Nets.... reminds me of a true story when I lost my Dads prized Hardy landing net on Loch Shiel in 1987.
One evening, having come to the end of a
very successful drift across Acharacle or 'Home' bay, I fired up the outboard and was a wee bit too keen to kick the boat around and head back upwind in order to do the drift again. As I turned and straightened the boat up I saw something silver flashing in the water 'ooohhhh.... a net' I thought. It wasn't until about 5 seconds later the sharp and cold realisation that it had been Dads net hit me. Somehow it had gone overboard in my turn
and as I looked into the loch with horror the net slipped from sight and disappeared into the depths as if the Lady of the Lake were taking Excalibur to a watery grave.
To be fair, Dad was less than volcanic about it - mostly as I had a brace of nice Sea Trout and a Grilse for the kitchen.
Cut to 1988. I started working for the Sea Fish Industry Authority and it just so happened that there was a diver or two amongst them and they dived the Loch for me. They didn't find Dads net
However, they did find a Hardy Perfect 'Taupo' (it was knackered, but had probably been at the bottom of the loch for 30 years even then) the remains of a Hardy rod the reel was still attached to, at least three tobys, a pair of rowlocks, a flybox and a walnut pipe. But no net. Dad claimed rights over all the 'salvage' and demanded compensation for the net. He still has the net I bought him to this day and, I think, the pipe went to a neighbour when they lived in France.
Anyone who has been out with me in a boat will know that I am always very, very careful about where my net is.... that was my expensive lesson
H
