Best Net

[800proX]

OK - a week away and all the little walleyes have had their spring break, and all of us have had our fill of posting. Can't wait til the posts are more about fishing, but I guess we passed some 'dead time'.

My question is this to you all. What does everyone use (recommend) for an extendable net. It has to be strong in the yoke, extendable to over 10', and preferably have treated netting. I sometimes thought of using my muskie net, but am happy with mine for the most part. Just passing time and wondering what everyone else uses on the Big Waters!!

jeff

[dunns]

Only Beckman!
I have the magnum walleye that extends well beyond 10 ft. my buddy has the magnum muskie for when we start chasing those pigs
dunns

[tbone]

Beckman

[Bottomfeeder]

A couple of years ago I bought a black Frabil walleye net at Fleet Farm for about $25.00. 10' extendable handle. The net is strong and is the perfect lenght but I was having lots of trouble with hooks in the netting. I was about to buy the Beckman when I saw a new coated bag for my Frabil for $7.99. Every time I get ready to buy the Beckman I just can't pull the trigger and spend the bucks. I guess fishing is like anything else, priorities and tradeoffs. If I can get one more year out of the Frabill, that will give me $75 more I can spend on the Cabellas Guideware, or maybe get my prop fixed one more time. And for $75 I can get new 10 Taildancers.

Good Fishing

Bottomfeeder

[papa-c]

FRABIL DOES IT BEST FOR LESS! WALLEYE OR MUSKIE THEY ARE GREAT!
BECKMANS ARE GREAT AS WELL, THEY ARE JUST TO PRICEY FOR NO ADVANTAGE. GOOD FISHING TO ALL. LETS USE SOME KIND OF NET FREQUENTLY THIS YEAR!

[GORD]

When it gets down to the short strokes and you have a big walleye near the boat, the best net to have is a big one that is ready to go. Have any of you ever had a big fish on your line and your net is full of hooks and has a fish bouncing around in it? If you have a smaller net for the smaller fish, your bigger net will always be ready for that fish of a lifetime. When it comes to buying a quality net there are a few to choose from. Beckman is very good, but it is heavy and expensive. Loki nets are not quite as heavy duty but they are well made and more reasonably priced. Go to a tournament and walk around. Take a look through the pros boats and see what they use. Try offering to buy one after the tournament is over. There is one model that I saw once with a yellow handle that was very good. What kind it was, I have no idea, but I'm keeping my eyes open for another one.

[St Croix Boy]

Do the coated bags really stop the hooks from fouling in the net?
How about rubber nets? Any Good?
Thanks

[Den]

I have used and sold many different kinds of nets. i can honestly say that the Beckman is the best, and the strongest. Frabil makes a good net also, but the Beckman gets my vote. they may be pricey, but so are a lot of the best things we buy.so far i have had only one hook get in my beckman. my frabil i had quite a few split the threads, and it was coated also. it was still a lot better than the standard nets. as far as the rubber net, save the money. good luck and good fishin.
Den

[Juls_WI]

I agree, Beckman is the best. I also agree, that they are more expensive, but like Den said, so are a lot of the toys we buy. I haven't had a hook get caught in the netting yet. Maybe I have just been lucky? The new walleye series from Beckman are much lighter in the yoke than the previous models, but the strength of it has not been compromised. Extension handles are available in many different sizes, along with one or two that are over ten foot.
Well worth the money if you ask me. But hey, that's just me.

Juls

[Bottomfeeder]

We troll Bay de Noc at night and use cranks like #18 Rapallas. With the non-coated bag the hooks always get into the strands of the net. At night this is really a problem. With the coated bag the problem of hooks going into the strands is eliminated. It sill takes a little while to get the lure out, but it's a lot easier when the hooks arent between the strands in the net. This spring we got into a bunch of nice brown trout. You should see what a 12 lb brown does to a net. They twist and turn like a sturgeon when you net them. I was real glad to have a coated bag with these fish.

Bottomfeeder

[JimmyJ]

I had a LOKI that was a great coated net. I dropped it in the drink night fishing last year and haven't been able to find one at any of the local stores. If you can find one buy it. If you know of a store that sells them let me know. If you know there web site please post. Thanks, Jim

[T-Mac]

Beckman.
Nicest folks you could ever talk with, also.

[Terry/JNR]

I bought a Frabil several years ago and the hoop is the perfect size I want. Did'nt like the bag though. Beckmans are just too big, with too big of a price, too. I bought a Cabelas Magnum Rubber net. Perfect for the few times I use a net, which is only when someone else is in my boat. Otherwise I leave my net at home. I rarely loose a fish and if I get it along side the boat and it gets off, it's a caught fish.

[Phil T.]

Might you happen to know how to tell which Frabil nets have the internal + reinforced extruded hoops? I'm assuming the cheaper ones have the simple tubular extruding, and the most expensive the cross-shaped internal reinforcement, but where in the price range do the stronger hoops first show up?

[Capt. Doug Schreiber]

Beckman, hands down. The new magnum walleye is lighter, much lighter. The best thing is the way they stand behind the product. I have 3 on my charter boat and 3 for my walleye boat. If you really want to survey what nets are in pro's boats. Go to a marina and see what ALL the charters use. BECKMAN and they have to pay for them. No sweetheart deals. Good Luck, Doug

[Butch]

I just picked up a Beckman net at cabela's for $67.00.
(Because of the praise on this board)
It was the 6'9" to 9+' walleye.
I believe they list for around $80.00 +?
I have already used it, well worth the coin!

B2

See you oon the water!

[jayw]

Beckman, the brand new one I pulled off the bottom of Big Stone last year. Great net, great price.. :)

[steve(IL)]

I taped the RCL in Green Bay from last fall and watched it again last night. Of the six who made it to the finals, I only saw one Beckman net. Scott Glorvigen, Mike Gofron and Johnny Campbell were not using Beckman. They could chose any net they want and have a ton of money on the line - they chose OTHER than Beckman. Lighter weight floating aluminum styles were typical - Beckman was the exception at RCL!!!! At least among the leaders. Beckman, Beckman, Beckman...... If I owned a charter on the great lakes and trolled every day w/ multiple people in the boat - I might choose a Beckman. For the variety of conditions I face and when fishing ALONE - I prefer a lighter, faster, easier to manage net.

[Roscoe]

I bought a beckmann this last winter and have used it numerous times by myself. I don't believe it is too heavy at all. Very well built, virtually impossible to get a hook in it, and a great warranty. Yes it is more expensive, but well worth the money.

[Dave R.]

I've had a Beckman for 2 years - best net by far that I've owned.

[800proX]

BTW - mine is from Bass Pro Shops and is fully extendable and very light for as strong as it is. I would recommend it to anyone. I believe I had paid around 50 bux for it at the time.

jeff