Do you use a net or have one on your boat? 2025

Muad Dib reply :

I dont have a net on my boat. considering i lost two fish at the boat today that i def woulda had landed if i had net i was thinking of the purchase. but i do like fishing like the bass pros do without the use of a net. well let me know what ya think

do you land fish with the aide of a net?

6pointbuck2003 reply :

I use one. IMO if im fishing a tourny and can use one i will. There is no way im gonna take a chance lipping a winning bass when i can net it.

BassnMan Mike reply :

I keep one in the boat but dont use it unless I'm fishing a tournament. However when I'm out striper fishing then Im keep it on the deck or somewhere close.

TommyBass reply :

As other said... only in a tourney. I don't see much point in it for daily use. Takes up too much room. Unless your knowlingly going after huge bass, catfish, stripers etc... then I'll let it come along.

Gatorbassman reply :

I have one in the boat just in case I hook a big fish. It's no fun trying to get a big striper into the boat without one. I also use it when money is on the line.

Branuss04 reply :

I don't mess around when it comes to nets. I have a giant rubber net that I could land a 30 pound salmon with. I got real tired of my old net and the fish sinking into the nylon, rolling around a bunch of times and getting it's gills and fins wrapped up. With my new net the fish lye in comfort when I net them. They don't roll and bounce around anymore, now they are chill and relaxed, it's like a hammock ;D

Whenever I'm fishing swim-baits I always have the net handy and call for it as soon as I hook up, cause chances are when your using swim-baits it'll be a decent fish. If I'm fishing normal gear, I usually take my time determining if it's a "Net-able" fish. It's got to look more than 3#'s for me to think about netting it. Cause lets face it, it's embarrassing when you net a 2.99# fish with a salmon net :

mattm reply :

Don't even have one. Have wondered what the heck I was thinking though when I've had a couple of big ones on.

ProCrafter reply :

Always have one but still find a way to try and swing them in and bounce them off the console back into the lake...DOH!!

Dock Master reply :

I would use one if I had one. I just have never got around to getting a net.

cart7t reply :

No net.

Sam reply :

Yes - tournament fishing.

No - fun fishing.

Yes - on boat for tournament fishing.

FishinDaddy reply :

Quote
Yes - tournament fishing.
No - fun fishing.

Yes - on boat for tournament fishing.

X2 - Particularly when fishing with trebles, in close flipping you don't have time to get it anyway.

Fishing Rhino reply :

I have a net in my canoe.

I rarely use it for bass. I'm sitting at nearly water level. No matter which side of the boat I land them, they are right beside me.

No bending, reaching, or gymnastics to lip 'em.

However, I always use it when I catch a large pickerel. The thought of lipping a 30" pickerel does not appeal to me. The big ones look like barracuda. And, you cannot hoist those monsters out on the line and rods I use.

I slide the net under them for support, and lift them with both the net and the rod supporting them. It keeps their head out of the net. If they clamp down, and get a mouthful of net, it's like trying to untangle a nasty backlash.

Before handling them, I always plunge the holding hand into the water. It greatly reduces the amount of slime handling removes from their body.

I will use the net on big bass if they appear to be hooked in the thin lip tissue.

I'll also use the net when a lure with more than one treble hook is involved. I hate treble hooks, but realize at times they are necessary evils.

Lures with multi treble hooks and nets do not play nicely together.

Hooked_On_Bass reply :

Yes, I do.

reo reply :

I have never netted a bass as I am strictly CnR and do not tournament fish, if it gets loose at the side of the boat, so be it. But I do have one on the boat as we often hook into things on lake erie that cannot be lipped or lifted ie; walleye, steelhead, GIANT sheephead and catfish. Best way to handle those brutes is to scoop em up.

DINK WHISPERER reply :

I have two in the boat but don't ever really use them!

MALTESE FALCON reply :

Yes. Too many Pike and Muskie swimming around here. Plus, my center console has too much freeboard to reach down to lip fish.

Falcon

Bud reply :

I always use one.

Eddie Munster reply :

What's a net?

Fish Chris reply :

Wouldn't be caught without one ! I carry a Cabelas big fish net. I guess its like a 28" hoop..... but have been considering the rubber mesh type for a long time....

Comes in VERY handy when I have to land a big Catfish..... or pushing my boat back off of the shoreline when I have purposely beached it..... or grabbing a cleat on a dock when the wind or current is trying to blow me away from it, etc, etc.

As for netting big bass with it, well if its only an 8 or 10lb'er, it's not such a big deal.... but when I finally get that 19lb PB next to the boat, I don't want to be messing around with it !

Oh, and here's another scenario you might not have thought of..... Last week I had a 9 lb'er get me around a limb > just deep enough that I could not get to it with my hands < but I was able to get down to it with the net, and was able to land it.... {oh btw, it had whiskers ;-) ....but the idea is the same for bass, right ?

Don't know how many times I've watched somebody fighting a fish > they never expected to hook in the first place < and the first thing they will tell you is > "And I don't even have a net" ! ...... Dude ! Where was your head at ? Hasn't anyone ever told you that any time you cast a line in the water, you never know what you might hook ?

Not bringing a net is about as crazy as not bringing a camera, or a scale. It's just essential equipment.

Peace,

Fish

Bankbeater reply :

I never use one fishing from the bank but there were a couple of times last year when I probably could have used one to land a fish that got off right next to the boat.

senile1 reply :

I carry a net but I haven't had the need to use it yet.

fishfordollars reply :

I use one and it's a big one. Ten foot handle with a big wide opening. Learned my lesson a while back fishing by myself. If I had it then I would be lots of dollars ahead.

Olebiker reply :

I have a rubber net in the boat, but I have only used it for tournaments. Even then I feel a little bit sissy for doing it. :

simplejoe reply :

I got one, never used it. It's a Rapala folding net. I like it cause doesn't take up much room and it's always out of the way.

fishinfiend reply :

I am a firm believer in using nets. Unfortunately, the boater I fish with is against nets. :

BARON49_Northern NY reply :

I use a net for big fish with a mouthful of treble hooks. Otherwise I lip or gill land most.

roadwarrior reply :

Quote
I always use one.

If you decide to buy one, get a rubber net.

It's best for you and your fish.

8-)

WRB reply :

I use a net when needed to land bass. If using a crank bait it can be dangerous to get hooks in your hand trying to lip a hot bass and I will not bounce fresh water fish. When light line fishing, you need net most of the time to land larger bass consistently. BASS not allowing there competitors the use of a good net, is damaging a lot of bass by contacting the boats carpets. The basses slime coat is like your skin, it keeps out bacteria. Slime loss from a good knotless net is a lot less then hitting the carpet.

WRB

WRB reply :

Quote
Wouldn't be caught without one ! I carry a Cabelas big fish net. I guess its like a 28" hoop..... but have been considering the rubber mesh type for a long time....
Comes in VERY handy when I have to land a big Catfish..... or pushing my boat back off of the shoreline when I have purposely beached it..... or grabbing a cleat on a dock when the wind or current is trying to blow me away from it, etc, etc.

As for netting big bass with it, well if its only an 8 or 10lb'er, it's not such a big deal.... but when I finally get that 19lb PB next to the boat, I don't want to be messing around with it !

Oh, and here's another scenario you might not have thought of..... Last week I had a 9 lb'er get me around a limb > just deep enough that I could not get to it with my hands < but I was able to get down to it with the net, and was able to land it.... {oh btw, it had whiskers ;-) ....but the idea is the same for bass, right ?

Don't know how many times I've watched somebody fighting a fish > they never expected to hook in the first place < and the first thing they will tell you is > "And I don't even have a net" ! ...... Dude ! Where was your head at ? Hasn't anyone ever told you that any time you cast a line in the water, you never know what you might hook ?

Not bringing a net is about as crazy as not bringing a camera, or a scale. It's just essential equipment.

Peace,

Fish

I have a new Cabelas rubber net, too heavy for me. If interested PM me, the price is right...shipping costs.

Stuck a 30+ channel under the front pectoral fin with a jig, that I knew was a new world record until I finally got it up and it had whiskers. Talk about slimming the boat up and rolling up in a net.

WRB

AverageJoeBass reply :

Nope, no net here at least when I am bass fishing. Now saltwater is another story, always bring one because fishing saltwater you really never know what might be on the end of your line.

TrippyJai reply :

I hate losing fish. I land it in the net, lip it and let it go.

Catt reply :

I keep one in the boat in case of a big bass or one that's not hooked properly

wagn reply :

I have one, but only use it for big fish.

I use the rubber kind. It's just easier.

iceintheveins reply :

I lip my bass. If they throw the hook before I can get them, that's all right. Close enough for me.

When in a bigger boat though I do like having a net so I can get pics of my catch. Since I fish toothy fish like pike, walleye, and trout a lot, a net is indispensible for them.

BillO reply :

Use it for every fish in tournaments.

Hannons Hound reply :

No, I've never used a net.

justinrose40 reply :

I use a net on anything that I don't want to lose the chance to take a picture of. I respect the fact that some guys are anti-net, but whether a fish was lipped or dipped really don't do anything for me personally. Just seems silly to me to take a chance on losing a good fish, for the sake of not using a dip-net.

But, to each his own.

tennwalkinghorse reply :

On boat

CODbasser reply :

i always use a net in tournaments... and i may be mistaken, but i think that the flw pros are aloud to use nets, and most of them do so...anything that can help you get more fish in the boat in a tournament is worth it....there are several good nets on the market that have a big loop and a handle that slide in to make it more compact...i see no reason not to use one...several times i have netted a bass and the hook fell out of its mouth as soon as i got it in the net... go buy one!!!!

Tim Ford reply :

I have one, but I only use it on large stripers.

Derek Chance reply :

I.m with the others that fish tourneys. If they allow to use them then I do. Saved me many a fish. If I am fun fishing I normally wont get it out unless I hook a good one, then only if I have easy access to it.

CatBassin reply :

I always carry one but hardly ever use it, unless I'm catfishing.

detroit1 reply :

No net in my boat. (i don't fish tourneys) I used to hate it when i was in my teens, fishin with dad, and hear him say "get the net" for what usually ended up being a 15"er. Now thats just silly - netting a dink while fun fishing.

christopherjake reply :

I have one and use it all the time. I broke a loomis rod once trying to get the fish in the boat w/o a net and I learned my lesson.

Btech reply :

i had a real old one given to me when i bought my boat, than i threw it away and am now on the market for one.

Its one of those things youll want to have so you don't wish you did later!

HogHunter reply :

I think its a good thing to have in the boat. It's one of those things where it is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

Ineedanewscreenname20170204 reply :

I have one and keep it handy for two reasons: Big, poorly hooked bass and foul hooked carp. Way too often have I accidentally hooked big carp that are a pain to get in the boat without a boat - and I might lose an expensive lure to boot...

Grandpa reply :

I have one be rarely have it on the boat. Seems like when I have the net I don't catch fish but when I don't have the net I catch fish. Go figure. :-?

jamarkwe reply :

I always use a net in tournaments or when I can't just hoist it in. Just got me a rubber net but have not tried it yet.

tritz18 reply :

Use a net no matter what

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Do you use a net or have one on your boat? 2025

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