Cast Your Net

“And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.”

John 21:6

Fishing with a Trammel Net

Usually, four to five people fished in one or more boats. They fished overnight so that the fish would not see the nets and be frightened away.

After the fish were hauled in and the fishermen returned to shore, the net layers were separated, washed, rinsed, and then hung to dry so that the net would not rot.

Additional Facts

The three main types of fish caught in the Sea of Galilee were musht (tilapia), biny (in the carp family), and sardines (tiny fish).

Trammel-net fishermen likely spent much of their time mending their nets.

The Savior twice guided the disciples to a miraculously large haul of fish: once when He called them (see Luke 5:1–11) and once after His Resurrection (see John 21:1–11).

The Galilean fishermen whom the Savior called as His Apostles likely had a somewhat larger and thriving enterprise—they owned their boats and employed others (see Matthew 4:22; Mark 1:20). So when they “forsook all” (Luke 5:11), they may have been forsaking a lot.

The town of Taricheae (in Greek, “the place where fish are salted”) was a fish-salting center on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. After their miraculous catches, the disciples could have taken the fish there to preserve them. About four and a half miles (7.24 km) away is the town of Capernaum, where they could have taken the fish to market.

What We Can Learn

Fishing with trammel nets:

Requires dedication. When the Savior called His disciples to follow Him and be “fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19; see also Luke 5:10), He was inviting them to devote themselves to Him and the spreading of His gospel with the same dedication, hard work, skill, and knowledge their profession required. Though most of us must still earn a living in the world, we should avoid worldly distractions and strive to serve the Lord “with all [our] heart, might, mind and strength” (Doctrine and Covenants 4:2).

Requires teamwork. Uniting to work with fellow family members, ward members, friends, missionaries, and others is the most effective way to spread the gospel.

Brings in all kinds of fish. We share the message of the Lord’s restored gospel with all people.

Isn’t finished when the haul comes in. Simply casting the net and hauling it in may bring the fish in, but they’re useless unless they can be processed and brought to market. Similarly, we must take care to continue to give fellowship and love to all who come unto Jesus Christ and His Church through baptism.

Is most effective with the Lord’s help. To be successful, we must seek the Lord’s guidance and do His work in His way.