A
fishing net or
fishnet is a
net used for
fishing.
Nets are devices made from fibers woven in a grid-like structure. Fishing nets are usually
meshes formed by
knotting a relatively thin thread. Early nets were woven from grasses, flaxes and other fibrous plant material. Later cotton was used. Modern nets are usually made of artificial
polyamides like
nylon, although nets of organic polyamides such as
wool or
silk thread were common until recently and are still used.