrays don't swim in open water, they cruise along the bottom.
But the second type did have a roundish body and a long whip/tail in
the back.  Both types were roughly a third of the width of the East Pass.
Oh, and they were always in groups of 3--4.

Anyone have any idea what the second type might have been?

Thanks,
   --jim