Anybody made their own net mesh?

[Trilob]

I am thinking about knotting my own landing net. Ive been searching the www for tutorials and tips/tricks. I think i found enough information to make a useable net.
Now I am wondering if anybody here has already tried this and might have some more tips? What kind of materials to use and such. (Because the other information was not about fishing nets but more the bushcraft type).

But first I'm going to make some of these:


Cheers!
Dirk

[Reedling]

I have made nets for Ferreting etc in the past which is quite straight forward once you get used to handling the netting needle and your gauge. In the UK you cannot use knotted nets for Coarse fishing or Eel Fykes etc, I would check legislation before making your own.

[Trilob]

I'm living in the Netherlands. But i'm sure there are some good reasons for those rules. I absolutely dont want to damage the fish. So is this a good idea anyway?

[Shaun Harrison]

No problem if you are going to despatch the fish straight after capture but far from ideal if you wish to return the fish unharmed. Knotted meshes have been outlawed here in the U.K. for many years now due to them being less than kind on fish lifting more scales and generally 'digging in'.

[Trilob]

Ok thanks. Then let me ask a new question: Anybody ever made a non-knotted net mesh?

[Harry H]

Here you go
Good luck:Hat:

[Reedling]

A few little tips on the gauge, as it is a very important part of net making and if right makes the job more comfortable. Obviously practice makes perfect. The mesh gauge wants to be about 1/8" to 3/16" thick. One corner of the gauge should be rounded off to fit comfortably in the palm of your hand whilst casting your meshes on to it. The top edge of the gauge is easier to use if you sharply radius it off, this enables you to pinch the twine whilst you form the knot and pull tight. The gauge wants to be roughly half the length of a stretched mesh diamond. When you have finished a row of mesh do not try to go backwards along the row to start with, turn the mesh over so you always mesh in the same direction. Later on with practice and skill you may get to mesh left to right then right to left. I must admit I never could and always turned my work over. One further tip, if this is your first time making a net have a go with large diamonds to start with till you get the hang of it, use a gauge that is about 1.5 inches for a practice run. Hope that is of some help to you. Reedling

[Phil Arnott]

I made a net bag for holding fish bits to attract mullet at a spot in Ireland. I made a needle from thin wood and used the same stuff as the commercial fisherman use for crab pots called corlene.

I filled it with smelly mackerel and hung it over the harbour wall and about five minutes later had this thing chewing at it.



My mate caught this mullet below but I failed.



Mind you he didn't have this thing swimming about in his swim when he caught the mullet

[Reedling]

That looks like a Sher gar fish to me.

[Doc Quince]

haha love it!
I do enjoy a bit of mullet fishing. And wrasse fishing aswell.