Cast net making by using a shuttle!

[Bongo Matt]

Hello good people!

I have been learning to make nets using a shuttle and tieing sheet bends, and just finnished a 5 x 2m gill net (I will pop the pics on of how I made that soon), and now want to attempt what appears to be the ultimate "bad boy", a cast net! Does anybody here know anything about circular net making? I was thinking of starting with a load of loops secured with clove hitches to a metal ring, and working my way outwards, but how many loops to start with? And whats this malarky with spacer loops, i.e. what rows do they go on and how frequent?

I know its a bit of a random question but I have faith that one or two people here have that bit of knowledge im after

Over to you guys!!

 

[sapper1]

When you start your second row of meshes,take the needle through the first mesh and then do the same again,What you have then done is to form two meshes onto the single mesh.Do this all the way around until you are back where you started then repeat.This will double the length of net every time you complete a row.

 

[Bongo Matt]

Is this done on every mesh? Or is it every second or 3rd mesh etc? and every row as well?

 

[sapper1]

That depends on how big you want your net to be.If you can imagine your net finished and laid on the ground folded in half this will give you an idea as to how fast to increase the meshes.Personally I would increase every other mesh and every fourth row.It really is down to the size of net you want.when you have finished run a line through the final meshes and fix it to every one of them so as to add strength and give you something to tie your lead weights to.

 

[Bongo Matt]

What do I do after the lead weights are tied to the line? To get the net to create the "pocket" that holds the fish. Thanks for the help wi this.

 

[Bongo Matt]

Oh just to add I want to make it about 3m wide

 

[asemery]

Always good to meet other net makers
A google search on "How to make a cast net" came up with this and many others
http://www.castingnet.cn/proall.asp
As Sapper1 says you have to add meshes as your net grows. If you do not the net will turn into a narrow tube.
You should check out the "Nets and Net Making Forum"
http://pineapple.myfunforum.org/index.php?c=7
Many net making hints there
Here is a very good book on the subject. I can personally recommend it.
http://www.amazon.com/How-Make-Mend-Cast-Nets/dp/0820006122
Tony

 

[Bongo Matt]

Thanks a lot for taking the time to give me a hand with this, I have just started to get into net making, and will upload some fotos when finnished!:You_Rock_

 

[gregorach]

The best page I've seen on this seems to have dissappeard from the internet, but you can still see it thanks to the magic of the Internet Wayback Machine:

How to make a cast net

 

[spamel]

Just as a matter of interest for you net makers, I was at Anchor Supplies yesterday and they have rolls of nylon string with lead weights inside the core. I didn't realise what it was until I picked the roll up and was surprised at how heavy it was! I cannot remember the price, 75p per metre is stuck in my head for some reason. It is slightly thinner than proper paracord, but as the weights are inside the nylon core there is less chance of them catching on anything. I've had a look on the website for it, but cannot find it. It'd be best to just call them up if you're interested.

 

[Bongo Matt]

Just as a matter of interest for you net makers, I was at Anchor Supplies yesterday and they have rolls of nylon string with lead weights inside the core. I didn't realise what it was until I picked the roll up and was surprised at how heavy it was! I cannot remember the price, 75p per metre is stuck in my head for some reason. It is slightly thinner than proper paracord, but as the weights are inside the nylon core there is less chance of them catching on anything. I've had a look on the website for it, but cannot find it. It'd be best to just call them up if you're interested.

That stuff is great I use leadline on my monifilament gill net that I bought before I knew how to make nets, and fishing from a canoe its soo much easier and less tangles, I am going to try that floatline stuff too, which is basically a bouyant material wrapped in nylon, so the whole lot combined wouldnt have any snags and hopefully a lot easier to use

 

[spamel]

Well, if you have a source already that's cool, but I saw it and thought of this thread straight away. If it helps somebody in the future then that's cool by me! The net you're wanting to make, is it like the ones they use on the nile? They chuck it in, wait a wee while and then pull a string and hoist it all back in. As far as I can figure, the leads take the net down like a parachute would be in the air, trapping all the fish then as you drag it back in the cord closes the bottom and traps all of the fish in the net. Is that a fair estimation of how it works? I enjoy watching film of those nets being chucked in from some skinny little boat, and the guys don't ever fall in! Amazing!

 

[Bongo Matt]

Yeah thats the one! I am finding it a lot more difficult to make though, I think its because with gill nets you have it suspended in the making process, I am weaving the net from a centre ring that I am anchoring on my toe! will probably use the leadline for the wieghty bits of the net.

heres the website www.advancednetting.co.uk that I am using and thanks for the info with Anchor supplies, I think I will do a little price comparison!

 

[spamel]

Bloomin 'eck, that's a lot cheaper! By my reckoning, it'd be 12p per metre at your site!

 

[Joonsy]

What do I do after the lead weights are tied to the line? To get the net to create the "pocket" that holds the fish. Thanks for the help wi this.

Hi, to create the ''pocket'' as you describe it -- when complete your net should lie flat in a circle, you should have a curcular ring at centre which meshes hang from and either a leadline or weights to outside circumference, to create the ''pocket'' you tie a number of thin cords to outside edge which then all meet at centre point of net and go through the centre ring, you then join all those thin cords into one length of thicker cord -- how the pocket works is like this:- you hold that one thicker cord by putting a loop in it and placing over wrist, then throw net (you will need both hands and some use teeth as well, requires practice), if thrown correctly the net will open into a circle before landing on water, the weights sink the net and the cords you have tied to outside must now be seen to be on the ''inside'' of net (as net lands on water cords must be between net and water) you then pull on that one thicker cord going throught centre ring and it pulls the outside into the the centre creating a bag --- depending on size of net you will need about 20-30 of these thin cords and they are only fixed to outside edge only and remember it is important to make sure cords are on correct side of net between net and water as it lands on waters surface, remember the heavier the weight used on outside edge the faster the net will sink, and it is the speed at which the net sinks that is important as that's how it works in catching, most use quite heavy weights to sink net fast hence before the fish can swim away from net's range.

 

[Toddy]

Thanks for the links and advice folks :You_Rock_

By the way, that weighted line is also sold in haberdashers, it's the stuff that's used to weight shower curtains.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[humblebumble]

oooooh, that stuff on the archive site is nice

i like a lot. there's so much i want to learn i'll never get round to it all

give me another couple of lifetimes and i might get bored. but i doubt it

wow, having given it a proper look-see, i see that i've finally (after all these long yearse of struggle ) found a sit that doesn't appear to be missing a step or two. this actually makes sense. wow. i'm so doing this tonight

 

[Bongo Matt]

Thanks once again for the help and advice, now got all the bits in front of the comp and cracking on, using the liks so kindly posted, although its really fiddly, and I might go and buy a smaller shuttle rather than the monster ive got here!