# Pier Net question



## mblanken (Nov 4, 2003)

Here's a couple of questions for you salty dogs and do-it-yourselfers.

I flounder fish a lot from piers, and we all know how easily a hooked flounder becomes "the one that got away" when you are trying to land a big one from a pier. The obvious answer is to buy a pier net.

My problem is that they're all too damn big. I don't need to lug around a 36 inch pier net bigger than a hoola- hoop to land flounder that seldomly top 6 or 7 lbs...I need something about 24" across with deep netting to cradle the flat fish and keep him put. My problem is that I can't find a pier net anywhere near that small. I've found 36" and 42" but that's about it. So, question one, anyone know where I can get a 24" net?

My second solution was to make one...I'm pretty handy. I have some old nets that would work for the netting, but that's the easy part. My problem is that I'm not sure what to make the ring out of. If I use steel, it's a pain to bend, would need to be welded together (I don't have a torch anyway), and would rust in no time. Aluminum is even worse to work with and hollow aluminum is too flimsy. Copper is also too weak (and expensive). I thought about PVC, but I'm afraid it might float unless I drilled some holes in it, which would weaken it. Any of you guys build your own pier net or have some advice?

Thanks guys


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## BentHook (Dec 22, 2002)

http://www.pierandsurf.com/onthewater/howto/popnet.shtml
I have one but haven't used it yet as I don't walk the plank. It's very light and folds up to 1/3 of it's size. You will need to add a weight to the bottom of the net to get it to sink as the ring is plastic or pvc type material.


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## Orange (Mar 12, 2003)

My pier net has a 30" diameter. I bought it at Bitters Bait & Tackle in Longwood (near Orlando). It's about the perfect size. Prior to my net I was using a very large weighted treble hook attached to a thin rope. I'd lower that thing down and snag my fish. It worked pretty well, never failed anyhow. But I couldn't use it for releasing anything obviously. It was a cheap, simple and easily portable system.

By the way, where are you catching your founder? Which piers do you fish?


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## mblanken (Nov 4, 2003)

Hey Orange...sorry for the delay in replying. I was out of town. 

Thanks for the pier net info, but BentHook gave me an idea and I solved my own problem. I got some 1/2 pvc, filled it with steel bearings for weight, used a brass connector and PVC cement to close the loop, and threaded on an old piece of netting I had from a busted net. It's about 24 inches across and not real pretty, but it should do the trick I haven't had the chance to try it out yet, but I'll let you know how it works when I do.

RE: your question about where I fish, I work at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, so most of the time I stop by the Trident Sub Basin on my way home and fish off the dock where the subs tie up. There's a good drop off there, lots of bait, and some good sandbars. I usually fish with a Tsunami or Storm jig, either a 4" or 6" depending on what they're hitting. If they've been eating mud minnows (usually earlier in the year), they like the little one. If they've been hitting mullet (around this time), though, they won't even look at the small jig. If they won't take the jig at all, I use live mullet, but that's a little slow for me and a little too much work to round up. 

I've also fished Jetty Park with good luck with the same setup, and last year about this time, I spent a lot of time on the Cocoa Beach pier. We caught lots of flounder in the 1-3 pound range right around the pilings, but the bigger ones always seem to be in the Port.


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