Nets, a Knotty Question!
A recent question sent to my private email had me typing an answer. The answer became so long and involved that I realized if one person had this question, that there were probably a bunch of other people out there with the same questions about nets.
It seems that this should be a pretty simple answer, I mean; a net is nothing more than a flexible basket with a hoop and a handle. Pretty basic stuff, right? Well, yes and no.
There are many variables in landing nets. Netting fabric, net hole size, frame design and handle length. Let’s discuss these in a little detail.
First of all, there’s frame size and material. For all intents and purposes, we’re not going to be talking about stream trout nets here, but nets for larger gamefish like bass, pike and muskies. The only type of frame here to consider is a sturdy aluminum frame. The yoke, the piece that connects the hoop to the handle should NOT be plastic. A large fish thrashing about will break a plastic yoke. The only material for a yoke is aluminum. Obviously, you should size the hoop (and fish basket) to the size of the fish targeted.
There are different frame styles, with a standard circular hoop frame used. These are fine for most applications, but many, especially trollers, prefer a triangular frame. This type of frame works great for scooping fish at a distance with a long handle.
Handle length is important as well. For most fishing purposes, a 3 – 5 foot handle is sufficient. But a longer handle is needed when trolling. Often, a long snell leader, sometimes 8 feet or longer is used and under these circumstances, a long handled boat net, with a telescoping handle is used. Some of these handles will be 8 – 12 feet, telescoping out in 4-foot sections. Most time
s though, a standard net handle length will work fine.
But quite possibly the biggest consideration is the fabric of the net. Your selection is quite wide and varied. Net mesh varies in size, and there are advantages and disadvantages in the different sizes. The smaller mesh is easier on the fish, easier on the fish slime and won’t tear up a fish’s fins. But it is more resistant to moving through the water. The larger opening mesh is easier to move through the water and is usually found in larger nets, but a fish’s fins will take a terrible beating, getting split as the fish thrashes in the net.
One of the most popular is that green nylon stuff found on inexpensive landing nets. This stuff is TERRIBLE!!! First of all, it’s harsh on the fish, being rough, abrasive and it scrapes the slime coating from fish. This slime coat is a protective barrier for the fish, isolating them from bacteria and infection. The mesh diameter is usually quite large and causes split fins on fish. This mesh also usually comes on low quality nets, which are made from substandard materials and easily prone to breakage. Hooks also have a tendency to get snagged in nets of this material; do you really want to trust the fish of a lifetime to one of these nets?
Cotton nets are easier on the fish, but they also have a problem, ROT! They have to be dried between uses, if put away wet, they will rot quickly. Then, should this happen, when you do get that fish of a lifetime, the net is going to have all the strength of wet toilet paper and chances are, you’re going to lose the fish. Hooks getting snagged in this type of netting is a problem as well. A couple advantages to these nets are that they are light in weight and they move easily through the water. But they must be well dried between trips and checked often for signs of rotting and wear.
Nets made of heavy, black nylon are much better, easier on the fish, stronger and easier to get hooks out of. If a hook does get snagged, you can usually “untwist” the strands and easily remove the barb. Nylon is also rot resistant and will last a long time under normal use. With the larger diameter of the netting material, there is some resistance when scooping the net through the water. This has to be accounted for when attempting to net a fish.
An even better netting material is rubberized nylon. This is my favorite and although slightly higher in price, I feel it’s worth it. Rubberized webbing is very fish friendly, as the rubberized coating doesn’t scrape the fish slime. It’s also more hook resistant and the netting won’t snag. But, it IS heavier and there is some additional resistance moving it through the water. This type of net, when made of smaller opening mesh, is great.
There is a small diameter mesh net that is made of a fine, soft nylon. This is great stuff. Light in weight, it dries quickly and will not rot. It doesn’t split fins or scrape slime coat from fish. But, it does snag hooks fairly easily (at least the ones I’ve used). It’s good stuff and I like it a lot, but it is expensive.
There are rubber nets available. These are the ultimate in fish (and fisherman) friendly nets. The solid rubber nets will not damage a fish’s protective coating, and it’s virtually impossible to snag hooks in them, which is a bonus, but there are problems with these. Rubber nets are heavy and cumbersome to use. They have a great resistance when being moved through the water. The “basket” on these nets is supposed to increase in depth with the weight of the fish, and to a certain degree it does work. But, especially in cold water, the rubber becomes stiff and doesn’t stretch as easily. Then, the net can act as a “springboard” with the fish going out of the net often times faster than it came in! Believe me, there’s not a more sinking feeling than watching a four-pound walleye flip and go sailing out of the net.
One problem with landing nets is “Where in the boat do I put the darned thing?” If it fits in the rod locker or storage compartment, they’re usually too small to be of any benefit. If they’re large enough to do some good, the darned thing won’t fit anywhere. With this in mind, several manufacturers have come out with a line of collapsible nets. From a storage aspect, they’re great. But you must examine these carefully before plunking down hard earned cash on the first one you see. Make sure to examine all hinges, fittings and connections. There is some high quality collapsible nets out there but there are also some real clunkers out there too. Collapsing nets are pricey but if storage is an issue, they can be worth it.
So there you have it, nets in a nutshell. Which one is right for you? That, I can’t say, it all depends on what type of fishing you do and for what species. When I was guiding in northern Wisconsin, for most of the year, I had a huge muskie net strapped down on the front deck of my bassboat. I would just step on the thing and it didn’t seem to bother my clients or me. So, give it some thought, take your time and consider all the options. After all, the right choice in a net could make the difference between landing that wall-hanger and just another fish story about the one that got away.
Until next time, see ya!
Steve
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