Introduction to phishing
Regulations
In Sweden, it is permitted for private individuals to fish with nets in public waters in Vänern, Vättern, Mälaren, Hjälmaren and in the sea if the existing regulations are followed. These differ slightly depending on where you fish but mainly the marking of the gear, the size of the meshes and the height and length of the nets.
To stay up-to-date on the latest guidelines and regulations for the water where you intend to fish, it is recommended to go to the county board's website.
Type of network
Nowadays, mostly synthetic material is used in the production of netting, and then mainly nylon. A net is assembled with a sinker line at the bottom edge of the net and a line with floats at the top edge of the net. The sinker line is available in different weights depending on how "hard" you want the net to stand on the bottom - in a water with a lot of currents, it may be wise to mount a heavier sinker line on the net, for example. Here at Ullersund's fishing nets, we mainly sew bottomed nets, but of course also floating nets for those who so wish.
We sew nets from a mesh size of 16mm, suitable for fishing nets up to salmon nets with a mesh size of 85mm. The mesh on the nets we manufacture and sell most of varies from 43mm to 62mm and works well on Whitefish, Perch, Goose, Pike, Trout and Trout. A good all-round net is one with mesh 48mm or 55mm.
Wire thickness can also vary greatly. A net with a thin wire usually fishes better but breaks more easily. If, for example, you get a large pike in a net with thin wire, you can count on repairs to your net. 0.20mm wire or 0.23mm is usually usable on a net with 48 or 55mm mesh size.
Laying nets
Depending on how long and deep your net is, you should consider being two people the first few times you put it out. A 27 meter long net with a depth of 6 feet can usually be managed by yourself on a fishing rod, but if you are going to lay a 50 or 100 meter long net, it might be nice to have two at the beginning, one who maneuvers the boat and one who lays out the net.
At the end of the net, attach a line (longer than the depth) to a sinker or small anchor and another line to the marker float. (See on the County Board's website which rules apply) You can attach the line to the sinker either at the top or bottom of the net.
- Remember to never stretch the net when laying out, you can advantageously lay it out in an "S-pattern".
- Thread the net piece by piece from the stick as the boat moves.
- Put in the net at the end of the day and whitewash the next morning to avoid the fish dying in the net.
Pick up nets
Go to the float and lift the line. Avoid pulling the net towards you, but thread it up onto the stick as you row or drive the boat along the net. If you have a net that is too long to thread onto a fishing pole, it is easiest to slide it down into a tub or plastic barrel.
When you come to a fish it is advisable to try to unhook it immediately unless it is too entangled, in which case wait until you come ashore. Some smaller, coil-shaped fish can be released by pushing them through the meshes, but larger fish need to be taken out the same way they came in and then you may have to pry the threads past the gills and fins.
Care of equipment
The easiest way to remove the catch and to clean the net is to hang it between two poles. At the same time, you pick out the remaining fish and debris stuck in the net. Then let the net hang and dry before stringing it up on your fishing pole or putting it in a tub or a barrel. Remember not to store the nylon nets in direct sunlight, as they easily become brittle then. Also try to keep the nets out of the reach of rodents such as rats who are attracted there by the smell of fish.