While surfing the web one day I saw a video of a portable folding fishing trap that looked amazing. It looked like a fine mesh umbrella without a handle that opened into a cage with multiple sleeved openings. It had a zipper on the side enabling access inside the trap to load bait inside a mesh pouch as well to access the captured water creatures once they were caught. It occurred to me that this was something that I needed for my future bushcraft and fishing endeavors.

I contacted a friend to share my discovery and we conspired to find the best source to combine our orders for purchase. Our search led us to Ebay that offered multiple models of varying sizes and styles. They come in 10, 8, and 6 opening sizes and some are double-deckers. They can be used for catching smelt, eel crab, lobster, minnow, shrimp, crawfish, etc. Our thoughts were to acquire one that was small enough to carry in a pack for hiking and so settled on a simple 6 opening design.

We took it to a pond and baited it with refrigerator leftovers, some bread and bits of sausage. I tied on a line and lowered it into the water and waited for about a half hour not knowing what would appear at it’s retrieval. When I pulled it up it contained bass small fry that wriggled all over the bottom. Depending on what is caught the contents could be used as bait or if large enough for eating.

I look forward to placing this portable folding net trap in various locations to see what exists and of course to enhance my fishing capabilities. Further research revealed comments from other users who mentioned that the side zipper, while sewn onto the net, had to first be unzipped to allow cutting open the mesh behind it to allow access into the trap. Also, some folks added some weights to allow the net to sink faster into the water as well as providing a better anchor in moving water. I found that once the trap got wet it went down okay for me and I want to keep it light for packing.

I recommend this for any fisherman or even for use by home-schoolers to discover what lies beneath the waters surface. It is simple and easy to use and I look forward to the next outing to employ it.