home made traditional landing net

[Shaun Harrison]

Their caudal, dorsal, anal, pelvic and pectoral fins all split in wide meshes. I have 2 Sharpe's Guy Nets (24" and 30") and even replaced the meshes for a slightly finer mesh before I used them for salmon after seeing salmon tails which are quite tough splitting in the wide mesh.

Just an observation, but I had to mention it. Like I said above, lovely looking frame.

[Michael]

Their caudal, dorsal, anal, pelvic and pectoral fins all split in wide meshes. I have 2 Sharpe's Guy Nets (24" and 30") and even replaced the meshes for a slightly finer mesh before I used them for salmon after seeing salmon tails which are quite tough splitting in the wide mesh.

Just an observation, but I had to mention it. Like I said above, lovely looking frame.

I`ll second that....

[KenSowerbutts]

Looks fantastic , love the cane frame great work ,congratulations .

[Champ]

I agree that fins can be damaged.I have two traditional nets with wide mesh.The larger one i sometimes use for landing carp to perhaps mid double figures.I cant remember ever damaging a fin.I am very very careful though.I am fully aware that i could cause problems.This obviously helps.

[Shaun Harrison]

The fish do it themselves most of the time it is not the angler at fault. The fish squirm and attempt to thrash in the mesh and the fins are softer than the mesh so it is the fin that splits. The larger the fish the more of an issue.

[Paul F]

That is good advice Shaun, I will source a new mesh before I use it, as I do care about the fish.

[Shaun Harrison]

That is good advice Shaun, I will source a new mesh before I use it, as I do care about the fish.

Hopefully, my comments were never seen as a dig. I care very much about our sport and more importantly our opponents and I am sure, or hopefully right in thinking that when we take our trophy shots, be they with a camera or simply in the minds eye, then we all want to remember the fish in the most magnificent condition possible. I want the person who catches a fish after me to be able to think it has never been caught before.

Having spent almost 35 years in the angling trade it has been one of my many gripes that there are so few companies supplying replacement meshes for landing nets. There is a market for a soft mesh between the usual carp type meshes and what are usually considered game meshes. With all the contacts I had, it took me a long while to find what I considered to be suitable meshes for my Guy Nets.

Anyone out there with the facility to do them I am sure plenty of useful bonus money could be made by producing custom meshes. A lot of so called barbel nets I see are let down by their meshes.

I would like to see a mesh with holes of around 2 cm but with a wider woven mesh than standard so as to not create quite the same cutting action of the finer cord types. I know there is the argument of weight but most frames are now so much lighter than those we all used in the past with aluminium being a much lighter alternative to brass. As for sinking the mesh in a swift flowing river, well the meshes that were sold 30 plus years ago with a small weighted loop already sewn in the base worked perfectly well on the mighty weirs of the Trent.

I also never understood why meshes became black rather than traditional green. Look across any carp pool in the early 80's when carp anglers still practiced the art of concealment and you could see how many were present by counting the black triangles.

Hope you find suitable replacements, to my mind it is the mesh and the clubs rightful insistence of the use of un-hooking mats that let many a traditional type photograph down. If someone out there can produce a traditional looking modern mesh, then perhaps they can also produce a soft Hessian looking material to drape over and hide the mat.

[Champ]

I would like to see a mesh with holes of around 2 cm but with a wider woven mesh than standard so as to not create quite the same cutting action of the finer cord types.

.

Shaun .The mesh discussion is very interesting and had me measuring my two meshes.The net that the maker used has holes of certainly less than an inch .I came to between 2 and 2.5 cm.Its not as easy as i thought to measure on a crusty net!.The dia of the individal mesh cord is of a heavier grade than a few game nets i have knocking around.Perhaps the net that has been used is reasonably sized.I am having a triangular carp net made for next season and would like to fit it with a net that is excellent for the fish and also looks the part .

[Paul F]

Hopefully, my comments were never seen as a dig.

Not at all Shaun, I appreciate your advice

Like all of us on here, I care very much about my quarry and wish them no harm

If anybody can help with sourcing a suitable mesh, I will be greatful for any advise where I can buy one, although I would like one which I will still show the split cane arms through

[Wallys-Cast]

I had a bit of trouble with carp getting caught up in the mesh of a modern replacement net I bought for my old apex landing net.
The serrated or barbed spine on the front edge of the carps dorsal fin was getting caught in the small holes in the mesh. This happened a few times and I had to cut the net to release the fish..
I changed back to the original type mesh (approx 12mm dia holes) and have not had the problem since. Careful you don't go for too small a mesh..

Wal.