Thursday, August 6, 2009


The River Severn in Great Britain (one of the most dangerous in the country) is the home of a handful of skilled fishermen, who along with their trusted canine companions, follow centuries-old customs to catch salmon, bass, gray mullet and shrimp.

The fishermen use a rough fashioned 'lave' net with a frame made of willow attached to an ash rod. When the tide falls the fish trapped in the shallow pools panic and try to swim to deeper water. The lave nets are used to catch the fish as they make a break for the deep pools with the rising tide. Great skill is required to work in a river full of slippery rocks, fast tides and quicksand.

How the Dogs Help

As the tide rises, another type of net is used called the Gill Net. The Gill Net is unravelled and the dog takes one end of the net and swims across the river.

The dog releases the net over to another fisherman who secures the net, now ready to catch the fish.

This is great fun for a working dog