Making a Nymph Net

Hi everyone!

I don't feel like buying a nymph net if I can make one, so I was hoping for some advice from the rest of you.

Having looked for instructions online, I am pretty sure there are none out there. So, I have assembled a list of materials that might work for creating a nymph net. Please tell me what you think.

Cheesecloth
Wire Hanger
Twist Ties (or something else to hold the cheesecloth to the hanger)

Would this work? I think it might. I'll post again when I have some results.

Thanks,

Tom

i've never made one but i think twist ties will rust out. you can get really small plastic/nylon cable ties at electronics stores like radio shack, etc.

or you could just go to a pet store and get an aquarium net of some kind, no?

How about one leg of your wife's pantyhose streched over your trout net? Seine for bugs, then take it off and stuff it into your vest while fishing.

Go to the pet shop and get a small
aquarium net. Cost is about $1.69
and it is already made!

I carry and use mine quite a bit.
Just add a small BRASS hook to the handle
so you can hook it on your vest or pack
net loop.

------------------
**MW**

Thanks for the ideas everyone! I'll stop by the pet store to see if I can find a pet fish net that is fine enough.

Tom

Instead of cheese cloth get some of the bug screen used in tents (try REI or EMS online, they sell bulk outdoor fabrics) This material is much stronger than cheese cloth and has rip-stop qualities.

Sewing thread or mono-filiment works well for attaching to a wire hoop, double the material a few times for strength before forcing it around the hoop and whip stitch it into place.

If you are concerned about rust you can find rust proof steel or brass wire at most hobby stores, ask for 'piano wire'. Force the free ends into an old wine cork for a simple handle. It will float if you accidentaly drop it.

A real simple solution is to cut out a section of nylon panty hose and temporarily slip it over your landing net. When your finished seining for bugs you can take it off, roll it up and store in in your vest pocket.

I'd go with KenGore's solution. Then do as if you are making a butterfly net. Fold a peice in half, fun a seam accross the bottom and up one side. Fold a cuff at the opening and sew around that. Take a coat hanger and make a loop as big around as the opening, thread this thru the cuff you just made and attach a handle of the appropriate length and strength.

Takes a bit more time, but it will be just the size you want.

We used to make 2-3 each spring and catch butterflies in them that we mounted and displayed when I was growing up. I need to do that with my kids now. They love butterflies as much as I did as a kid. Had a lot of fun catching and identifying them with dad.

Sometimes it even took precedence over fishing, if the fish were uncooperative for a bit. Nice break at lunch time. http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/smile.gif

Don

TomL:

Back in my entomological/fly-fishing days I made a seine for nymph collecting out of mosquito netting which is available in lots of places like camping stores. I made it rectangular in shape and at least 36? long with two sleeves on either end made by folding the netting over to make a 2? flap and sewing it with mono fishing line. You could seal the seams with Aqua Seal if you want to really make it permanent. If you have access to a sewing machine you can get really fancy.

When I wanted to use it instead of carrying around a frame or poles I would take out my trusty Swiss Amy knife and find myself two nice sticks, removing any protrusions so they would slide easily into the sleeves I made. Then hold it downstream of you while kicking around on the stream bottom. Lift it up and voila; you got bugs. When you?re done, throw away the sticks and fold up the net and shove it in a pocket or pouch.

The stocking over the trout net is another great idea to eliminate carrying additional junk unless you don?t carry a net in the first place. Another problem with small nets and the like is you can?t cover as wide an area as you can with a wide seine held across a section of stream.

Have fun!

Tom,

I went to one of the $1.00 stores and bought a butterfly net. It works great and has a detachable handle.

Allan

I've used the panty hose trick for many years.
Leave the hose covering your trout net, it keeps the net from being caught in the brush when walk down the trail.

------------------
"Nick's heart tightened as the trout moved. He felt all the old feeling" ...Ernest Hemingway

Why not buy one? They are not that expensive, and after wasting a bunch of time, money and gas running around, you may come out ahead by purchasing it.

rawthumb,

Exactly! Kind of like driving around the block several times looking to find a parking meter with a nickles worth of time on it.

Allan

While I use the panty hose over the landing net trick, I have yet to figure out how to explain having panty hose in my vest to my wife and other fishing buddies! I made a real one with two tent pole sections, bug screen material from the hardware store, and zip-ties. Cheap, ugly, and effective. Rolls up nice and just fits in the back pocket on the vest.

Have fun, Jeff

Just so those asking know,

I don't have a shop nearby that sells nymph nets, so I'll have to either make one or improvise (I suppose I could mail order or e-bay, but after shipping it will cost less to make one).

Tom

I bought bug screen at a fabric store and sewed two pockets, one on each end. I took a dowl and cut it to size and stuck one in each pocket. VOILA! a bug net. It fits in my pack, is large as needed, compact etc.

jed

We just made several for a kid's camp presentation and training.

Fiberglass window screen 30" x 36" (we made lots--bought a whole roll)

Two strips of cloth 1 1/2" x 36-40"

Stapler (sewing machine for long-term use)

two 40" lengths of 1/2 PVC Schedule 40 (one 20' section makes 6 pieces)


Take the screen, fold back and double over one of the 30" long edges about 3". Lay the cloth along the doubled edge and staple the cloth onto the screen. Sew it on if you have a machine. The extra cloth lengths are doubled over the edges of the screen to support the edges of the connection. Leave enough room in the overlap, where you do not staple or sew, so that one of the pieces of PVC can be slipped through the sleeve you have just made.

Repeat on the opposite side of the screen.

To assemble, run the two pieces of PVC down the sleeves along the sides of the screen. You should have a 30" square screen with two removable poles to support it.

You can also just roll the edges over the poles and epoxy the cloth to the poles. This works with wooden dowels, as well. But the screen is not removable.

Dennis