Nets Within Nets

Str. The hunting of animals who live in the water has the general name of fishing.

Theaet. Yes.

Str. And this sort of hunting may be further divided also into two principal kinds?

Theaet. What are they?

Str. There is one kind which takes them in nets, another which takes them by a blow.

Theaet. What do you mean, and how do you distinguish them?

Str. As to the first kind-all that surrounds and encloses anything to prevent egress, may be rightly called an enclosure.

Theaet. Very true.

Str. For which reason twig baskets, casting nets, nooses, creels, and the like may all be termed "enclosures"?

Theaet. True.

Str. And therefore this first kind of capture may be called by us capture with enclosures, or something of that sort?

Theaet. Yes.

Str. The other kind, which is practised by a blow with hooks and three pronged spears, when summed up under one name, may be called striking, unless you, Theaetetus, can find some better name?

Theaet. Never mind the name-what you suggest will do very well.

Str. There is one mode of striking, which is done at night, and by the light of a fire, and is by the hunters themselves called firing, or spearing by firelight.

Theaet. True.

Str. And the fishing by day is called by the general name of barbing because the spears, too, are barbed at the point.

Theaet. Yes, that is the term.

Str. Of this barb-fishing, that which strikes the fish Who is below from above is called spearing, because this is the way in which the three-pronged spears are mostly used.

Theaet. Yes, it is often called so.

Str. Then now there is only one kind remaining.

Theaet. What is that?

Str. When a hook is used, and the fish is not struck in any chance part of his body-he as be is with the spear, but only about the head and mouth, and is then drawn out from below upwards with reeds and rods:-What is the right name of that mode of fish, Theaetetus?

Theaet. I suspect that we have now discovered the object of our search.

Str. Then now you and I have come to an understanding not only about the name of the angler's art, but about the definition of the thing itself. One half of all art was acquisitive-half of all the art acquisitive art was conquest or taking by force, half of this was hunting, and half of hunting was hunting animals, half of this was hunting water animals-of this again, the under half was fishing, half of fishing was striking; a part of striking was fishing with a barb, and one half of this again, being the kind which strikes with a hook and draws the fish from below upwards, is the art which we have been seeking, and which from the nature of the operation is denoted angling or drawing up (aspalienutike, anaspasthai).

Theaet. The result has been quite satisfactorily brought out.

- Plato, "Sophist"

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from Florida Sportfishing

Although artificial offerings have their time and place, live bait is hard to beat. While some choose to purchase frisky forage, if you spend the extra time and effort catching your own live bait you'll gain a tremendous amount of knowledge in regards to migration routes and seasonal patterns of both forage species and game fish. Arguably the best way to do so is with the use of a cast net.

In existence for thousands of years, cast nets have long been relied upon for successful days on the water. While all serve the same purpose, if you think a cast net is a cast net then you are sadly mistaken. The overall design, cutting and seaming of panels, and how well the net was constructed greatly influence its overall performance and ease of use. To get the inside story, we contacted Tim Wade of Tim Wade Cast Nets. With over 40-years experience designing and constructing handmade nets, it's no surprise Tim Wade Cast Nets are relied upon by the most successful captains in the industry.

FSF: What should buyers look for when purchasing a cast net?

Wade: First of all, there's no cast net that's perfect for every situation. The baitfish you seek, where you plan on finding them and your physical condition should all influence your decision. When it comes to selection there are two types of cast nets—skirt and panel nets. Skirt nets have seams sewed around the net in a bullseye pattern. The biggest issue with skirt nets is that they tend to fold on the seam lines. Panel nets are tied with anywhere from 6 to 8 panels in a pie shape configuration. In regards to construction, the distribution of the mesh in the net determines its spread and sink rate. Unfortunately, you really can't tell if a net is designed properly until you throw it. Too many panels starves the net at the top, while too few panels makes the net pull tight in undesirable areas.

FSF: Do net makers use any special type of line when weaving the mesh?

Wade: Depth stretched mesh is used for its supple attributes with several color variations available in green, blue and snow white, although the latter is not suggested because it is very bright and can spook baitfish during daylight hours. The best option is natural white, which has a yellowish hue and seems to be the stealthiest.

FSF: Have construction techniques changed over the years?

Wade: With older style nets you had to put your arm around them and bunch the netting together. They worked well, but were fluffy and a handful to bunch up and throw. With new depth stretched mesh, the material tends to stretch in the opposite direction. During the construction process the knotted monofilament is heated in a steam chest and stretched so the knots don't move. When you throw the net and stretch the knot it wants to close back up because the monofilament is pulled so tight in the knot. This is where a cast net's springiness comes from.

FSF: How important are braille lines?

Wade: Braille lines are absolutely crucial to a net's overall effectiveness. They attach the drawstring to the lead line. When it's time to haul your catch the braille lines shut the net and trap your catch. If your cast net does not have enough braille lines, your net will not close tightly. The correct number is usually determined by the net's hanging length. It's important to note that hanging length is not the same as radius.

FSF: Do you recommend any kind of treatment for new nets?

Wade: You definitely don't want to use petroleum byproducts or any form of chlorine on or around your net. In particular, do not make the mistake of moisturizing your net with fabric softener. This practice has been popular because the paraffin wax in the fabric softener lubricates the knots, but it also deteriorates them.

FSF: What's the correct treatment?

Wade: I recommend filling half a bucket with hot tap water. Don't use boiling water because it could shrink your drawstring. Submerge the net inside the bucket and add a couple hefty squirts of mild dish detergent. Let your net soak for 15-minutes and then remove it from the bucket while keeping as much soap as you can keep on the mesh. Place the net outside in a shady spot and let the soap air dry on the netting. Give it a quick rinse and you're good to go.

FSF: What other tips can you offer?

Wade: After each use rinse your net with freshwater and hang it until the lead line is completely dry. Never hang your net with the lead line off the ground. Store your net in a cool, dry environment and avoid exposing it to the sun for extended periods of time. It's also a good idea to inspect your net after every use, mending any cuts or tears.

FSF: What makes a Tim Wade Cast Net special?

Wade: The effectiveness of my nets is a direct result of the design and distribution of the netting. I use an 8-panel design because it reduces the amount of netting on the top. It's easy to gather in your hands, but still has adequate mesh in the bottom. I've also been able to increase sink rate while still offering a net that's easy to throw. This is all because the netting distribution has a little extra mesh, so you don't have the springback that you see with some other nets.

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Street tactics are used to fight the enemy in the streets, utilizing the participation of the population against him.

In 1968, the Brazilian students used excellent street tactics against police troops, such as marching down streets against traffic and using slingshots and marbles against mounted police. Other street tactics consist of constructing barricades; pulling up paving blocks and hurling them at the police; throwing bottles, bricks, paperweights and other projectiles at the police from the top of office and apartment buildings; using buildings and other structures for escape, for hiding and for supporting surprise attacks. It is equally necessary to know how to respond to enemy tactics. When the police troops come wearing helmets to protect them against flying objects, we have to divide ourselves into two teams—one to attack the enemy from the front, the other to attack him in the rear—withdrawing one as the other goes into action to prevent the first from being struck by projectiles hurled by the second. By the same token, it is important to know how to respond to the police net. When the police designate certain of their men to go into the crowd and arrest a demonstrator, a larger group of urban guerrillas must surround the police group, disarming and beating them and at the same time allowing the prisoner to escape. This urban guerrilla operation is called "the net within a net".

When the police net is formed at a school building, a factory, a place where demonstrators gather, or some other point, the urban guerrilla must not give up or allow himself to be taken by surprise. To make his net effective, the enemy is obliged to transport his troops in vehicles and special cars to occupy strategic points in the streets, in order to invade the building or chosen locale. The urban guerrilla, for his part, must never clear a building or an area and meet in it without first knowing its exits, the way to break an encirclement, the strategic points that the police must occupy, and the roads that inevitably lead into the net, and he must hold other strategic points from which to strike at the enemy. The roads followed by police vehicles must be mined at key points along the way and at forced roadblocks. When the mines explode, the vehicles will be knocked into the air. The police will be caught in the trap and will suffer losses and be victims of an ambush. The net must be broken by escape routes which are unknown to the police. The rigorous planning of a withdrawal is the best way to frustrate any encircling effort on the part of the enemy. When there is no possibility of an escape plan, the urban guerrilla must not hold meetings, gatherings or do anything, since to do so will prevent him from breaking through the net which the enemy will surely try to throw around him.

Street tactics have revealed a new type of urban guerrilla who participates in mass protests. This is the type we designate as the "urban guerrilla demonstrator", who joins the crowds and participates in marches with specific and definate aims in mind. The urban guerrilla demonstrator must initiate the "net within the net", ransacking government vehicles, official cars and police vehicles before turning them over or setting fire to them, to see if any of them have money or weapons.

- Carlos Marighella, "Minimanual of the Urban Guerilla"