Best net?

[andreindy]

May sound like too insignificant a question, but was wondering if any of you have a preference as far as nets are concerned. Grew up using the standard green netting models or the nets that were a tangled mess. My brother-in-law has a nice net that has a solid rubber netting but is very shallow and have a difficult time getting the occasional larger fish completely in the basket. How do people like the retractable nets?

Thanks
Andre

[j9f]

A lot of people are going to tell you beckman is the top of the line. It probably is. I don't own one because they have a round handle. I carry two 8' retractable landing nets. I prefer a retractable landing net that has a hex or telescoping handle so you don't struggle to hit the hole when extending or retracting. I have three... Ranger, Fabril and Cummins. The Fabril and Cummins are the best of the three. The Ranger handle bends too easily. The Fabril is neat because it telescopes like a painters pole so you can extend it to whatever distance you like.

Don't care for the shallow rubber nets either. You can put a release on your net handle to clip the bag. When you net a fish, the release comes undone. Keeps the bag out of the water before the fish is in the net. I also wrap my nets handles with pipe insulation and topped with yellow duct tape, so when your buddy drops it overboard, it floats and can see it easier.

[ETT]

Beckman is the best, IMHO, pricey but ...anything that's top of the line tends to be pricey. Good product backed up by a good company.

[Toolman]

Beckmans are good nets, but I still don't understand the round handle concept. I usually retract mine for running and extend it when I set up-so it's usually, but not always, at the ready. I find the round handle to be a bit difficult-even when marked w/magic marker. My last net was a $20 net from Wally Mart which worked fine, but the netting (bag) was a little weak and was very prone to tangles. The extendable handle was octagon and worked great. I use a Frabill now and IMO it's one of the best I've tried. It has a triangular handle which extends to 8'.

[Spendit]

"I also wrap my nets handles with pipe insulation and topped with yellow duct tape, so when your buddy drops it overboard, it floats and can see it easier."


You can also fill the inner tube and hoop with 'expand-a-foam'. Fits in any rod holder easier.

I use the cabela's magnum rubber, keeps the hooks out and holds larger eye's.

[pwrfshn]

Andre,

I've used a Beckman, Loki, Frabill and Stowmaster.

Like the Beckman the best for quality, construction and hookless bag. The Stowmaster has all of the above but is easy to stow and has a tracking handle, however the net is heavy for my taste. Frabill has a great handle, little on the heavy side compared to the Beckman and the bag does not seem as durable. Loki, was great while I had it, and I hope the thief that is using it falls overboard.

Good luck,

[Starfish]

I found a pretty cool gizmo manufactured in Yakima, WA that replaces the "yoke" where the sliding handle goes through and the net hoop comes together. It has a tapered cone that automatically depresses the button on the handle while you pull it to the extended position, so you just pull the handle and twist until the button pops into place and locks. The manufacturer donated twenty of the yokes to a charity salmon derby I chaired, and he gave me one for my salmon net... I love it. It's called QNET (www.qnetusa-pnp.com) but I don't know if they come in walleye sizes. They do fit a variety of net brands.

[Sportdog]

I think that your question is an excellent one. I think that nets are like boats, there are many good ones out there but the "best" net is the one that suits your individual needs. I fish for many different types of fish but I tend to use a lot of crankbaits and spoons. I have a passion for C&R smallmouths. For these reasons I use a Frabill solid rubber mesh net. The rubber makes it easy to get your hooks out of the netting and the material does not remove the protective slime on the fish you are releasing. It is a little heavy and it's a good idea to keep it out of the sun because the UV rays will damage the rubber. The rubber may seem shallow but the weight of the fish expands it and negates the thrashing around. I have netted salmon up to 18 pounds and had no problems. Good luck with your choice.

[REW]

Andre,
I have used lots of nets over the years, but prefer a long handled net that can be retracted.
I also prefer the lightest handled net that I can get.
I also prefer a fairly deep bag on the net, made of coated cord.

Many of the high end nets are very nice; but I think that many of them are physically too heavy. If you take a long handled net, that is on the heavy side already - it can be a bit of a chore to get a "quick" net sweep during a netting operation.

I also dislike the rubber net for two reasons:
1. The rubber net is very heavy,
2. The size of the netting (i.e. quite thick) tends to offer a lot of resistance to a net sweep when netting.
3. Too shallow a bag. When I did have my rubber net; I lost quite a few fish, because they would "bounce" out of the net following a successfull netting operation.

I find that by using a well coated corded net, that it is light, tough, deep, and reasonably resistant to hooks being lodged in the net.

My favorite net of all is NO net.
i.e. most of the time, I prefer to hand land the fish.
With the style boat that I have, it is easy to reach over the side to grab the fish. This is especially true when using crank baits.
Also, I really dislike using a net on a northern. If you compound netting a northern on a crankbait, you might spend 10 minutes getting it out of the net, and getting the hooks out of the net.
So, particularly in these cases, I really prefer to use no net.

Take care
REW

[pwrfshn]

The only comment I will add to REWs statements which are very good is that if you choose to not use a net PLEASE exercise great caution.

Seen a lot of bad things happen with hooks and a net can prevent a lot of that. Yes, it is a pain and can be time consuming, but that doens't come close to replacing an eye or having to dig a treble out of a finger.

If you have the right setup and experience to land fish without using a net, it is by far the best way to do it, but PLEASE BE CAREFUL.

I don't use a net at all for Stripers, but bass and walleye almost all the time, especially if I have clients, I can't imagine what my insurance would do if I had a case where I chose to have hooks flying all over instead of using a net to land a fish.

A Boga Grip or similar is a great alternative to a net, but again, these tools put you close to the hooks, exercise caution, use eye protection and practice.

[REW]

thanks for the caution.

Great points.
Take care
REW

[Denied]

I use Beckman nets, I have one of theirs complete with frame which will reach out far enough that the walleye won't see the boat, thus avoiding the last minute thrashing about that happens when they see the boat. I also have a Beckman replacement net on an aluminum frame which has a square handle, we use this one most of the time and use the bigger and heavier Beckman when we have a big walleye on or have two or more on at the same time.
dean

Fishing Lake Erie aboard "DENIED"

(I don't represent any manufacturer or supplier "I pay my own way")

[Ohio fisherman]

This is an interesting discussion. Many good analytical answers. I really like the idea of injecting expansion foam into the hoop and inner handle. I am gonna try that ASAP.

I prefer four nets for different purposes.

A. Frabil Power Catch trolling shape hoop with replacement bag for a larger net (deeper bag) and with an extension handle that I ordered with a coupon that came with the net. This net is great for trolling and netting large fish. The handle is great - no twisting of a round handle.

B. Cabelas super mag rubber with extension handle. This net is great when jigging or casting for walleyes because of no tangles and easy release or coolering of fish. This net is also great for perch fishing with the occasional double or when a surprise fish hits.

I carry both of these nets in the boat - they are out of the way.

C. A fancy wooden net made in Montana that my son got me for Christmas which is a long handled "steelhead" net with a rubber bag. This net is great for wading fishing for steelhead and trout and also great for fishing smaller lakes for bass. This net fits over my knees and the boat gunwale and makes c&r of bass very easy.

D. A nifty net for my minnow bucket that has some foam built into the handle so that it floats with most of the handle sticking out of the water. This is great in cold weather to keep one hand somewhat dry and warm.

I definitely prefer REW's method with pike. NO NET for pike. The 10-20 minutes of unrapping the pike and then getting the hooks out of the netting is frustrating, especially when trying to get the pike back into the water asap. I prefer to lead them to the edge of the boat and unhook with long hookouts. Always looking for a better method.

Take care, O F

[Magic MT]

I have used StowMaster nets and they are the greatest. A little heavy but I have yet to have one blow out of the boat. They store in my boats compartment and out of the way when my son does the water ski and knee boarding stuff.

[j9f]

Careful with the foam injection on the fabril. The foam expands a lot. You can get the low expansion stuff, window and door that only expands 2x.

I have injected foam in two of my nets, but the frabil I have has the painters pole type extension feature. It would be easy to make that unoperable with expanding foam.

[Hawgeye]

Beckman. I have owned one...yes one, since 1993 and it is still in great shape.

I really don't understand why anyone is complaining about a round handle. It has never been an issue for me. In fact, I don't see an advantage to different shaped handles. The net material is second to none, the welded hoop is solid as a rock and the aluminum adjustable handle does the trick every time.

Beckman.

Hawgeye

[SUPERTROLLER]

For the first time ever, a person I was fishing with got impaled on a treble hook. It was a 25 inch pike and it thrashed just as he was grabbing it and he got the fish and a hook in the thumb. As he was initially screaming for me to grab the fish, it was thrashing all over in his hand. NOT GOOD! I quickly put it in a death grip and did not move or allow it to move. For some reason the fishes eyeballs were popping out of his head. My buddy then grabbed our always ready pliers and unhooked the fish. I quickly measured it and plopped him into the livewell. Then turned and watched as my buddy gritted his teeth and pulled that hook barb backwards out of the wound channel. He bled like a throat hooked trout, even with hard pressure on it. After awhile, we put a band-aid on it. Since we were trolling, we didn't miss any fishing time. I just did most of the lure changes and fish unhooking the rest of the day. LOL. It throbbed for days afterward. We talked about all the years we had gone without a mishap and know that there were plenty of other close calls. We've decided to net anything that isn't an easy grab, just to be on the safe side. I've even started netting Sheephead. It's easier on the hooks and I don't have to worry about them breaking the line and swimming off with a good bait. I'll take the extra time and aggravation to get a hook out of the net. I fish by myself about 75% of the time and don't think I want to figure out how to unhook a crazed fish and myself at the same time.

[OTWADOUG unreg]

Beckman, for a number of reasons:
for their light weight,
for the best bag, no knots, no hooks,
warrantee,
and becuase they are still made the old fashion way, with pride.
I have two on the charter boat and three or four for walleye, smallmouth, pike and muskie fishing. Yes they are not cheap, but you get what you pay for. I have NEVER had one break, anywhere, just had to replace the bags. Just got the new one for walleye with the pen style bag. No fish will get out of it, but it is shallow enough to get fish out of for C&R. Good Luck, Doug

[Toolman]

I wasn't complaining about the Beckman's round handle, just stating that it didn't make sense to have a handle that makes it more difficult to extend quickly and is (in theory) structurally less advanced. As far as the bags go-I've never used a net that was truely "hook-proof". Both Beckman's and Frabils definitely tangle less than some cheaper models I've tried, but neither are hook-proof. I've never used a Loki or Stowmaster, so I can't speak for them.

Two advantages to a "shaped" handle:
1) Although I'm certain Beckman's round handle is plenty strong for hauling in walleyes, any engineer will tell you that a column structure (such as the round handle shape) is unbeatable for vertically load bearing but other shapes will handle the longitudal forces a net handle recieves better-including triangular shapes.
2) You don't need to even look at a shaped handle such as the Frabils (or my old cheapo model w/octagonal handle) to lock it in the extended position. Simply push the button and click, click, it's there.

Like someone else stated-there's lot's of good nets out there. You just need to try them and find the one that fits your needs/budget best.

[j9f]

"I really don't understand why anyone is complaining about a round handle."

That is an easy answer...

Say you have a boat with a 8.5' or 9.5' beam and twin outboards. You want a long handled net. You can put a netholder somewhere, lay it along your console, railing or walkaround. Personally... I like to retract mine and lay it on the swim platform. Pick it up, extend it and net the fish. If you do that 30 times in three hours and have a few beers along the way.... you are going to miss the hole once in a while with the round handle. If you are lucky, none of the parts will splash.

There is no one product that is best for everyone. I know there are a higher quality nets than the ones I use. But is you are a fan of extending and retracting, a round handle has it's drawbacks.

[Netminder]

I use a Ranger Salmon net that has a 9'8" total length. The basket is 32 X 30 and I replaced the bag with a smaller one that's shallower & has a finer mesh that’s coated. I sealed the inside ends of the hoop with rubber silicone to trap the air inside then I stuffed chunks of closed cell foam in the inner handle section. The net floats level in case it goes overboard. I still need to paint the outer handle section yellow or orange so it is easy to see in the water. It was mentioned earlier that the handle would bend on Ranger nets, I have not seen this yet. I'm on year 2 and have landed doubles and triples with no problems. Maybe Ranger is using thicker material now? I think if the net gets to heavy it will be awkward to handle when trying to land a fish if you use the full length the handle offers. Just my 2 cents.
Netminder

"Learn from the mistakes of others, because you won't live long enough to make them all yourself"

http://www.walleyecentral.com/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=101809

[Stormsearch]

Beckman just came out with a new style of bag for the walleye series. It has more of a square bottom, than versus a deep bag. I like this bag for two reasons, there is less bag resistance in the water while netting and the fish is easier to get to once in the boat. Yeah, I've used the clip trick but sometimes forget to use it if you are on fish and busy resetting lines. I just picked up my second Beckman about a month ago and didn't have their new bag version on it, wished it did. My first one didn't extend, the second one now does.

[Backwater Eddy]

I used larger mesh nets for years and thought they were the best deal overall. After testing a new net style from Frabill called the Halibut net I quickly changed my thinking on what was best for me as well as for the fish.

My observations were the finer mesh and the flat bag allowed for easy capture of the fish and less rolling in the net. The reduction of rolling lessens stress and tangles, as does the finer softer mesh. When using weight systems like slip or Lindy weights wider mesh quickly sucks in the weight and/or the hook and the result is a puzzle evey time you net a fish. I quickly found the Halibut Net style to be more convenient and far less stress on me, and on the fish.

Big catfish, pike, and walleye love to roll in the net, they apparently get a kick out of it was my thinking before. What I have come to understand now is if they feel more secure and supported they tend to roll less, the flat bag bottom accomplishes this added security very well. I have put tons of big cats in mine and it is holding up very well.

With my success with the Frabill Halibut Net I decided to see what else Frabill had in a like design that would be a good match for light walleye and pike. What I found was the Pro Tech collapsible net system. A flat bag and triangle shaped net system that packs easily into a convenient store-able package. Same qualities and attributes as the Halibut Net but in a lighter configuration more suited for most walleye applications. A very good boat and pack net in my opinion.

In all fairness LOKI also has a new flat bag fine mesh coated net system. I have some hesitation with the LOKI as I see a potential problem with added resistance to the finer coated mess? I will need to get one wet a few times before I make a call on if it is a problem for me on rivers or not. I think the hoop and yoke on the LOKI should be beefed up some too, looked a bit light to me?

At present I have no hesitation recommending the two Frabill nets I have been using, they work well, easy on the fish, and hold up great.

Ed "Backwater Eddy" Carlson

"ED on the RED"

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[O F]

I am interested in this net. Can you please post a link to a photo? Thanks, O F

[Definitely Frabill]

Stronger, smarter design, easier handle extension. Frabill by alot.

[Backwater Eddy]

Here is the link to the Pro Tech net, if that was the one you were interested in?

www.frabill.com/protech.html

I did not see the new Halibut net on the Frabill site, but it is in the new Frabill Guide with all the other new and cool stuff. Drop them an e-mail and they will mail you the new Guide so you can see the whole new line.

Ed "Backwater Eddy" Carlson

"ED on the RED"

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