Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Fyke Net Usage Tips

I still need to order mine; many family issues came up and never got it. I may have to work with you to build a frame like you have on yours as I plan to have one made to your dimensions.

I hope they can get it made and sent to me in the next few months.

mnfish,

When do you plan to set your net out again?

MRHELLO,

As soon as the ice cover comes off I will set traps. I'm not sure I can even drive back there yet (a lot of snow this year). I would bet my ponds still have 12" of ice.

I am planning a trip up this weekend to check on things and will report back. Without drastic weather changes, I would guess,the end of April or first week in May for trap placements.

I am waiting to hear back on the net trying to figure out how much it will be. I plan to get one like yours but I think the price has gone up quite a bit. Yours was about $300 correct?

From what I saw this weekend the ponds will be ice free in a couple of weeks. Looking back at my records from last year, my ponds are going to be at least 4 weeks behind. MN winters can get a touch long (rolling my eyes with sarcasm).

I believe that was the number

I think they are closer to $400 now, I may still take the plunge but just under $300 sounded better.

I am sure this make for an easy fish fry.

I know you posted a few pictures of crappie, but do you catch many crappie in this net?

Fyke Net Version 2.0

I think I got the one man design figured out. A new frame design and a rope system. How it works...
1. Placed an anchor out in the pond about 40' from shore
2. From the anchor a float and latch connector float on the surface
3. Run a rope from shore thru the latch connector and back to the shore
4. One end is connected to the trap and the other end is free.
5. Pull on the rope to place the trap
6. Pull on the lead to retrieve the trap .Here are some pics from the test this weekend.


Frame for net

Net attached to frame

Pull rope(green) met being pulled out

A few BCP


Transporting to another location

I will be trying to figure out how to post a video to show. My "real" job is in product innovation for the medical field but for those of you in the fish business there may be a product here.

That is nice. What type of pipe did you use there? If you are interested in making some to sell I may be one of the first to need one.

How big were those BCP you caught?

I used 1.5" ABS tubing. Very light. I didn't weigh it but the whole set up with the net can't weigh more than 30lbs. For me, there are so many advantages to using this setup.

1. Trap can be placed in less than 1 min, by 1 operator
2. Trap can be retrieved in less than 1 min, by 1 operator
3. Trap is always set open perfectly, even on uneven bottom
4. Easy to move to different locations
5. Once the anchor and pull line is set, no need for a boat, all work done from shore
6. No lifting with the exception of tipping the net to empty the fish

I am not looking to profit from this design at all. The guys and gals of this forum have given me so much information and taken a lifetime out of my pond management learning curve. All for FREE! Sharing the experience and eventually the final design specifications will be my way of hopefully paying some back.

My water temps are still cold and the fish movement isn't that great. I want to use this set up thru the month of May into early June. Debug it,post a video in use, then post a bill of materials. I really think this setup can help a lot of people struggling to trap fish in their ponds.

The 26 BCP's were 4-6" and have been stocked into a another mans pond. Once the water heats up, I should be trapping hundreds of those bad boys.

One more pic from this weekend.

Very nice set-up.

Do you use the same anchor as you move the trap around pond?

Is your anchor moveable?

When there are fish in the trap, are they still alive and in good condition?
I ask for the purpose of releasing the ones that you didn't want to trap.

A few detailed pics of the "parts" that you mention would be helpful as we tend to all call things differently but mean the same item.

Thanks for your time in updating

......Jim

mnfish - great idea. Good work! Anxious to hear results of your fish sampling.

A quick sketch.



Culling fish with the least amount of stress is exactly what I need to do. I pull the trap up to shore, see what's inside. If the catch isn't big enough pull the trap back out. If the catch is acceptable, push the trap back in the water (covering fish with water). The trap now becomes a big netted live well. When I'm ready, pull it up on level ground and tip into a bucket or tub filled with water. I will sort, measure, weigh and such from the tub.

I am planning on leaving the anchor and rope in one location on each of my ponds. With the anchor and ropes placed no boat will be needed for the trapping season.

I like the sketch. Looks like a slick way to put the trap in/out.

I would also like a list of materials when you have it.

For the rest of you...don't let Tatonka fool you. He is the one pictured on the dock here. He is a big reason this trap design works so well. Not much to look at but a pretty darn good innovator.

Well done and well thought out!!

Very well thought out... Very creative! Can't wait to see the results!

What esshup said. I really like it!

ABS is lighter that PVC. Most of it is foam core.

Keep an eye out on it for long term exposure to sunlight tho.

I can't wait until I get mine now. I am expecting a call back from Nichols Net & Twine as to when they will get to it. He said it would be 30 days or so mid April and he would call if he could get to it sooner.

I may just have to give him a ring to see how far we are out it will soon be warm, but now would be a good time to thin out the female crappie before they spawn.

Mnfish, you did an outstanding job on your project. You put the C back in -raftsman. I love it when people do a great job on something that many people would slop together. On a different note, does anyone know where you can buy a net besides Nichols. I bought one 4 months ago for 270 and the same net is now 430. I think we may have given them a little to much business.

I would like to know as well if there are other options. I was going to order one like mnfish so I would have the same dimensions for the frame he is building, plus it would only be 1 maybe 2 people setting the net out and this size is nice.

I think they have gone up at least $100 or so in price and I have not heard anything back yet.

So other recommendations would be good.

I have searched the internet but keep getting posted toward international sites and I would prefer to keep my business here if possible.

Set and retrieved the net Fri and Sat. We also shot some videos of the process. My daughter is going to help me to edit and post on Youtube, hopefully tomorrow night....stay tuned! We caught painted turtles, a small snapping turtle, 52 BCP, 8 YP, 6 GSF, and some BH.

* No animals were harmed in the making of this film except for the BH's

Good job, can't wait for the video!