Nets

General Information about Gill Nets

A gill net is a large upright wall of netting that is set in water, usually for the purpose of catching fish. There are two types of nets. The first is a single sheet of netting in which the fish are trapped by their gills as they try to swim through the individual mesh. The second is a Trammel Net which is several sheets of netting in a variety of mesh sizes in which the fish become entangled in the layers of the mesh. The size of mesh needed for a net can vary. This depends on what region you are from and the species and size of the fish you are wanting to catch.

Gill nets can be set in a variety of ways. The two most common procedures for setting a gill net are bottom-set (demersal) and mid-water (pelagic). The top of a gill net is attached to a floatline and the bottom is tied to the leadline. By controlling the size and number of floats on the floatline and the size and number of weights on the leadline will determine how deep or shallow your net will rest in the water. The combination of these two lines also maintains the vertical stretch of the net. Gill nets can be set end to end in strings or fleets.

Measuring Gill Netting

Because of manufacturing constraints, a mesh size cannot be exact. The effects of temperature and humidity on nylon have created many problems in the measurement of nylon meshes both for the fisher and the netting manufacturer.

Atmospheric conditions, humidity levels in the manufacturing plant, during transit, and in storage, all have an affect on the moisture levels of the netting.

A nylon net totally dried and placed in the average room will absorb moisture. Even sitting dry on a shelf, the net can absorb enough moisture to increase the size as much as 1/8 of an inch.

For accuracy, it is recommended that nylon netting be placed in water for at least 30 minutes before measuring the meshes. Since nylon increases in length when it is wet, it is highly recommended that to find the most accurate mesh size is to measure the meshes of the netting when it is wet. This also applies to Government Fishing Regulations.

Monofilament (also called plastic or glass) is made from a single strand of line similar to the monofilament fishing line used on a rod and reel. The netting is double selvaged and double knotted for strength, and depth stretched heat set for maximum knot holding and mesh consistency. Monofilament while not quite as limber as regular multifilament nylon netting offers many other advantages: 1) does not soak up water, therefore, is lighter. 2) is almost invisible in any water. 3) catches better in the daylight hours. 4) does not pick up as much debris. We have a large range of fine mono nets ranging from .20mm to .33mm. Our nets have been designed to withstand our harsh Canadian inland waters.