how do i set a traditional longnet ?

[Brimmer 220]

I'm no experienced man on the old longnet, but can relate to what Joonsy said about the kill bieng pushed up to one end with the wind, then the cursing going on as i tried pulling it back over itself!

Could tying it up every few yards help?

Spoke to my old man about this, he thinks maybee?

 

Hi Mate, Joonsey no doubt can do the job well, however I feel he's being a little dogmatic. I can manage fine doing it either way. Peg as you go, done very carefully will keep the bag in each section. It is possible still however to get in a mess. It is easier if there is two of you.

Tied in bag can cause problems. The net can blow along over the knotted part giving a large heap of unmanageable difficult to sort net.

Peg as you go and always lift the net into the wind, if you can. If you back peg, always be aware of keeping your net sorted ie if your bag is a bit tight at one end, then lift from that end so that when you run it next drop, you can pull bag to you as you peg. Either way, in an end wind, tail out the last fifteen or so yards, of the end the wind is blowing towards, and make sure you have plenty bag there, as the net will tend to blow along to the pegs and a lot of rabbits can bounce off, and run along the front of the net. These will hopefully be caught in the tail, ie shaped like a letter L..

Think the problem might be the old codger trying to help!

His prey drive is high, and he's commited, but he probably needs commiting himself!

Always lift the net square on to the wind, as you say, thats the way to do it. Always keeping an eye on how much kill is bieng clumped up, and adjust it to suit.

You both know the job well to be honest, i avoid nets if i can, but i know we need them at the end of the day.

[ianrob 2]

i find it alot easier to get in a mess, whilst pegging as i go. I have put alot of time practising both methods but find back pegging easiest :s doesnt take long if you can walk fast

 

 

Hi mate, as Joonsy says, peg as you go is the best, however that's if you can manage on your own. NB it's a LOT easier if there are two of you who have practiced together. If you get in a pickle half way through, don't waste time, just run the rest of the net, peg it down, quickly get back to your last peg, and back peg forwards . If you start from the end when you already have a few pegs in, you could end with a bit of a mess in the middle. Free running bands are a must if you peg as you go, as it allows the net to even out.

The reason that I don't like the dogma aout this must be this way and that must be etc. I've been netting since about 1970, and for the first 25 years thought back pegging was the way it was done, as that's what I was shown. I had a 3z, 2" nylon net 100 yards with the cords tied in and I caught a lot of rabbits. I was then shown peg as you go by two brothers, I liked it but found the care in lifting the net a chore, however I could see benefits. I however work alone, and I peg as you go, however if I hit a problem I revert to back pegging.

To be honest, the Glenn Waters preset seems more attractive by the day.

Edited December 1, 2008 by ianrob

[Joonsy 38]

i agree that two people is the most efficient way of setting, the runner-out needs only be a few yards in front of pegger for best efficiency, however if one does not have a reliable experineced partner it is quite straightforward to work nets solo by pegging as you go, backpegging is easier and it does take some practice to master pegging as you go but once learned personally i think it is the better method for reasons previously explained, in the end it's not about what's easy but what's best, and being versatile with the skills to use all methods can only be good, for beginners backpegging is simpler and gives that vital ''feel'' in the hands but as one becomes more proficient it's only natural to want to try differernt ways and get as good as one possibly can. As regards setting five nets you do not have to be a machine, just proficient and i have done so many times, it's no different to setting one net you just do the same thing another four times. Regarding tying-in of bagging i personally don't like it as after a few sets the tie-in points at top and bottom lines can become uneven leading to stretching of net between tie-in points and net can bunch up at tie-in points, anyway with pegging as you go net is always automatically ''tied-in'' between each two pegs by the pegs themselves. Interesting the mention of 3Z nets, years ago nets were offered in this and those were my first nets, they were very good, i don't know if they are still available but i haven't seen them advertised myself for years now, the adverts i see now offer 4z or 6z but not 3z, those old 3z nets were double-knotted, some today though not all are single-knotted which is economy at the cost of quality in my opinion. In the end whatever works for you is fine, everyone has preferences and i'm not dogmatic about it, the one neccessity all beginners need though is perseverance until it all clicks together, it's those tangles that give one the experience one needs.

[tramp 2]

Hi everyone, nice to hear lads still useing the traditional way, my advice would be to make your own net from scratch. I use hemp nets and cotton braid lines. these lines stop any probs with cross winds and netting sliding alond when setting or lifting. you can stitch the net every so many yards but it has limatations. get mr wymans book - you wont go wrong. as for quickset systems , despite my back is knackerd i can still set a net as quickly or faster than most with such a system but more importantly a fair bit quieter. i can also run threw alot more places and find the old way the better. just my veiw.

[Joonsy 38]

Hi everyone, nice to hear lads still useing the traditional way, my advice would be to make your own net from scratch. I use hemp nets and cotton braid lines. these lines stop any probs with cross winds and netting sliding alond when setting or lifting. you can stitch the net every so many yards but it has limatations. get mr wymans book - you wont go wrong. as for quickset systems , despite my back is knackerd i can still set a net as quickly or faster than most with such a system but more importantly a fair bit quieter. i can also run threw alot more places and find the old way the better. just my veiw.

 

Hello ''tramp'', yes i prefer the old traditional method of setting long nets as well, it's so versatile, and also i use cotton lines as the net does not slide along lines of cotton as easily as nylon and holds better on pegs. I suspect that the traditional method is now used by a minority of netters.

[ianrob 2]

Hi everyone, nice to hear lads still useing the traditional way, my advice would be to make your own net from scratch. I use hemp nets and cotton braid lines. these lines stop any probs with cross winds and netting sliding alond when setting or lifting. you can stitch the net every so many yards but it has limatations. get mr wymans book - you wont go wrong. as for quickset systems , despite my back is knackerd i can still set a net as quickly or faster than most with such a system but more importantly a fair bit quieter. i can also run threw alot more places and find the old way the better. just my veiw.

 

Hello ''tramp'', yes i prefer the old traditional method of setting long nets as well, it's so versatile, and also i use cotton lines as the net does not slide along lines of cotton as easily as nylon and holds better on pegs. I suspect that the traditional method is now used by a minority of netters.

 

I use hemp too lads, and always fancied giving the cotton cords a go, I bet they don't bunch up as bad in an end wind. As regards the 3z net, I still use it, "through the day" it's buggered now, but boy does it ball them up. It tears easily now and since I used Kangol seat belt thread spool ends to repair it, it's a bit colourful too. It was sold as a 100 yarder new and though it only had 150 yards of net in it, it caught remarkably well. I used to use 11 26" pegs and back pegged it as I say, thats 10 yards apart. I'm talking 1969/70 here, it was what I'd been shown. The cords were tight, and I regular took well into the teens on a drop. It was easily ripped if you got excited taking rabbits out, sort of stand on the bottom cord and lift the top one, but I loved it. Now as I said, I try to stick to peg as you go, but mix and match if I have problems. Glenn Waters can put down his 100 yard pre-set in under two minutes. I'm gonna make one of them for a go next. good netting lads, ian.

Edited December 1, 2008 by ianrob