Re: NANFA-- Dipnets: Deep vs. Shallow

BR0630_at_aol.com
Tue, 9 Mar 2004 10:14:08 EST

In a message dated 3/8/04 5:32:41 PM Mountain Standard Time,
bongi_at_cox-internet.com writes:

> which you prefer and why; dipnets that have a shallow net
> or a deep net.
>

I prefer the shallow nets for collecting live food for my fish - daphnia,
glass worms and mayfly nymphs. Shallow nets don't create all of the folds, etc
that make it difficult to clean the "bugs" out of the bag. It also makes it
easier to do what I call my "gold pan swirl" where I swirl the water around in
ever shallower circles or shake the net bag up & down in the water to pull all
of the bugs into the very bottom of the net bag so they're easier to drop into
my collecting jar or bucket. For collecting up under dense willow roots etc,
a shallow bag also is beneficial as it doesn't get hung up near as often as
the deep bagged nets.

When collecting fish or crayfish in moderate current or open water, a deeper
bag is better at keeping fish inside the bag, but also the deeper bag can give
fish or crayfish a sense of security when dragging the net through weeds or
setting the net downstream while kicking up rocks or sticks, etc. This is
fairly obvious, but finer mesh nets create a lot more resistence, thereby slowing
down your swooping speed - fish and crayfish may easily outswim a fine-meshed
dipnet. I use a real fine mesh for water bugs and 1/4" mesh nets for smaller
fish & crayfish. Fish in clear water with current just laugh at my attempts
to catch them with a dipnet unless I stir up silt in the water to 'blind' them.
A seine with 'chasers' is more effective in current, especially in water
under 2' deep.

Bruce Scott
Meridian, Idaho
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