Building a shrimp net
So your gonna build a shrimp net... Well good for you. A store bought net can run upwards of $50 and in my opinion don't work as well and are less fun to use.
First you will need some supplies.
1. Large bike tire rim - You can get this at any bike shop. cost = free
2. Potato sack or burlap- potato sack at any grocery store cost = free
burlap at some fabric or hardware stores cost = $2-3
3. Jute string - avalable at most home hardware stores cost = $3-4
4. Rope Again at most home hardware stores min 50ft cost = .05ft
total cost = $7-10.00
As a note ... I have also found a nice supply of used fish netting in Victoria and have made a new net with this. It is much easier to use that burlap and you dont have the drag of the water to pull up like with burlap. I may have to cover the bottom with an onion sack because the holes on the netting are rather large but I am expecting this to work well. It runs about $4 lb
Now take your bike tire rim (spokes removed) and place it on to the burlap. You want to make a basket with at least a 6" drop (see my stupid drawing). Do not make it too shallow or when you pull it up all the shrimp and crabs will be washed off or crawl off. Use the jute cord to sew the burlap onto the tire rim. I found tying the cord onto a piece of wire made it eaiser to sew with the jute. Cut the burlap into a circle bigger that the tire rim and then cut a small pie shaped piece out of it. Sew that together using the jute making sure there are no big holes for shrimp to escape out of. You can also just fold the extra burlap over instead of cutting out a pie piece. Shrimp tend to hide or get stuck under the fold and its not too pleasant if you don't find the shrimp that was stuck in the fold for a few weeks. :-)
You are almost done.... You just have to tie your rope onto the bike tire rim in three or four places and attach them to a central point . I like to buy a 3" metal ring so that I can attach all the ropes to a central location and keep them even. Thats it your done ..Just figure out how much line you will need to get off the wharf and to the bottom. 50-70 ft is usually good in Sidney.
Click on the link below to find out how to shrimp this trap and bait to use....