Grizzly Fishing Guide

Here to help you catch fish with your new fishing net or other fishing device...

 

GILL NETS

Gill nets are sheets of netting, weighted by a sinking bottom-rope (typically leadline) and kept up in the water by a floating top-rope.

Fish swim into the net and become entangled by the gills. They are prevented from moving forwards or backwards until removed by the fisherman.

Gill nets are highly versatile as they can be set to fish any depth of water.  As shown in the diagram above, a bottom-fishing gill net sinks by default and fishes low down in the water because its bottom-rope is proportionally heavier than its top-rope. The depth to which it sinks can be controlled using long ropes attached to buoys as shown in the diagram. On the other hand, a surface-fishing gill net floats by default and fishes the surface area of the water because its top-rope is proportionally lighter than, and counter balances the effect of, the bottom-rope.

Bottom-fishing and surface-fishing gill nets are not structurally different. One 'type' can easily be changed into the other just by adding some more floats / some more weight. 

Gill nets are made to different lengths, depths, and (most importantly) using different mesh sizes. The mesh size determines the size of fish that are caught. Specifically sized mesh gaps allow fisherman to catch their target fish species, while smaller / younger fish swim through the gaps unharmed.  As a result, a properly rigged gill net is targeted, not indiscriminate.

 

NOTE ON MESH

Gill nets can be made of monofilament mesh or multimonofilament mesh. These are commonly abbreviated to 'mono' and 'multimono', and refer to the number of strands of fibre in the mesh. Mono mesh consists of one strand of fibre while multimono mesh consists of several strands of fibre woven together.

Mesh size is typically described in an abbreviated way, for example '4 inch stretched mesh'.

[ DIAGRAM ]

This measurement refers to the stretched size of the mesh, and translates as '2 inches squared' or '2 inches from knot to knot'. When '2 inch squared' netting is pulled taught (vertically or horizontally) it will stretch to 4 inches.

 

RIGGING

Modern materials have brought a number of advances in the effectiveness of gill netting, and our nets use all of these materials to deliver you the best fully-rigged nets:

  • Modern nylon mono or multimono mesh is fine but very strong. These meshes are as good as invisible to fish which improves the catch rate.
  • Leadline (rope with small lead weights woven into its fibres) has replaced the cumbersome weights which used to weigh down gill nets. This reduces the risk of nets tangling, snagging on rocks or themselves, and ripping when unraveling or when fishing.
  • EVA floats are virtually indestructible and have a long life-span as a result. Floatline is also very strong, and serves to minimise tangles in the same way as Leadline.
  • Floatline . . ...

 

FISHING: FROM SHORE

Gill netting from the shore can be very effective; once the net is set, it is armchair fishing.  The gill net is set in position at low tide, left to fish as the tide rises, and retrieved at the next low tide. Many relatively large fish species including bass, mullet, salmon, and a variety of flatfish, swim in shallow tidal areas such as mudflats and can be targeted with a stationary gill net.

 

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SITE  /  SETTING

The choice of fishing site is important and should be based on where your target species is likely to be. It is worth trying out a few sites, but local knowledge and the internet can also help determine the best sites for a certain type of fish.

The gill net should be placed perpendicular to the shore, going against the direction of tidal flow. This means that as the tide comes in, the net is much less likely to wrap in on itself than if it were parallel to the tide. The tide is remarkably strong and minimising the net's 'drag' will keep it in better condition, as well as less likely to wash away.

 

 [diagram ]

 

Choose a clean area of shore if possible. Because the tide can cause a lot of friction, it wouldn't be wise to set a gill net on a sharp rocky area of shoreline in case the net rips. Shorelines dominated by rock-pools are also home to hundreds of crabs and other shellfish which are a nuisance to pick out of your net. If any seaweed does get in your net, as is often unavoidable, just leave the net to dry and then the bits can be picked out easily.

 

ANCHORING

The tide brings the fish in, but it also has the strength to take your gill net away. That's why anchoring is the most important thing when gill netting from the shore.

 

Overview , it's the most important thing ever – wave strength wash away

no gill net will come with an anchor or weight sufficient to hold it in place.

 

TIDES

Tides occur every 12 hours  [link]. See the tide levels indicated by seaweed and that. And see internet chart of tide times in area -  link.