The early planning phase of making a net for your fishing float may seem daunting at first. A key to getting started and being able to visualize the net-making process is having a large enough work space where you can line out your net strings on a homemade loom of sorts.
Have patience and do not be afraid to set out all your cut net threads and then take a step back to see how the net will be assembled. If your work space is not big enough, think about holding off until you can locate a big enough space.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderately Challenging
Things You’ll Need:
- Scissors or utility knife
- Large piece of very stiff cardboard, from a fridge box or other appliance
- Fishing float of floats
- Spool of net thread
- Marker
- Measuring tape
Step 1
Set your float or floats on a flat surface. Measure a square shape around the float, with 6 inches of space on every side. Write down these dimensions. Set the float aside for the time being.
Step 2
On the cardboard, draw out the same size square with the marker. Make another square around the first, going out by another 2 inches. Cut out the square from the main piece of cardboard, making sure you do not cut into the inner square.
Step 3
Make a mark every 1/2 inch around the outer square with the marker, starting from the upper left hand corner. Using scissors, cut down at these marks 1 inch toward the inner square, but not cutting into it.
Cut out as many pieces of net thread that you need, so each cut-out hash mark has one piece of string running from it to the cut hash mark on the opposite side of the square directly across from it.
If needed, set these in a criss-cross fashion over each other on a flat work bench to visualize the net before setting it into the cardboard loom.
Step 4
Thread each piece of string into the cardboard loom. Run the string from one hash mark to the other on the direct opposite side of the square.
Weave the threads between each other as you do this, making them overlap with each consecutive string added. You will have a series of net threads that form square-shaped mesh holes throughout the square.
Step 5
Bend the cardboard under the mesh net so it bows out from the net threads. Push the fishing float into the space between the cardboard and the net mesh without having any thread come loose from the cardboard loom.
Keeping the float in the mesh net, gently tug on the net threads so these come out of the hash marks on the loom. Set the float and net on the flat work surface.
Step 6
Tie each opposite string to the next using a Blood knot, until the net is sealed and the float is resting inside it. Tie a leader or bobber line to the fishing float net to use for fishing.
