Back in early April, I was looking for a long handled, light weight dipnet to swing from the New Smyrna fishing pier.  Most people try to modify their own.  When I saw a full 96" dip net with a three section telescoping handle that extended to a full 18 feet at The Fishin Shack, I was excited and immediately bought it.  I think the price was around $65 + tax.

The first time I took it the N.S. pier to dip with Shrimpcraz, the handle became crazy bent.  Needless to say I was less than pleased with this, but being the optimistic person that I am, I figured that I could bungee the three sections together and continue using it.  I don't normally like to cause waves. 

The second time I used it with Capt. Lee on her boat the night that we got the 5 gallon pull in Edgewater on 6/22/10.  It was then that we realized how large the mesh was.  All of the small and medium sized shrimp were escaping out of the large mesh holes.    We ended up just using her net made by net master Ron O' Brien.

The third time I used this net was again up on N.S. pier with Shrimpcraz last week.  I knew the handle was bent and the mesh was large, but it is easily transported and we only wanted to get a few shrimp for bait that night as well as a few small live blue crabs.  The first time I went after a shrimp, the handle completely broke in half pinching my finger and giving me a blood blister.  I had to monkey rig the net back together so we could have some bait for the night.  We had plans to fish the entire 6 hour outgoing tide. 


After this third strike I decided to take the net back to the store to try to get my money back for what I considered to be a defective product.  The owner Richard was not there when I dropped it off on Tuesday or Wednesday (don't remember), but his workers assured me that Richard would make it right.  I went back a second time to talk to Richard this last Friday and he said he would have to talk to his net supplier to see if he was going to get a credit or not.  I had a message from Richard on Saturday after I got back from the Sea Spirit trip and decided I would have to see him today, my first chance to get up there.

So today I go see Richard, the owner of The Fishin Shack on A1A 50yds south of Dunlawton Avenue.  He proceeds to tell me that he had to pay to get me a new handle on the net and the only other thing he could do would be to try to help me sell my now used net in his store.  He tries to tell me that the only way you can use this net is to hold it in the water, let the shrimp swim in, and then pull it straight up.  He said that you can't scoop with this net.  I told him that I told his salesman what I intended to use this net for.  The salesman even fully extended the net and put a tape measure on it for me to verify the full length of the net.  I did not want to buy this net if it wasn't going to do the job I needed it to do.  Richard's response to this was "well I can't be here all of the time".

Now I ask you all, how many of you simply put your net straight down and pull it straight up? 

You're welcome to come to your own conclusions on this matter.  If you've ever met me though, then you know how laid back and easy going I am.  I can't stand however being treated as if I'm some idiot novice that has no clue what's going on.  I've been dipping for over 30 years and my earliest years were spent off of the Eau Gallie Causeway with a three section telescoping dipnet.  I have never had a net bend and break like this.

I for one will never again enter into The Fishing Shack on A1A just south of Dunlawton Avenue, nor will I ever recommend it to anyone.