FLW + Coangler netting = LAME 2024

arul reply :

So I was watching the broadcast of the Forrest Wood Cup on FSN this weekend, (my first time to see a FLW event on TV), and I was shocked and apalled to see NETTING being done by the Coangler for the pro... What the...!!???

Come on, that takes half the sport out of it, and I think it is total BS. If you can't land a fish by yourself, it aint your fish to land! Catching a fish is only 1/3 of the challenge. You also have to have the skill to find the fish, and land a fish, and by allowing netting by coanglers you are taking the skill out of landing a fish away.

This is not fishing, in my opinion. One of the first clips it showed was this guy hooking up, and the fish gets wrapped around a submerged bush about 4 ft deep. The pro gets the net, and tries to scoop it from the deep, but then tells his Coangler, "Here, you get the net it is too heavy for me..." So the Coangler grabs the net and gets down on his belly to bring the fish up from 4 ft deep. Then catch after catch, I see the same shenanigans. Call me old school, but this looked like complete "Little League" kind of stuff.

It was darn near unwatchable watching these guys fish for the largest tourney payout, where they aren't landing their OWN fish, without a net. I'm sorry, I just can't respect a catch made where you have someone else land it.

You can be darn sure that when I hook into a trophy bass, I am the ONLY one landing it. If it comes off, then you know what? The fish won that time. I am not going to cheat myself on a trophy catch by having my partner net it.

And these guys are professional fisherman...come on, grow a pair and LAND YOUR OWN FISH! Why don't you just have the camera man help you out as well.

Professional tournaments should be "No nets, no assisted landing".

What gives??? Am I off base here?

Daniel My Brother reply :

You make a very entertaining point, but for me the most exciting 3 words in the English language are "Get the net!"

senko_77 reply :

Your dead on man. I'm not completely against it, but I think it would be a good idea if they started doing it like the Elite series with no nets.

Your spot on about it taking some of the skill from it. Alot of fish are lost right at the boat. Nets aren't all that good. Tin has a good story about "Net jobs gone horribly wrong" ;D

arul reply :

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You make a very entertaining point, but for me the most exciting 3 words in the English language are "Get the net!"

But equally exciting, in a different way is, "F'er came off!" ;D

Tin reply :

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Your dead on man. I'm not completely against it, but I think it would be a good idea if they started doing it like the Elite series with no nets.
Your spot on about it taking some of the skill from it. Alot of fish are lost right at the boat. Nets aren't all that good. Tin has a good story about "Net jobs gone horribly wrong" ;D

Shallow rubber nets and big smallies are a bad combo.....facepalm

roadwarrior reply :

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You also have to have the skill to find the fish, and land a fish, and by allowing netting by coanglers you are taking the skill out of landing a fish away...Am I off base here?

So, how much "skill" is involved flipping a fish onto the floor of your boat?

jrhennecke reply :

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You also have to have the skill to find the fish, and land a fish, and by allowing netting by coanglers you are taking the skill out of landing a fish away...Am I off base here?

So, how much "skill" is involved flipping a fish onto the floor of your boat?

:

Exactly. I think most of the skill is finding the fish and hooking him. Besides at least the FLW still allows Coanglers on the boat.

arul reply :

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You also have to have the skill to find the fish, and land a fish, and by allowing netting by coanglers you are taking the skill out of landing a fish away...Am I off base here?

So, how much "skill" is involved flipping a fish onto the floor of your boat?

:

Yeah, but at least you're flipping it in yourself, and are risking popping it off. I just tried watching more of the Cup coverage at lunch, and every catch, the coangler was doing the landing. It just doesn't seem right.... :'( I want to see my Pros land the fish themselves :'(

Pigsticker reply :

Hmmmmmmmm I am do not use nets I mainly throw plastics on EWG hooks with braid and I rarely lose fish after I get hook in them But I am starting to realize they are a good tool to have

Butch Brown, an insane trophy hunter landed a 19.3 pound bass on video and the BIGGEST reason he got that fish was because of his SKILL with a net

IMO there is more skill in netting a bass than fliping them up, next time try to net your own bass :

Matt Fly reply :

I am for an angler landing his own fish. Whether he uses a net or his hands, or flips it, I'd rather see each individual angler handle his own fish.

If I'm in a tournament with a partner who wants the net used. I'll use it. Other than that, I lip all my bass, cranks and all.

Never known any other way. Me against the fish, one on one.

sambrochill reply :

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You make a very entertaining point, but for me the most exciting 3 words in the English language are "Get the net!"

i agree with ya man, i dont know how many time I've said that to my friend and everyone scrambles and looks for the net and such and its just a gold ole time

but arul you do bring up some good points

Olebiker reply :

I'm with you, Arul. If God didn't want us to lip bass He would have given them big ol' teeth like muskies. ;D

I fished a club tournament a couple of weeks ago with a guy who wanted to use a net. That thing was a pain in the butt and constantly getting in the way.

arul reply :

Thanks for the additional thoughts. I guess after thinking about it some, it is not the "net" that I have problems with, so much as the Co-Angler doing the netting/landing of the pros fish.

FLW should change the rule to simply be: "Each contestant must land their own fish with no assistance from the fishing partner. All netting and "fish-on rold holding" activity must be done by the person who caught the fish."

If they make this change, THEN I will give watching the FLW Coverage a chance. ;)

Sam reply :

Yes...."get the net."

Beautiful words.

In fact, I have been known to shout those exact words out in tournaments just for the fun of it when no one around me are catching fish.

It relieves the pressure and makes us all smile and laugh and also some off-color and inapproatie comments which are funny.

5bass reply :

Once a huge bass throws your crankbait right at the boat with 15 minutes left to fish you'll change your mind about nets.

bassman1975 reply :

YEP HAVING SOMEONE ELSE LAND YOUR FISH IS DUMB. YOU DON'T SEE A MLB PLAYER HIT A BALL AND HAVE SOMEONE ELSE RUN TO FIRST. FLW NEEDS TO CHANGE THAT RULE.

Catt reply :

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Once a huge bass throws your crankbait right at the boat with 15 minutes left to fish you'll change your mind about nets.

Exactly

I've seen lost bass caught because of the skills of the netter but to have your bass ricocheting off the console is so macho. To me it depends on how the bass is hooked, solid hookup no problem, barely hooked net.

Jim Grouch reply :

Im all about not using a net when fishing for fun...but if I were fishing in the Forrest Wood Cup for $500,000 and lost a fish because my partner had too much "pride"...I would probably probably throw him overboard.

JF1 reply :

I'm all for using the net as long as the angler is the one using it.

And the comment "how much skill is needed to swing a fish into the boat." obviously has never tried to swing a big fish.

roadwarrior reply :

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And the comment "how much skill is needed to swing a fish into the boat." obviously has never tried to swing a big fish.

The point is that banging a fish on the floor of the boat is despicable!

Flipping a fish into the boat is quite common on a number of fishing

shows as well as tournament clips. Buy a rubber net and use it...

p.s. If you use a rubber net, nearly every fish you catch and do not

intend to keep can be unhooked and released without leaving the water.

8-)

Catt reply :

Y'all trying to swing a big bass in the boat y'all crazy anyway; why y'all think God created thumbs? Go look in the general fishing section under Record Breakers and tell me how many Paul Elias flipped in the boat on the way to catching 132 pounds, 8 ounces.

arul reply :

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And the comment "how much skill is needed to swing a fish into the boat." obviously has never tried to swing a big fish.

The point is that banging a fish on the floor of the boat is despicable!

Flipping a fish into the boat is quite common on a number of fishing

shows as well as tournament clips. Buy a rubber net and use it...

p.s. If you use a rubber net, nearly every fish you catch and do not

intend to keep can be unhooked and released without leaving the water.

8-)

I agree that nets are fine. However, in a tournament situation, you should have to land or net the fish yourself. That is my main beef when watching the FLW.

platinumjason reply :

I wouldn't dare go out for a tournament like that without a net. I would agree with the angler having to land his own fish but as for no net, not a smart idea.

Pitchinkid reply :

If i was fishing for a living, and my family counted on me to do well and provide for them, i would use anything that the rules aloud. Maybe it does take a little fun out of it, but 100,000 dollars says screw fun.

Grey Wolf reply :

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So I was watching the broadcast of the Forrest Wood Cup on FSN this weekend, (my first time to see a FLW event on TV), and I was shocked and apalled to see NETTING being done by the Coangler for the pro... What the...!!???

Come on, that takes half the sport out of it, and I think it is total BS. If you can't land a fish by yourself, it aint your fish to land! Catching a fish is only 1/3 of the challenge. You also have to have the skill to find the fish, and land a fish, and by allowing netting by coanglers you are taking the skill out of landing a fish away.

This is not fishing, in my opinion. One of the first clips it showed was this guy hooking up, and the fish gets wrapped around a submerged bush about 4 ft deep. The pro gets the net, and tries to scoop it from the deep, but then tells his Coangler, "Here, you get the net it is too heavy for me..." So the Coangler grabs the net and gets down on his belly to bring the fish up from 4 ft deep. Then catch after catch, I see the same shenanigans. Call me old school, but this looked like complete "Little League" kind of stuff.

It was darn near unwatchable watching these guys fish for the largest tourney payout, where they aren't landing their OWN fish, without a net. I'm sorry, I just can't respect a catch made where you have someone else land it.

You can be darn sure that when I hook into a trophy bass, I am the ONLY one landing it. If it comes off, then you know what? The fish won that time. I am not going to cheat myself on a trophy catch by having my partner net it.

And these guys are professional fisherman...come on, grow a pair and LAND YOUR OWN FISH! Why don't you just have the camera man help you out as well.

Professional tournaments should be "No nets, no assisted landing".

What gives??? Am I off base here?

I'm not a tournament fisherman and I don't watch them anymore so that being said . If it upset you that much then I have a simple solution. DON'T WATCH THEM ANY MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

arul reply :

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I'm not a tournament fisherman and I don't watch them anymore so that being said . If it upset you that much then I have a simple solution. DON'T WATCH THEM ANY MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is exactly what I was saying. It did upset me to see Coanglers landing the pro's fish, and I am not watching any more. That was my point. And the post was made so that perhaps an FLW rep would stick their nose in, see my displeasure with partners landing the fish, and perhaps change the rules to eliminate partner landing.

Vekol reply :

I do it both ways--netting is a more certain method of landing the fish, but if you're by yourself it is just as easy to lip it. I do not, however, ever flip a fish into the boat and let it flop. If you're going to do that you might as well take it home and eat it.

fishizzle reply :

I've always hated netting someone elses fish in a tourney.

If you screw up, its like taking money right out of their pocket.

ESPECIALLY SMALLIES!!!!!

Volman482 reply :

I'd rather see the fish netted with a good net than flipped in so it can flop around on the carpet or get lipped and have it's jaw dislocated!

But that's just me!

SDoolittle reply :

I had no idea that some people are offended by the use of a landing net!

Matt 825 reply :

My preference is for no nets in tournaments, but since all local tournamnets allow nets you have to use them.

When I fish tournaments I net my own fish. I have seen too many "horrible net jobs" to let someone else net a good fish for me, plus I dont want someone else to stop fishing to net my fish.

mrbassky reply :

The way I look at it is you want the tournament scenario the same as it would be any other day. And most days we have a buddy in the boat with the net.

zbass reply :

I have seen both sides of the fence also. There is good and bad times. "Get the net" is exciting to hear from your partner o those long days. It keeps both people involved in the "team concept". Draw tournys are a different story. i will net my partner for the day's fish but I tell him that I will let him know if I need it. Nothing worse that to have that winning fish at the boat only to have it "stabbed off" :'(

eatnsleepfishing reply :

In our Central Pro Am we do not have enough co-anglers so some pros do not have anyone to net for them so rules are (NET YOUR OWN FISH).

SLO_ROLL reply :

Tournament=bringing fish to a weigh-in

Partner=someone you fish "with"

If I see something on TV I don't like, I change the channel.

Big-O reply :

I have netted many large fish for other anglers and other anglers have netted many large fish for me......We are all very happy.

Big O

www.ragetail.com

fish-fighting-illini reply :

My hats off to all of those who've posted. So far for a fairly controverisal topic the replies have pretty much been first class.

Although not a tny fisherman I can see it both ways. As a spectator via T.V. I'd much rather see fish than one comeing loose at the boat.

Maybe the rule should be ammended to " the handle of the net must be visible at all times" This would prevent the 4ft down tree stump "rescue ". Just a quick thought ????

FFI - AKA Matt Crum

RangerZ21 reply :

All sporting comments folks but studies have shown that flipping a fish in the boat does more damage than netting them if the proper net is used. And come on, how many of us tournament fishermen actually lip our bass if we think we can swing it?

zbass reply :

I am all for fish care. That is why when I swing a fish, i aim for the passenger seat. the fish doesn't hit the carpet and the co-angler can go home smelling like fish too!

Really, I take as good of care of the fish as I can. I am not a biologist or anything so I just use common sense. I have a fish care net and it gets used.

warmer reply :

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I do not, however, ever flip a fish into the boat and let it flop. If you're going to do that you might as well take it home and eat it.

i dont buy this claim. i have slung bass into the boat, and seen no detrimental effect on them in the live well. additionally i have brought fish home that i have slung and put them in a holding tank for days and seen no negative effect.

i dont sling fish as a general rule, if i do i land them gently, but i don't think that the claim that you "may as well take it home and eat it" is accurate.

Tin reply :

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I do not, however, ever flip a fish into the boat and let it flop. If you're going to do that you might as well take it home and eat it.

So if I hook a fish and rip him out of some slop should I just bring it home and eat it too? :-?

NBR reply :

Different tour different rules! No science behind my opinion but I suspect a rubber net is easier on the fish than bouncing them off of and letting them flop around on the carpet.

MattStrykul reply :

I don't know why people have such horrible stories about these net jobs! Half the time if you just put the net in the water at the nose of the fish it'll swim right in.

farmpond1 reply :

Personally, I'd hate to be held responsible for losing someone else's fish. Let him/her land their own fish.

Md reply :

I'm all for making the angler net his own fish. Speaking from experience, it's a lot of pressure to net a fish that may cost a pro $25,000...or worse $100,000! The co-angler has a right to fish too...and if the pro has a fish hooked, he's on fish. Let the guy keep fishing. He paid to fish too. I've been on both ends of this and would never let a co net my fish...I don't know how good his netting skills are and if I lose a fish I want no one to blame except myself. No excuses.

BillyBob reply :

B.A.S.S. did away with nets 3 years ago in the opens. Brought them back the very next year! (all but the Elites). Fish care!!!

One other thought...nothing binds two strangers together faster than helping each other catch fish! 8-)

JF1 reply :

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Personally, I'd hate to be held responsible for losing someone else's fish. Let him/her land their own fish.

This is my only point. I could care less that the FLW allows you to use a net, and if it's better for the fish then fantastic. However, the angler should have to net their own fish. How many of us have lost a fish right at the boat because their wasn' t a co-angler to net it for us?? It's the anglers fish until it's in the boat, period. Net your own fish!

c17Lat reply :

IMO, coangler netting is a bad idea for FLW for two reasons

1. anyone can be a coangler. So one pro might get the agile, athletic 20 yr old helping net his fish while another pro may have the 60 yr old guy with a bad back in the back of the boat. I think coangler netting just adds more variables and gives unfair advantages and disadvantages

2. It looks awkward and lame on tv! This is one of the reasons why the elite series shows are better than the flw ones

squid reply :

I don't care, I would rather net my own fish. But have you ever had to net your own smallies? Catch about 20-40 of them between 3 & 5 lbs and you will want someone else to use the net after a while....lol They will wear you down :o

14138

FLW + Coangler netting = LAME 2024

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