Landing Nets

[fishnallday]

I was looking at a net at the Bass Pro Shop and they have this net called "The measure net". It says on it has soft mesh and is fish friendly. I don't care much about that is has a measuring tape on it but because it has an extendable or telescopic handle good for when you are in a v-boat and or in a river and can get the fish in faster because of the longer reach therefore less added stress on the fish.

Anybody uses this net?

[maxwell]

rubber all the way!

[misterbig]

I was looking at a net at the Bass Pro Shop and they have this net called "The measure net". It says on it has soft mesh and is fish friendly. I don't care much about that is has a measuring tape on it but because it has an extendable or telescopic handle good for when you are in a v-boat and or in a river and can get the fish in faster because of the longer reach therefore less added stress on the fish.

Anybody uses this net?

 

I have this net and works well in the pontoon. Never brought with me when I wade though. I agree with max that rubber is the better alternative, as the mesh will remove less of the fish slime and scales.

 

M

 

 

 

[darrinhurst]

I have the Brodin Gellatin with the rubber ghost net on it and I love it.

 

Hooks don't get snagged in it and the lack of fabric won't rub the slime of them. Can't get much more fish friendly than that.

[jack]

There are several aspects to "fish friendly", not just the the difference in mesh material. A fine, soft, flexible mesh is important, mesh that is wet prior to landing is really important(no matter what the material is), size and shape of the net, in accommodating the whole fish is very important.

 

An ideal net (for the fish, not the fisher's "convenience") will have a fine, wet, mesh that fully supports the skin of the fish, without removing slime. It will be deep enough and have a straight bottom so that a fish will lie there quietly and have the fly hook removed without thrashing around. If a fish is bent in a "U" in a small curved net, it will thrash and increase it's level of stress significantly.

I don't know if anyone makes "the perfect net" for the fish, but I think it's a mistake to only focus on one attribute of a landing net.

j