Netting - Trolling Walleyes

Over the last two years I’ve started do a lot more trolling on Lake Erie and Saginaw Bay for open water walleyes? When I first started, I was using in-line boards and I would net my fish at the side of the boat. Now I’ve started using big boards more and I’m netting the fish behind the boat (17" alum.)

My question is what is the best netting procedure?
It seems I’m loosing more and more fish behind the boat. Maybe it's because I’m hooking more. :-)

FYI, I purchased a rubber net this winter because last year I spent a lot of time cutting Hot-n-Tots out of my net while fish were on the line. Well this past weekend I lost a hog behind the boat because it didn't fit in the net and it rolled out. Not sure if it was the net or the netter. :-)

[Toolman]

JT,

Here's a discussion of that subject from the Boat Ohio site (ETT is the host):

http://www.boatohio.com/forums/DCForumID14/459.html##

Tim

[ebijack]

i always try to have the fish brought to the side of the boat...you have a much better angle at netting the fish. your reaching much farther when netting over the back of the boat. either way, net the water under the fish and come up with the net, you won't ever knock a fish off because your not trying to net the fish and accidentlly hitting the fish with the net. you shooting for under the fish and coming up. i've landed plenty of big fish with my rubber net with no problem (just don't trampoline the fish by lifting fast out of the water)....also you can dump the fish into the bottom of the boat and net the second and third fish. i do carry a large beckmans for the 12lbers and when a large fish is ontop of the water wayout back of the boat. but i use the rubber net 99% of the time.

We learned a trick from the Charters. No hooks needed in the front on Wiggle Warts & Hot & tots. Lots of less trouble with the hook in the net.
Also we found the Lueke (sp) net works well it is rubber coated (heavy) but no bounce.

[REW]

I 2nd the comment on the use of a "coated" net, that is NOT a rubber net.
A rubber net has a couple of problems.
1. Too heavy/ A rubber net is MUCH heavier than a conventional net made of a cord or cord like material. The rubber net is so heavy, and offers so much drag in the water; that it is much more difficult to net all fish.

2. Bounce. It is very easy to bounce large fish out of a rubber net.

3. Netting fish as you point out - make sure that you have a net with a handle that is long enough.
If you can net the fish, before it gets too close to the boat; the fish get much less agitated.
4. Always net fish - head first. Never net a fish from the tail -- you will lose a tail netted fish, about 2/3s of the time.

Use the smallest size net that is practicable for the size fish you are catching. Smaller nets allow much easier netting. If you don't want to lose big fish, simply make sure that the net is deep enough to hold the fish. It doesn't necessarily have to have a large diameter.

The coated nets do a pretty decent job of not catching hooks.
Also, for as many lures as possible, take the front hooks of the lures. Much less problems with hooks catching in the nets. Not a great deal of difference in hooking percentage with the front hooks gone.

Take care
REW

I have used rubber nets and have decided that it is best to just give them away! I have lost far to
many fish jumping out of the net. I prefer an oversized salmon net with nylon mesh. My theory is I
have never had a net that was to big but many times they were to small.
With all that is going on when you are trolling you should not have to think about how to overcome a
nets deficiencies when landing a fish. As someone stated earlier, net below the fish and bring the
net up through the fish. My opinion is the bigger the net the better and so what if the hooks get
caught in the nylon on occasion, they usually come out pretty easily and it is far better than losing
that "fish of a lifetime".

Dave - Fish On!! - Varitek

[Terroreyes]

Are you the Dave V. from S.E. Michigan? If you are..... you still doing that page with fishing reports? I lost the bookmark when my computer crashed a while ago. Nice detailed Erie reports! Shoot me the link if it's you.
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[Stormsearch]

http://www.ili.net/~dvaritek/

[Terroreyes]

That's it! Thank you!
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