Gill Net Making

Part of Fishing

A gill net is a wall of mesh stretched across the water that catches fish by their gill covers as they try to swim through — the most productive passive fishing method you can build.

How Gill Nets Work

A fish swims into the mesh head-first. The mesh opening is sized so the fish’s head passes through but its body cannot. When the fish tries to back out, its gill covers (opercula) flare open and catch in the mesh like barbs. The fish is trapped — alive and fresh until you collect it.

This is why mesh size is critical. Too large, and fish swim straight through. Too small, and they bounce off the mesh wall without entering. See Mesh Size Selection for detailed sizing.

Tools You Need

Before you start weaving, build these two tools. They save hours.

The Shuttle

The shuttle is a flat, elongated tool that holds your working line — like a large, flat needle.

Step 1. Find a flat piece of hardwood, bone, or stiff plastic — about 20 cm (8 inches) long, 2.5 cm (1 inch) wide, and 5-8 mm (1/4 inch) thick.

Step 2. Carve a forked notch at each end. The notch should be about 1 cm deep and slightly narrower than the shuttle body so line doesn’t slip off.

Step 3. Load the shuttle by winding line in a figure-eight between the two notches. A loaded shuttle holds 15-25 meters of line depending on thickness.

Step 4. When tying, pull line from the shuttle tip — it feeds smoothly and keeps consistent tension.

The Mesh Gauge

The gauge sets every mesh opening to the same size.

Step 1. Cut a flat piece of smooth wood as wide as half your desired mesh size. A gill net mesh is measured as the stretched distance between two opposite knots. If you want 5 cm (2 inch) mesh, make your gauge 2.5 cm (1 inch) wide.

Measurement Matters

If your gauge is inconsistent, your net will have uneven openings. Fish escape through large holes and avoid tight spots. Take time to make the gauge precise — measure twice before cutting.

Step 2. Sand or scrape the gauge smooth. Rough surfaces snag the line and slow your work.

Step-by-Step Net Construction

Setting Up

Step 1. Stretch a strong top line (the headline) between two fixed points — two trees, two stakes, or any sturdy anchors. This headline will be the top edge of your finished net. For a useful gill net, make it 5-10 meters (16-33 feet) long.

Step 2. Tie the end of your shuttle line to the left end of the headline with a clove hitch.

Casting On (First Row)

Step 3. Hold the gauge flat against the headline. Bring the shuttle line down and around the bottom of the gauge, then back up and tie a sheet bend (netting knot) around the headline, positioned one gauge-width from your starting point.

Step 4. Slide the gauge out. You’ve made the first loop — this is one mesh opening.

Step 5. Repeat across the entire headline. Each loop should be identical. A 5-meter headline with 5 cm mesh will have roughly 100 loops in the first row.

Weaving Subsequent Rows

Step 6. When you reach the end of the first row, turn around and work back the other direction. Hold the gauge against the bottom of the first row of loops.

Step 7. Pass the shuttle through the first loop from the previous row (front to back). Bring the line down around the gauge and back up through the loop. Tie a sheet bend knot at the bottom of the loop where the line exits.

Step 8. Continue across the row. Each new knot connects to one loop from the row above, creating a diamond mesh pattern.

Step 9. Continue adding rows until the net reaches your desired depth — typically 1-1.5 meters (3-5 feet) for river gill nets, up to 2-3 meters (6-10 feet) for lake or coastal use.

The Sheet Bend Knot (Detail)

This knot is the foundation of every gill net ever made. It must be tied correctly or the mesh unravels.

Step 1. Hold the loop from the previous row between thumb and forefinger.

Step 2. Pass the shuttle line up through the loop from behind.

Step 3. Wrap the shuttle line around the back of both sides of the loop (going left to right, or right to left — stay consistent).

Step 4. Tuck the shuttle line under itself — under the strand that came up through the loop.

Step 5. Pull tight with steady, firm pressure. The knot should sit snugly at the bottom of the loop. Test by tugging — it should not slide.

Rigging: Floats and Weights

A gill net must hang vertically in the water — floats on top, weights on the bottom.

Float Line (Top)

Step 1. Thread a strong line through the top edge of your finished net, or use the headline itself.

Step 2. Attach floats every 50-80 cm (20-30 inches). Effective floats from scavenged or natural materials:

Float Material	Buoyancy	Durability
Sealed plastic bottles (caps on)	Excellent	Years
Cork or bark chunks	Good	Months
Bundles of dry reeds (10-15 stems, tied tight)	Good	Weeks (re-tie often)
Sealed tin cans	Good	Months (if no rust)
Carved dry wood blocks	Moderate	Months

Lead Line (Bottom)

Step 3. Thread a strong line through the bottom edge of the net.

Step 4. Attach weights every 50-80 cm. The net should sink to vertical but not drag the floats under. Effective weights:

• Stones (egg-sized) wrapped in mesh or tied in cordage cradles
• Scrap metal pieces
• Clay balls (fire-hardened for durability)
• Sand-filled cloth pouches

Step 5. Test the net in calm water before deploying. It should hang vertically with the float line on the surface and the weighted line near the bottom. Adjust float or weight spacing if it tilts or sags.

Deployment

Step 1. Choose your location. Best spots:

• Across a stream narrows (perpendicular to current flow)
• Along a lake shore where fish travel parallel to the bank (set at an angle from shore)
• Across a river channel between pools
• At the mouth of a tributary or inlet

Step 2. Anchor one end to the shore — tie to a stake, tree, or heavy rock. Wade or paddle out, paying the net off as you go, keeping it straight and untangled.

Step 3. Anchor the far end. In a stream, both ends should be secured against the current. In a lake, the far end can be anchored with a heavy stone.

Step 4. Check the net every 3-6 hours. Fish that stay tangled too long die and begin to spoil, attracting scavengers that damage the net. In warm water (above 20C / 68F), check every 2-3 hours.

Step 5. Remove fish by working the mesh gently over the gill covers — the reverse of how they entered. Don’t yank or cut mesh to remove fish.

Maintenance and Repair

Gill nets represent many hours of labor. Protect your investment.

• Dry completely after every use. Natural fiber nets rot within 3-5 days if stored wet. Spread over bushes in sunlight.
• Tannin treatment. Soak in bark tea (oak, willow, pine) for 4-8 hours. This preserves plant fibers and reduces visibility in water. Re-treat every 2-3 weeks.
• Repair holes immediately. Carry your shuttle loaded with matching line. Patch holes by re-tying new mesh into the gap using the same sheet bend knots.
• Inspect knots. UV light and abrasion loosen knots over time. Re-tie any that feel loose.

Production Timeline

A realistic schedule for one person:

Task	Time
Make cordage (50-80 meters)	6-10 hours
Build shuttle and gauge	30 minutes
Weave net (5m x 1.5m, 5cm mesh)	8-12 hours
Rig floats and weights	1-2 hours
Total	16-25 hours

This is a significant investment — spread over 3-4 days of part-time work. But a well-maintained gill net can produce fish daily for months.

Key Takeaways

• A gill net is the highest-yield passive fishing tool you can build — worth every hour invested.
• Build a shuttle and gauge first — they make net-weaving dramatically faster and more consistent.
• The sheet bend knot is the only knot you need, but it must be tied correctly every time.
• Size your mesh for the fish you want to catch — wrong mesh size means an empty net.
• Dry, treat, and repair your net religiously — it is one of your most valuable survival assets.