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several such nets, stretched across streams, or arranged in a "u" or trap shape around a likely area near the shore of a pond or lake, is a very easy way to provide yourself with a lot of good protein, and at least some of the catch will be held alive, for many days if you so wish. You can do this stealthily, at night, too, giving a much better chance of not getting shot, as compared to daylight fishing, hunting or trapping.
If one finds themselves or their party in an environment that’s too dangerous to operate during the daylight, wouldn’t it make more sense to move out of that area? Moving about during the night checking traps on uneven terrain is very difficult and the risk of mechanical injury in anything but an open field with a fair moon or in the desert is very high. It's been my experience that even with a full moon, it's very hard to see under the canopy of a wooded area.
I personally have never been an advocate of active hunting or fishing. Trapping fish, animals, and birds makes far more sense. Trapping fish has to be the easiest of the three because it generally works year round whereas trapping critters is easier in the winter than summer and it’s the opposite for birds depending upon your location and seasonal changes.
Wouldn't it make more sense to make several small fish traps per person in one’s party? This way, if a party members and or catch is lost due nefarious highwaymen discovering the trap and or have the trap staked out and are awaiting in ambush. In such a case, it the impact would be lessened or limited versus you, half or all of the party getting caught at the gill net. Furthermore, several traps set in a larger area are generally more effective than one large one. Additionally, the net would be something that needs to be packed in whereas making traps with bits of natural material abound, don't have to be packed, and are easily fabricated into a trap with minimal effort, but again, depending upon the geographical location, it will obviously vary.
For those unfamiliar with the subject, here are some photos to aid if one’s inclined to learn more.
Here's a gill trap/net:
Other alternatives or in addition to the gill trap/net the topic starter's speaking about.
When I was in the Corps, I drew a lot of firewatch because I was a teetotaler, so other men paid me to do their firewatch while they went to the battle cruiser to get their drink on. When I wasn't making a few extra dollars doing laundry and pressing their uniforms while they paid me to do their firewatch, I used to flip through survival manuals. I gleaned a lot of basic information out of the U.S. Army Survival Manual. I'm not saying it's the best thing out there, but it's a wealth of information for those that are unfamiliar with self reliance. The manual's free if you search for it online. If you go to your local Army Navy store, it's rather inexpensive. I'm not advocating the manual, I'm just stating that it's a fair place to start, and at free.99 it's rather cheap.
Nets can be used for a variety of purposes. I have a cargo net I'm making out of #36 bank line for my BOC. When I'm not using it to secure my gear, I can gather an amazing amount of firewood with it. I can stretch it across a wood frame and pile leaves and branches on it to make a quick and easy debris shelter. I can also use it to make a hammock or sleeping platform.
I make my nets the same way commercial fishermen did. It's a bit harder to learn but it produces a much better net. If these nets get torn they are easy to mend. I can also add an unlimited number of rows to make it as long or wide as I want.
I have a couple net shopping bags that I'm really proud of. When I got the bag made to the size I wanted I folded it over and tied the bottom and sides with the same mesh and knots so that it looks seamless all around.
It's pretty easy to make a net from paracord, jute, hemp, improvised cordage (grass, roots, vines, etc). I made one from the interior strands of paracord and it's caught salmon, grayling and even some grouse.
What hunting and fishing helpers you end up using really depends on the particulars of your location and situation. Depth and speed of water, type of fish, time of year all make a difference. Whether (and how) to use a net (and which type) or a cage/trap or a trot line is something you have to learn for your area.
Gill nets don't necessarily manned if you set them up right, and they can be up as the catch in a fish trap instead of sticks. Sometimes a net is better than a cage/trap, particularly if you want the ability to "filter" the size fish/critter you want to keep in (or keep out, as the case may be). Setting two nets, one with a larger weave at the neck of the trap, and one with a smaller weave as the catch of the trap means that predatory things like turtles or otters won't raid the catch, and smaller minnows and frye can still get out of the catch so you only keep ones big enough to eat.
One common use of nets up here is making the baskets for fish wheels. Even a small wheel in a good location can catch your daily dinner while you're off doing something else. Bigger wheels can bring in a winter's (sometimes year's) worth of fish in a couple of days when the fish are running.
It's pretty easy to make a net from paracord, jute, hemp, improvised cordage (grass, roots, vines, etc). I made one from the interior strands of paracord and it's caught salmon, grayling and even some grouse.
What hunting and fishing helpers you end up using really depends on the particulars of your location and situation. Depth and speed of water, type of fish, time of year all make a difference. Whether (and how) to use a net (and which type) or a cage/trap or a trot line is something you have to learn for your area.
Gill nets don't necessarily manned if you set them up right, and they can be up as the catch in a fish trap instead of sticks. Sometimes a net is better than a cage/trap, particularly if you want the ability to "filter" the size fish/critter you want to keep in (or keep out, as the case may be). Setting two nets, one with a larger weave at the neck of the trap, and one with a smaller weave as the catch of the trap means that predatory things like turtles or otters won't raid the catch, and smaller minnows and frye can still get out of the catch so you only keep ones big enough to eat.
One common use of nets up here is making the baskets for fish wheels. Even a small wheel in a good location can catch your daily dinner while you're off doing something else. Bigger wheels can bring in a winter's (sometimes year's) worth of fish in a couple of days when the fish are running.
Good point! Location, Location, Location! Know what are in your local waters and their habits
There aren't any salmon runs (except kokanee which are planted anyway) in my neck of the woods. The trout do have spawning runs, rainbows in the spring, browns in the fall, but nothing on the order of the salmon runs in Alaska. About the closest thing we have to that is the Paddlefish run in the spring, but that takes place 300 miles away from me in the eastern end of the state so really isn't part of my plans.
In my area, a fish trap at the mouth of a feeder stream where food is washed into lakes or rivers from higher up the mountains would be a better option because the fish congregate there where there are higher oxygen levels and food sources.
The creeks would be a better bet for getting food all spring, summer and into the fall because there are populations of fish that use them all summer and move along the length of the stream and back out to the lakes and rivers.
It wouldn't take much to set up a trap or several traps along the length of a stream to do some real production, but our fish don't get as large as the salmon so you have to catch a lot more of them for a real supply for long term.
I love ice fishing, but that isn't a great way to produce a lot of fish for your efforts. Along our rivers a trot line could be pretty productive for gathering fish as well in a survival situation, because there is so much traffic in the water from driftwood and other material that holding a net together in that current would be difficult.
Know where you are and what is in the water, then tailor your methods to that.
Yeah, bankside fishing isn't much of an option for me... the water is too cold even in the summer and the river is too fast with virtually no shore. The creeks would be better for something like that, if I wanted sheefish or grayling instead of salmon or burbot, and wanted to share with the bears
But, in any case, nets are never a bad thing or a waste of time/space. They're good for a gajillion uses from fishing/trapping to gear storage to temporary brush shelters, so knowing how to make one and having one or two in your survival gear is handy. All it takes is a bunch of cordage and patience... great project to keep you busy when you're sitting around the ice fishing hole LOL
When I was younger, I watched my father make, and repair, hoop nets. It was mainly to catch catfish. Just about everyone made some type of net. I wish now I had paid more attention! I did help him bait and sink the nets. He used meat scraps that were allowed to set in the sun. Gross at this sounds, if the meat acquired some maggots, it was considered prime bait. The hoop nets looked a little like a barrel.
We used weights attached to the bottom to sink it, and tied empty bleach bottles to the top to mark where it was.
At that time, the 50s and 60s, we caught catfish so large we hung them on the clothesline pole to kill and skin them. Now it is hard to catch good sized catfish around here, some many people are fishing. The economy is pushing people to do things they normally wouldn't consider.
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