Whether you’re an avid fisherman, or just an amateur, one piece of equipment that you must have is a fishing net. A net is useful to help land bass, trout, salmon, and other kinds of large fish. To use a fishing net, once you get a fish on your line, begin to reel it in. As soon as the fish gets close enough to you so you can reach it with the net, simply hold your fishing pole with one hand. Grab the handle of the net with the other hand, and lift your line (and the fish) up and out of the water. As you’re doing this, place the net underneath the fish and scoop it up out of the water. Have a helper hold your fishing pole, or stick the reel end in a pole holder. The line should be elevated so you can remove the fish from your net. Then, carefully open the net and pull the fish out.
To make your own fishing net, you can use an old soccer or badminton net. These types of nets already have binding on them, which makes them easier to use. Just make sure the net is durable, and not one of the cheaper varieties. You can also purchase netting for this project too. You’ll need a piece that is approximately twelve inches wide and thirty inches long. Plus, you’ll need some hem binding material, a piece of long, thin, bendable metal, and a wooden broom handle.
The broom handle needs to be cut down so it’s approximately thee feet long.
The first step is to lay the net out on a flat work surface. Pull the one end up and fold the net over so it is folded in half. Either hand sew, or use a sewing machine to secure the binded sides together. Then, fold the binding down all the way around the top, and use straight pins to secure it into place. Either hand sew or use a sewing machine to secure the binding on the top of the net down.
The second step in this project is to take the piece of long, thin, bendable metal and form it into a round shape with your hands. This hoop needs to be about fifteen inches in diameter. Then, start working one end of the metal hoop through the top of the net inside the binding. Continue to work the end through until it the hoop is completely inside the binding. If you find that the metal hoop is to long, use a hacksaw to trim off any excess that won’t fit inside.
The third step is to pull both sides of the binding over the ends of the hoop. Then, hold the open ends of the metal hoop together. Use a pair of pliers to flatten down the metal about an inch in from the ends. Then, place the flattened metal together, and use an electric drill to make a hole through both pieces.
The fourth step is to insert a long, galvanized wood screw into the hole. Place the wooden broom handle in position against the hole. Then, use a screw driver to insert the wood screw into the wood. You can also screw an eyelet into the end of the handle so you have an easy way to hang your net up.
If you use a piece of netting, instead of an old soccer or badminton net that already has binding on it, then you’ll need to add pieces of binding onto the netting. You’ll have to measure, cut, and sew the pieces around the ends, as well as the sides.
