The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Has anyone got any suggestions concerning the construction of a traditional style net. With originals being few and far between and modern replicas fetching high prices, it would be interesting to attempt a bit of manufacturing.

If you can get hold of a copy of 'drop me a line' Maurice Ingham describes how he builds his in some detail.

Walker and Ingham describe how to build one in Drop me a Line. There is also a drawing in Still Water Angling.

Thanks, that will give me some research to do over the winter

It's the spreader that is the stumbling block. Getting something made in brass is very expensive, something in aluminium, even though it is what Walker used, just looks wrong, to me anyway.


There's two approaches to the ash loop frame. One way has you drill it every inch or so and you lash the net to the inside of the frame, usually with a groove from hole to hole to recess the lashing. This presents the net from the inside of the loop.

The second way has the net slung from continous loops of lashing which is not tight to the frame and needs tieing off each time it holds a section of net. Replacement nets come with this lashing already attatched .This way means that the net can slide around the frame and it may need pinning on somewhere to prevent this.

This second way makes it simple to replace the net with a modern one, just by releasing the ash frame from the spreader and sliding the old off and a new net on, in bulk, before teasing it out and pinning it.

If you're happy with a triangular net Dave Austin will do you one at half the price of those ash loop nets that recently appeared on eBay without selling. But they were very, very pretty!

I cheated and cut the handle off of a game scoop net and fixed some studding into the cut. It looks OK from the other side of the lake

Nobby wrote:It's the spreader that is the stumbling block. Getting something made in brass is very expensive, something in aluminium, even though it is what Walker used, just looks wrong, to me anyway.

I have seen some very nice hard wood spreader blocks or have aluminium but use bluing solution to make it dark grey.

Snape wrote:

Nobby wrote:It's the spreader that is the stumbling block. Getting something made in brass is very expensive, something in aluminium, even though it is what Walker used, just looks wrong, to me anyway.

I have seen some very nice hard wood spreader blocks or have aluminium but use bluing solution to make it dark grey.

Here's a picture of my wooden spreader block

I should just say, there's nowt wrong with other spreader blocks, it's just that I NEED a Mr. Crabtree ash hoop and brass net head.

I really, really want one. It's just a thing of elegant, slim, simple beauty.

Annoyingly there was one at Romsey last month. I never saw it until I was scoffing cake in the car park and we saw a chap loading it, and some other buys, into his car.

I asked him where he had got it and he said he thought he had bought it from me!

As if!

I do have a pretty little triangular one made form a game net. Rosewood arms a brass spreader block , leather front string, a new knotless net and a Dave Austin, two piece, handle. I worked some of those old spiral lead weights for sinking lures into the net and it opens out a treat as you scoop in a fish.

Sadly, it, like a lot of my tackle, is jinxed to only meet tiddlers........

There is something very pleasing about the 'Crabtree' net.
I have a Walker type one as well but it doesn't see the bank much because I like this one too much. I am not just posing in this shot - actually trying to avoid the rain (fair weather fisher)! :hahaha:

That's a lovely net Snape.