How to put nets on the lake from a boat: tactics, rules and secrets

Passive fishing requires that the fisherman not only know the habits of the fish, but also have a good command of the craft. fishing net From boats is a process where miscalculation can cost you not only catch, but also expensive gear, and unlike onshore fishing, the key is your boat's maneuverability and real-time reading of underwater terrain.

Many novice fishermen make the same mistake: they try to just throw the gear into the water, hoping for luck. However, professional staging is always a planned operation. You need to consider the direction of the wind, the strength of the current (if there is one on the lake) and the migratory routes of the fish in a given season. Floating your float and load capacity cargo-cord They must be perfectly balanced, otherwise the network will lie on the bottom in a “bag” or, conversely, will stick out over the water.

Before we get to the technical part, it is worth mentioning the legal side of the issue: in Russia and many CIS countries, fishing by nets is allowed only on the legal side of the issue. license Or as part of recreational fishing in certain regions, with respect to catch regulations, using poaching tools such as delirium or nets with a smaller mesh, entails severe fines and forfeiture of property, so the first rule is to always carry your documents and know the rules of fishing for your pond.

⚠️ Note: The use of nets during spawning or in wintering pits is strictly prohibited by law and may lead to criminal liability.

The success of the whole operation often depends on how well you've prepared for the water, and you don't have to rely on improvisation when you're in the middle of the lake, but you have to have a toolkit that includes not only the network itself, but also additional accessories that will help you control the process. buoy or bright float marker is necessary to search for gear after a storm or at night.

Selection of location and tactics of fish search

Finding a place to set up is 80 percent of the success. On lakes, fish are rarely randomly, they're tied to specific points. Most often, they're eyebrows, they're deep piles, they're reeds, they're streams, if you don't know the topography, the first thing you need to do is use a sonar. Modern models allow you to build a detailed map of the bottom, where you can see the differences in the depths and even the individual drifts that you can catch. load-cord.

There are several basic staging tactics: One is to set the cross of the brow, in which case the net blocks the migration of fish that move along the dump from deep to shallow water and back. The second is a "boiler" where the net is placed in a ring around a promising site, such as a water lilies island. The third option is to install along the coastline, which works effectively when catching a poultry or smelt going to spawn.

And it's important to consider the transparency of the water, because in murky water, fish rely more on the sense of smell and the sideline, so the color of the net may be less important. kaporon In such cases, experienced anglers use nets with a fishing base or pre-soak the tackle in a decoction of oak bark or special dyes to give them a camouflage color.

The time of day is also critical, and at night fish often come closer to shore, so nets can be set at lower depths, and during the day, especially in the heat, fish can go to deep water areas where the water is colder and more oxygenated. networking.

Equipment preparation and tackle inspection

You have to check the state of the network before you go out, and even a small gap or a entangled garbage from last year can nullify all your efforts. landing-strand If you're using a ready-to-land network, make sure that the nodes are on the ground. floating And the cargo cords hold tight.

Pay special attention to buoyancy. The float must be intact and keep water out. Over time, the plastic ages and loses its buoyancy, which can make the top edge of the net go underwater, and it becomes invisible to other boats, but useless to you. The cargo cord must be heavy enough to spread the net, but not so heavy that it will fall to the bottom with a dense carpet, unless you specifically catch bottom fish.

You'll need additional tools to work with the nets from the boat, and first of all, it's a good knife that should always be on hand, fastened to a vest or boat. jack-horn Or rakes to sample the net, especially if you're fishing large fish that can get so entangled that you can't get them out of your hands. It's convenient to use special baskets or drawers to store the selected net so that the wet gear doesn't get dirty and get tangled under your feet.

Remember to mark. Every buer (cord running from net to surface) has to have a float with your name or license number attached, which is a fishing rule requirement that helps identify the owner of the tackle, and it's also good to have reflective elements on floats if you plan to check the nets at night.

Networking Technique: Step-by-step Algorithm

The process of setting the net begins long before you touch the gear with your hands. First, you need to anchor the boat correctly or adjust the drift. If you are putting the net on the current or in high winds, the boat needs to be turned nose-to-head in the direction of water or wind, which will ensure a stable position of the vessel and allow the network to lie flat, without overlapping.

The very process of throwing the net requires skill. The net is usually stored in a tangle or laid in a special box in layers. You start at the end where the buoyer cord with the float is fixed. You throw the float away, let it float a little bit from the boat so that the net begins to spread out under the current. Then, with uniform movements of the hand, rocking the net like a pendulum, throw it overboard. load-cord He was the last to go into the water, and floating First, the network should be vertical.

Phase	Action.	Key point
1. Preparation	Unwinding of the buer cord	The end must be fixed in the boat.
2. Start.	First float throw	Control of net departure from the board
3. Main phase	Throwing the web	Uniform rhythm, no jerks
Completion	End float throw	Cord tension test

The speed of the boat should be minimal when you're setting it up. If you're using the motor, turn on the smallest gear. If you're rowing, do rare, strong strokes. The main task is to get the boat moving a little faster than the net goes into the water, but not so fast as to break. landing-strandThe boat's sharp jerks can cause the net to become entangled around a screw or paddle.

Features of fishing depending on the type of reservoir

Lakes are different: shallow and overgrown, deep and transparent, with a muddy bottom or stony. On shallow lakes with grass, the use of classical bottom nets is difficult. top-net And the bottom of the water, where the fish feed, is the seam, and the depth of the nets is controlled by the length of the sheer cords.

Deep lakes with rocky bottoms are at high risk of hooks, and in these conditions, experienced fishermen use nets with uncouples or put them on specific shelves rather than on the entire depth drop. Also in deep water, it is important to consider thermocline, a layer of water where the temperature changes dramatically, fish rarely cross this layer, so the net should be placed either above or below the thermocline, depending on which fish you catch.

In reed-covered lakes, the net is set along the boundary of vegetation, and trying to put a net inside the reeds almost always leads to the gear becoming part of the landscape and overgrown with algae, becoming invisible to the fish and inaccessible to the fisherman, and here it is important to pinpoint the boundary where the stems end and clean water begins.

⚠️ Attention: On a rocky bottom, use a reinforced cargo cord net. A conventional cord can quickly RUB against the sharp edges of the stones, and the net will pop up or go into a deep drift from where it will be impossible to reach.

Network sampling and catch management

The sampling of the net is a process that requires even more care than setting it up. As you go up to the first float, you need to carefully pick up a drill cord. If you have fish on the net, you'll notice the characteristic tension and movement of the water. You need to tighten the net evenly, picking it up with your hands and folding it into a boat or a special container. You can't pull the net in jerks, the frightened fish will start to throw around and can damage the cell or become entangled so that it has to be cut out with the net.

When sampling large fish, such as pike or perch, use sucker A large predator can damage the net with teeth or sharp gills. If the fish gets entangled, free it by moving against the scales, gently straightening the cells with your fingers. Never pull the fish if it's stuck, you'd better open the planting knot there.

What to do if the network is caught in a snag?

If you feel a throttle, don't try to pull as hard as you can, break the net. Try to change the angle of tension by going around the snag on the boat. If that doesn't work, you can use a special uncouple (hook cargo) that is lowered on the thruster cord to knock the net off an obstacle. At the very least, you have to dive or cut the cord, but this is a last resort.

Once the catch is sampled, the net must be re-examined immediately. Stuck leaves, algae, and small slug fish (if you don't leave it) must be removed. The clean net dries faster and rots less. Unless you plan to put the net back in the first place, it should be dried in the shade, but not in the direct sun, because ultraviolet destroys synthetic fibers.

Legal aspects and environmental responsibility

Fishing nets in Russia are regulated by the Federal Fisheries Act and fishing regulations for each fishery basin; in most regions, amateur fishing nets are only allowed in Siberia and the Far East, as well as in some northern regions, and only if there is a permit. In central Russia, the use of nets for amateur fishing is generally prohibited.

There are strict limits on the size of the cell, such as 30-40 mm for poultry, 90 mm for perch, and above, and the use of fine-mesh nets ("delusions") is considered poaching and is punished especially severely, since such tools sweep out all fish, including juveniles, without giving the appearance of a chance for reproduction.

Environmental responsibility is not just about keeping catches safe, it's also about keeping water bodies clean. Lost nets (ghost nets) keep working for years, killing fish, birds and animals that get entangled in them. So never throw old, torn nets into the water or on shore. Take them to recycling or use them for household use, but don't turn the pond into a landfill.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I put nets at night from a boat?

Technically, it is possible, but it is extremely dangerous and often forbidden by safety regulations, there is a high risk of not seeing another boat or obstacle at night, and many fishing regulations prohibit fishing in the water with fishing gear at night without special permission.

What is the optimal network length for a beginner?

To start with, it's better to use nets 25-30 meters long. Longer canvases (50 meters and above) require experience to be properly staged from one boat, because there is a high risk of entanglement. Short nets are easier to control and faster to choose.

How often should I check the network?

Fishing regulations typically require net checks at least once a day, to prevent fish from dying (which can rot or become prey for predators) and predation (when large fish eat small things), leaving a net for a few days is a surefire way to get a fine and spoil the catch.

What to do if a protected fish is caught in the net?

If a fish listed in the Red Book or an individual below the minimum fishing size is caught, it must be carefully released and released back into the water. In some cases (for example, when catching sturgeon), you need to draw up a certificate and report it to the fish protection service, even if the fish is released.