Do you use a net? 2024

gc reply :

I only fish from the bank. I always try to handle the fish I've caught as little as possible and manage the unhooking and release process as well as possible without damaging the fish. But there are some times when they get away and end up thrashing around on the rocks or something which isn't good.

I'm worried that a net might get in the way and just generally be a hassle. I guess if I always wear my waistpouch I can just tuck it into that behind me. Do you folk (esp shore-based anglers) use a net or just do without? And if I get one what kind is good ???

cheers

roadwarrior reply :

I never use a net fishing from shore. Bring the fish to the shore and hold your rod high, straight up to barely lift the head out of the water. Do not try to hoist the fish unless it's real small. Lip the fish with your thumb and release.

I always use a net in a boat. The best nets are rubber. They never tangle, never wrap around a fish and rarely get hooked. They are especially handy for night fishing, no hassels.

Raul reply :

Always use rubberized nets, rubberized nets may be a little stiff but they don 't hurt fish like regular nets.

Do not try to hoist the fish

I certainly agree with RW, never hoist a fish no matter what size it is, you may see pros hoisting fish into the boat but if they break a rod while doing it they get a new one from their sponsors, you won 't. Even a small fish can break a rod when you hoist it.

Matt Fly reply :

I never ever netted a bass, tourney or not. I firmly believe that nets are made better now days, fish friendly on the slim coat. I haven't lost a fish at the boat that I was trying to lip, with that being said, its gonna happen. It will take a huge bass for me to net one. And I wish nets would be banned from all tournaments. PS.... I didn't use a net on my budies 9lbs11oz this weekend on Lake Fork. I guess it gonna have to be alot bigger for me to get the net.

Shad_Master reply :

When fishing tournaments I always use a net. In a recent tournament, I was fishing from the back of a buddy's boat 'cause mine was out of commission. After fishing for 3.5 hours without a bite, he stuck a lunker and was fighting him in. I was hollering where's the net. Just as he told me he didn't have one, we watched the fish come off and swim away. When fishing from shore, I am just having fun anyway so I have no use for a net and feel like this would just be something else to keep up with.

Chris reply :

I don't use a net but in a tournament usually the guy in the back of the boat gets mad when I don't have one. ;D When I am out fun fishing I don't take one at all. I am out to have fun and loosing fish is part of the fun.

roadwarrior reply :

I don't mind losing fish at the boat unless it's "The Bass". You never know when that magic fish might appear. Also, I fish from a 2180 Bay Ranger with quite a bit of freeboard. It's not very conducive for lipping big fish.

bassackwards reply :

as a bank angler, I never carry a net around with me. personally, I will lose it real quick-like, or something will happen in a negative aspect. I have a tacklebox to carry and a 2 rods, thats more than too much to be carrying around already.

in a boat, it's nice to have. it can't go far unless into the water and to the bottom. and it isn't much to carry, because it only sits in the boat. although when I'm on a boat, I rarely use one. either when renting a boat, cause I really never think of it, or on someone elses, well if they have one I'll use it gladly.

less damage done to fish, the better. get a rubber one if you do get one.

gc reply :

Thanks for all your replies, I'll keep thinking about it.

5bass reply :

My net is on the boat at all times.Whether I use it or not,depends on the size of the fish.Although on tournament days,I net all fish,except for dinks.

bass master reply :

I never use a net from the shore but in the boat we always have one.

bassackwards reply :

all of these are similar responses. what you need to figure out is how it may be efficient for YOU to put in use. if you decide you really find it necessary.

Will reply :

I use nets when tourney fishing for most of my keeper fish especially when I have spinning tackle and 8 pound test. Even if the fish is close to minimum keeper size I will call net, I caught a partners fish when it fell off the hook halfway up the boat. Also when you have a fish hanging over a limb I like the net under him.

Madhouse27 reply :

About the only time I carry a net in the boat is in the spring when we are trolling for salmon. I'm getting ready to get back into the tournament bass fishing next season and have been looking at some of the rubber mesh style nets in bass pro. While we're talking nets can anyone give a review of what they think I should buy to use on bass in the tournaments. Thanks

Madhouse27 reply :

Actually I'll post my net question in the tackle section. I don't want Glenn to beat me with a rubber mesh net for steering the conversation to equiptment here in the General Bass Fishing department.

bowjunkie35 reply :

I will tell you, I started fishing tournaments back before B.A.S.S. allowed nets. Consequently, our local club, being affiliated with bass, did not allow them either. So I got VERY used to catching and landing fish from my boat without the services of a net. Now that the rules have changed, I know that I can use one.

However, I feel just as confident without it and it is just one more piece of gear to keep up with.

No net here.

guest reply :

No but Im sure that more than a few people think someone in a white coat should use one on me

utser reply :

usually dont catch fish big enough to net.

Reaction_Strike reply :

I bank fish most of the time and don't use a net. I've considered buying one, but as someone else said...I have enough to lug around already.

bassackwards reply :

Quote
as someone else said...I have enough to lug around already.

lol, amen to that!

Mikey reply :

never. thats part of the "rush" of catching bass especially big bass. use my hand.

bassackwards reply :

real big bass have a greater chance of gettin off without a net.

If I got a 10lber, I'll save the glory of lippin it after I get him in the boat.

Kana reply :

gc,

im fishing like you, on the bank, with enough gear as it is. no net, and i would look pretty stupid with a net, 2 poles and all my gear on the chikatetsu! i havent really found the need for a net, the fish i catch are small enough ( under 5 lbs) that i can usually lip them. but have to be careful with raigyo (snakehead), could not pay me enough to handle one of those bad boys!

gc reply :

Hi there Kana

Nope, ya dont go lipping them raigyou.

I recently picked up a new ultra light spinning rod to replace a slightly stiffer one I snapped. It's only since using it with 4lb line that I've started thinking that a net might be nice. But I probably wont bother, as everyone around here is saying, maybe more trouble than it's worth.

BTW I got one of these http://www.majorcraft.co.jp/ rods. The 'slicer' SS-602UL (better than the 'hooker' I guess) . No complaints with it at this stage. Its pretty cheap, so I feel I can justify getting another rod before too long. Meantime I can enjoy using this thing for mebaru and kasago fishing this winter and I can use it for spinning for trout when I go home to NZ.

At one large pond around here there are small mouth bass, though I've never caught one over about 22cm. I had never seen anyone else fishing at this pond and when I told people thereare smb's in there they basically didn't believe me. Small mouths are not supposed to be this far south, at least not in ponds. Though they are in one of those famous reservoirs in southern Mie. Anyway I'm itching to catch a larger smb at this pond but so far I've only seen small fish (smb's and lmb's). Do you know of any places holding smb around your area?

Kana reply :

gc,

nice pick on the rod, i have a few Days and they are nice, im getting a slicer for a back up, good action, and good price! I like majorcraft a lot, god quality.

im not aware of too many places that have smb, sorry. ive seen　a few places on the hit, or fishing v but i dont recal thier names off hand　and im sure theyre north of us (kawaguchiko near mt. fuji would have smb) . Biwako might have smb but im not sure, i think it stays cool enough. but that s cool to have smb in a pond in mie! i caught a few when i lived in oregon, and they fight like mosters! my biggest was 36 cm, not too large but felt like a BIG fish.

has the most recent typhoon thrown off the fishing at all. the bite is not so good right now.

i guess if you go to fishing "areas" then it may not be too bad lugging a net. i have a small net wen i fly fish because the leader is thin, and i guess if youre fishng an ultra light rig a net might help, but if you can get close enough to the fish the net might not be too beneficial.

Curado reply :

I never use a net cause I don't take the time to think about it.

Muddpuppy reply :

Since alot of people do not use nets primarily because the string type can remove slime off of a fish, then what does landing on on the carpeted deck of a boat do to them? I understand why a string net can harm a fish that is caught for release and why the rubber ones would be better for that. It seems to me that if I was unsure that I could not lip one at the boats edge a net would be a better alternative then decking the fish.

roadwarrior reply :

A rubber net cases no damage to the fish. Unless it's big enough to weigh or we want to take a picture, the fish never leaves the water. That's about as good as it gets.

Michael H reply :

for bass you really dont need a net you can just lift them up or if there bigger you can grab them by the lip

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Do you use a net? 2024

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