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You'll sit on the Chapora riverbank beside Menino, shuttle needle in hand, learning the rhythm of the double-knot mesh he learned from his mother decades ago. It's slower and more finicky than it looks — each knot has to sit exactly right or the mesh won't hold. By afternoon you'll have knotted a section of net yourself, watching the estuary traffic of boats Menino's nets actually go out on.
Hand-knotted nets, once essential to every coastal fishing family, are increasingly replaced by factory-made ones, making the estuary's remaining net makers a shrinking link to a self-sufficient fishing tradition.
Net-making in Goa's riverside villages was traditionally taught within families, with techniques and mesh sizes adapted to local fish species and tuned over generations of trial along a specific stretch of water.
We're still verifying a practitioner for this experience — check back soon.
Morning
Introduction to cord, knots and shuttle needle technique
Midday
Practice knotting a small mesh panel
Afternoon
Complete your net piece and watch it tested against real mesh
Difficulty
Moderate — fine motor work that takes patience to get right
Age suitability
10 and up
Menino demonstrating the double-knot
Hands mid-knot on a mesh panel
Finished net piece against river lightPhotographs from this experience will replace these panels once available.
Is this suitable for kids?
Yes, children age 10 and up manage well with a little extra guidance.
Can I buy a full net afterward?
Yes, Menino sells full hand-knotted nets separately if you'd like to take one home.
“So much harder than it looks. Menino was endlessly patient with my clumsy first knots.”
Ines P. · 5/5
“Loved sitting by the river doing something with my hands instead of just sightseeing.”
Tom W. · 4/5
Not a sight to see — a practice to enter.