Leyton and his lifelong friend Modesto are both fishermen and as close as brothers, but very different in temperament. The braggart Modesto is a slave to progress, while the more unpretentious Leyton is content with the simple life. Modesto marries Marta, a beautiful young naïf, who longs for the sexual fulfillment Modesto is incapable of providing. And, just as Modesto captures creatures from the sea in his net, it isn't long before the cruel web of destiny entangles Marta and her lover Leyton in a tragic triangle.