Net Fishing

Part of Fishing

Nets are the most efficient fishing method ever devised — one net can catch more fish in a night than a hook-and-line fisher catches in a week.

Why Nets Beat Every Other Method

A hook catches one fish at a time. A spear catches one fish at a time. A net catches dozens. More importantly, a net works while you sleep, while you build shelter, while you do anything else. In a survival situation, your time is your most valuable resource. Nets multiply your fishing output per hour of effort by a factor of 10 or more.

Every civilization that thrived near water used nets. The technology is simple, the materials are available everywhere, and the return on investment is enormous.

Types of Nets

Net Type	How It Works	Best Water	Effort to Make	Yield
Gill net	Fish swim into mesh and get tangled by their gills	Rivers, lakes, coast	High (hours of weaving)	Very high — passive
Cast net	Thrown over fish, weights trap them	Shallow water, visible schools	High (complex construction)	High — active
Seine net	Dragged through water by two people	Beaches, shallow bays, ponds	High	Very high — active
Dip net	Scooped under fish	Streams, runs, near structures	Low	Low to moderate — active
Scoop net	Small hand net	Tidal pools, small streams	Very low	Low — active

Making Basic Cordage for Nets

Before you can make any net, you need a large supply of thin, strong cordage. A gill net 3 meters long and 1 meter deep requires roughly 50-80 meters (160-260 feet) of line, depending on mesh size.

See Knots and Cordage for full cordage-making instructions. For nets specifically:

• Thinner is better. Fish see thick cordage and avoid it. Use the thinnest line that holds together.
• Consistency matters. Uniform thickness makes uniform mesh, which catches fish predictably.
• Plant fibers work well. Nettle, hemp, flax, and bark fibers all make excellent net material.
• Modern scavenged line. Paracord inner strands, unraveled nylon rope, fishing line from tackle boxes, dental floss, or any thin synthetic string.

The Netting Knot (Sheet Bend)

Every net junction uses the same knot — the sheet bend. Master this one knot and you can make any net.

Step 1. Hold the existing mesh loop in your left hand.

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

Step 3. Wrap the working line around behind both sides of the loop.

Step 4. Tuck the working line under itself (under the part that came up through the loop).

Step 5. Pull tight. The knot locks when load is applied and won’t slip.

Practice this knot until you can tie it in under 5 seconds. You’ll tie hundreds of them per net.

Making a Net Shuttle

A shuttle holds your working line and speeds up the netting process enormously.

Step 1. Find a flat piece of wood or bone about 15-20 cm (6-8 inches) long and 2-3 cm (about 1 inch) wide.

Step 2. Cut a notch or fork at each end — deep enough to hold wrapped line without it slipping off.

Step 3. Wind your cordage around the shuttle in a figure-eight pattern between the two notches. A full shuttle holds 10-20 meters of line.

Step 4. As you tie each knot, pull line from the shuttle rather than managing loose coils. This prevents tangles and keeps tension consistent.

Making a Mesh Gauge

The gauge determines your mesh size — every opening in the net will match it.

Step 1. Cut a flat piece of wood or stiff bark as wide as your desired mesh opening. For medium fish (trout-size), make it about 5 cm (2 inches) wide. For sizing guidance, see Mesh Size Selection.

Step 2. Keep the gauge smooth so the line slides off easily after each knot.

Building a Simple Dip Net

This is the fastest net to make and the best starting point for learning.

Step 1. Find a forked branch — a natural Y-shape — about 1 meter (3 feet) long with the fork opening about 30-40 cm (12-16 inches) wide.

Step 2. Bend a flexible green branch or wire into a hoop and lash it across the open end of the fork, creating a circular or oval frame.

Step 3. Tie a starting line across the top of the frame. Hang loops of equal length from this line, spaced at your desired mesh width.

Step 4. Connect adjacent loops with sheet bend knots at the mesh gauge distance down. Continue row by row, working downward, until the net bag is 30-40 cm (12-16 inches) deep.

Step 5. Gather the bottom edges together and tie them closed, forming a bag shape.

Step 6. Use by scooping under fish in streams, positioning below a small waterfall, or sweeping through schools in shallow water.

Building a Seine Net

A seine is a long, shallow net dragged through water by two people. It’s devastating in ponds, bays, and beach shallows.

Step 1. Weave a flat rectangular net — aim for at least 3-5 meters (10-16 feet) long and 1-1.5 meters (3-5 feet) deep. Use standard sheet bend netting with your shuttle and gauge.

Step 2. Thread a strong top line (headline) through the top edge of the net. Attach floats every 30-50 cm (12-20 inches) — cork, sealed containers, bundles of dry reeds, or bark.

Step 3. Thread a strong bottom line (lead line) through the bottom edge. Attach weights every 30-50 cm — stones wrapped in net material, clay balls, or metal scraps.

Step 4. Attach a sturdy pole to each end of the net, lashed vertically so you can hold and pull the net through the water.

Step 5. Deployment. One person wades or walks along the shore holding one pole. The other person makes a wide arc through the water. Both converge on the beach, pulling the net onto shore with everything inside it.

Current Safety

Never seine in water deeper than your chest or in strong current. The net can catch on submerged obstacles and pull you underwater. Always have a knife ready to cut yourself free.

Maintaining Your Nets

Nets are high-investment tools. Protect them.

• Dry after every use. Spread nets on bushes or hang from branches. Wet nets rot in days if made from natural fibers.
• Repair immediately. A single hole grows rapidly as fish push through it. Carry your shuttle and mend holes with sheet bend patches on the spot.
• Treat with tannin. Soak natural fiber nets in bark tea (oak, willow, or pine bark boiled in water) for several hours. The tannins resist rot and add weeks to net life.
• Store dry and folded. Never ball up a net — it tangles. Fold flat, then roll loosely.

Setting Strategy

Where and when you set your net matters more than the net itself.

Best locations:

• Where streams narrow (funnels fish into the net)
• River bends (fish follow the outer bank)
• Inlet/outlet of pools (natural travel corridors)
• Along weed edges in lakes (fish patrol these boundaries)
• Tidal channels (fish move with the tide)

Best timing:

• Set nets at dusk, check at dawn — fish move most at night.
• During rain — rising water stirs fish into movement.
• During spawning runs — fish travel predictable routes in large numbers.

Key Takeaways

• Nets are the highest-yield fishing method — invest the time to build one early.
• The sheet bend knot is the only knot you need for all netting.
• A shuttle and gauge transform net-making from frustrating to efficient.
• Start with a dip net to learn the basics, then scale up to gill nets or seines.
• Dry and repair nets after every use — they are long-term survival assets worth protecting.