Fyke net fishing

A fyke net is a certain kind of large fish trap floating on water surface.

The best season for fyke net fishing is in early summer. Then vendace and also other fish swim a lot trying to find food, to fuel up after the long winter. It is wise to set the fyke net on the presumed routes of the fish. There are many different sizes of fyke nets, which are used to catch different species of fish. Shallow 1.5-3 metres high nets are used for roach and perch, whereas a vendace fyke is usually 6-8 metres high. 

A large fyke net system is used for catching vendace. It is made of three parts: first there are wings which are normally 60-120 m long. They are meant to lead the fish toward the actual trap. The wings end at the first throat where the frames begin. When the fish swim through the first and largest throat, the frames will lead them toward the back end of the net. Before they arrive there, they will pass through a notably smaller throat where lines or leads have been stretched towards the back. The meaning of these leads is to stop the fish from swimming back to the throat. When the fyke is emptied, the back end is tied to a tight knot and the fish are collected from there straight into a water tank filled with ice chips. This ensures the quick cooling of the catch.