my 7 foot cast net is beginning to get stiff. what are the best ways to soften the monofilament type up? online searches only come up fabric softener. Any other ideas? if fabric softener is the best route then how long can i soak it. the longer the better?

I usually just dunk them before I throw. It helps

Mono net-soak it for an hour.Articles say put net in the bucket,cover net with water and go fishing.Time you get there its ready.Me,I take it off the hook in boat shed,throw it in the bait bucket and go fishing.I havent found a net yet that I cant throw cause it isnt soft enough off the shelf.

I've soaked them all day and no problems with the mono. It may cause the tape to get weak (if you tape your net). It really helps alot if you're throwing for several hours.

Fabric softner for 30 minites in a bucket , it soaks in the mono and keep it limp, we've been doing this for years. A cup full in a half full five gallon bucket.

hey thanks for the advice! what is the tape thing about?

We keep our nets in 3 gallon buckets with fresh water in em. Never any problems.

Duct tape near the lead line for deep water casting. It is illegal in some states.

What does that do to it ?

It allows the net to plane outwards, not closing with the central drag of the net and rope in deep water. Makes a big difference when the water is over 30 feet deep. It works, period. That's why it's illegal some places.

Cool, ima give it a try

Put the tape on each side of the net, sticky sides toward each other. Make sure not to tape your cinch lines. Put the tape about 6" above the lead line. Make sure you start with two new rolls of tape, a 12-14 foot net will use 40-45 ft of tape due to extra overlap. The net will sink slower, but it will be fully open when it hits bottom.