How Easinet Came To Be Developed:
This concept came to me after whitebaiting for 50 years in Canterbury rivers, mainly in the Waimak, using a maximum size steel and aluminium set net and steel frame screens. I began to look for alternative options to overcome the disadvantages of a large heavy set of gear on a trolley being stored in the back yard for a large part of the year and especially more so from 2022 when the season will only span 8 weeks.
What makes the Easinet different:
The PVC frame of the net and screens, which is extremely strong and durable, has been designed to have positive buoyancy but also to be heavy when in the water. This is achieved by providing holes at the top and bottom of the lower components of both the nets and screens allowing those components to flood or empty rapidly. This results in the Easinet having the opposite effect as that of a heavy steel or aluminium net. When the Easinet is immersed in water it makes the net heavier due to the lower components flooding when submerged providing ballast to make it heavier, the same as ships do in flooding compartments to provide ballast. This principle for the Easinet as opposed to the characteristics of a metal net which will get lighter when in the water, as it will only weigh the weight of the water it displaces. This gives the Easinet the advantage that it is lighter out of and heavier in the water than a conventional Net. The disassembled gear has the additional advantage that it is lightweight, and collapsible making it convenient to transport and enables easy compact storage off season.
How does it work?
The Easinet is a complete set of whitebaiting gear comprising a Net plus integrated screens which are all interchangable. It is an extremely versatile way of whitebaiting, how it is used is only limited by your imagination and can be readily adapted to any fishing environment or location.
The equipment is all modular at 1.5m and is based around 3 injection moulded PVC fittings combined with 50mm PVC pipe, which provides positive buoyancy.
The Easinet provides a maximum of two screens (being 3m) plus the Net, in compliance with the current NZ whitebaiting regulations 2021.
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The Easinet can be used as a conventional Set Net sitting on the river bed or, due to the top rails of the gear being sealed giving the set positive buoyancy, it can also be used where the river is deep near the river bank or it may be too steep to walk out to the Net. Simply use mooring lines connected to the front and back of the Net secured to short stakes located upstream and downstream of the main anchor stake which holds the inner screen. To retrieve the Net remove the front locking pin where the 2 screens join and pull the screens forward allowing the Net to be pulled towards the river bank, you do not need to disconnect the ropes. When you are near the river bank remove the top pin connecting the Net to the screens and lift the net free of the retaining ring at the bottom of the screen. You are now able to lift the Net up to empty the catch into your bucket stand, the ropes at this time will just be loose. Reverse the above to reset the Net and screens to their fixed position with the ropes tight again. Once you've done it a few times, you will realise how easy it is.
Setting up the gear:
It is probably easier to watch the setup videos to help understand how the gear goes together and how you use it, but a written descriiption is as below:
Open the Net out and insert the 4 front pins. Insert the legs into the screen top rail fittings, ensuring the bottom hinge matches the hinge on the top rail. The screen with the 2 ring pins fitted is the river bank screen, get it in the position you want it and insert the 1500mm waratah through the ring pins and drive it into the sand or shingle (use a club hammer). This is your main anchor point, move this stake if you need to move the gear in or out with the tide. Connect the second assembled screen with the 2 hinge pins in the back top and bottom holes of the 2 hinges, this will allow the screen to fold towards you and rotate around the waratah, when you remove the front top locking pin to pull the net in to the river bank to empty the catch. Once you have used it a couple of times on your first day, you’ll get used to it quickly because it is easy.
The gear has been set up for fishing either on the left or the righthand river bank (when looking upstream). The second screen has a semi-circular ring at the bottom hinge which will take the Net locating pin when the net is connected to the screens. It is easy to change the orientation of the Set from left to righthand. Remove the 2 ring pins by straightening the bottom of the pin (which has been bent to hold it in place) using a crescent and change to the opposite end of the other screen replacing the D ring and similarly transferring that ring to the opposite end of the two screens as well. Similarly on the Net, transfer the Net locating pin to the opposite side of the Net and bend the pins over slightly to hold them in place. Transfer the relevant snap hook connected pins to the opposite ends as required. Transfer the short length of pipe (fills the gap between the net and the screen) on the outside screen to the opposite end, by removing the 2 bolts and refixing in the pre-drilled holes of the other screen. The whole set is now ready to fish on the opposite river bank, takes about 10 to 15 minutes
When the screens are erected ensure the extra locking pin at the Net end of the screen is inserted to prevent over rotation of that Leg in the hinge if the Net is forced to swing around which can potentially damage the bayonet cap lugs of that leg.
If you are going to lock the screens in a straight line, you only need to insert one locking pin at the top front hole at the junction of the 2 screens, you don’t need to put a locking pin in the front hole at the bottom hinge, it is not necessary (avoids having to put your hands in the water).
You will see in the videos that you only need to walk out to the junction between the screens to be able to pull the net in to the river bank, so if it is deeper further out, the net will sit on the surface and it is easily pulled onto the river bank without actually being able to walk out that far.
The gear being used at the Waimak river mouth incoming tide
DEMO WORKING VIDEO
SHOP:
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Purchasing options for Whitebaiting Sets:
If you are interested in purchasing our gear just email us in “the contact us” box below or email us direct at info@easinet.co.nz and we will call you to confirm the details of the order, plus Freight if required and which side of the river you will be fishing on so we can set the gear up initially in that configuration. We will invoice you then to make the online banking payment. We use Mainfreight to deliver, we have a label printer and use their portal to book the delivery. The items will all be bagged in our own polypropelene bags.
Full set of gear:
Includes E800 net complete, ready to use, 2 x 1500mm Screens,
4 x 8m ropes with carabiner snap hooks.
Total Cost: $1195.00 (Incl GST)
(The Net, Screens and the ropes are bagged separately with polypropylene bags)
Bucket Stand:
Galvanised steel as per the photo,
makes it easy to empty the catch (1200mm high O/A) Total Cost: $95.00 (Incl GST)
(Bucket not included)
12mm Galvanised Steel Stake:
To secure the set in position. (Suits slow river) Total Cost $25.00 (Incl GST)
Extendable Boat Hook:
1.5m extendable to 4.5m. Can be useful in fishing
situations where it’s deep water and a steep river bank
to help you manoeuvre the Net into the right position
to secure the mooring lines to the stakes Total Cost $49.95 (Incl GST)
NOT INCLUDED:
The main stakes that are the best to secure the Set in position
for the majority of Whitebaiting situations is the standard
waratah fencing stakes which are available at any Building Merchants,
Bunnings, Mitre 10, etc for about $10 each. It is not practical for us handling
these items and the freight involved in getting them to you.
It is desirable to include a “D” shackle for each of the stakes to allow
the carabiner snap hooks to clip onto, so that the gear is always connected to the stakes.
