Big Fish, Small Net

[headscan]

Ok, so up until now I've managed to find answers to all of my questions by searching through previous posts. I just ran into something that I haven't found an answer to yet, though.

 

Normally I fish the lower section of the Highwood and most of the fish I catch down there aren't huge, so I've been fine landing them. I have a net that's about 15" for some of the bigger ones and it's worked fine so far. On Saturday I managed to hook a pretty big brown, though. When I finally got him in close enough, he was a good 5" longer than my net opening and managed to flip himself out of it. I tried to net him again, but he seemed to have figured it out and jerked his head which snapped my tippet. So is there a technique to netting bigger fish with a small net?

 

Marc

[toolman]

So is there a technique to netting bigger fish with a small net?

 

Marc

 

 

Yes there is Marc, don't use the net and bring the fish in without it. A net that is too small for the trout is more likely to end up with you losing it anyway, so your chances are better without it. Personally, I stopped using a net for walk and wade fishing and rarely loose any at my feet.

[Guest bigbadbrent]

use a net, get a bigger one..far less stress on the fish

[toolman]

use a net, get a bigger one..far less stress on the fish

 

 

I say bs. Allowing the trout to remain in the water without bieng confined/lifted with a net, is way less stessfull on the fish. Recovery and release is also much faster and easier.

[Guest bigbadbrent]

when did i say lift the net out of the water..

 

 

if you tail a fish, chances are you're going to pull it back in the water...seems that's what you're always advocating to avoid..

[Brownstone]

Are we gonna have the net / tail debate again...TAIL..LMAO

[lonefisher]

try a gaff hook

[ladystrange]

try a gaff hook

 

 

 

smile ur on candid camera and be'n posted on this website... lol

 

i gave up using a net when i started getting tangled in it myself.

[toolman]

if you tail a fish, chances are you're going to pull it back in the water...seems that's what you're always advocating to avoid..

 

 

Once again, I say BS.

[Guest bigbadbrent]

edit - not even worth my time, time to stop thinking you're 100% right on 100% of the topics that come up on the board...

[toolman]

That's it eh Brent. Can't support your position so you make personal attacks instead. Seems to be a few of you guys on this site.

[Guest bigbadbrent]

I had written this out, but then am grumpy and sick, so i thought i'd say what i really was thinking...

 

 

anyway:

 

My personal experience with netting compared to tailing. I used to lose more fish in one season at my feet, flies included (especially fishing 6x and size 20 and smaller flies, to fish over 20+ inchs) then i would in 3 seasons with my net. I can move swifter with my net, and have a much wider range then with my hands and rod. You don't need to lift the fish out of the water if you're careful, and if you're using a mesh instead of a knotted, the factor is minimal for difference.

 

ohh and toolman, before you start saying BS to this, how's the monster brown that you had well out of the water for a pic doing, the size alone of the fish and being out of the water, is not healthy for it, and somehow, i dont think using a net would even be close to the factor that holding a fish out of the water for unhealthyness.....ohh wait, he's probably dead cause he was out of the water..time to start following your own preachings...

[toolman]

Well at least there is an opinion on the topic this time, but sadly, ending in another naive attack directed at me.

Once again, I say BS.

[headscan]

Wow, I didn't realize when I originally posted that this was such a contentious issue...

 

I think I'll ride out the rest of the season with the net I have and go from there. I'll try tailing any fish that look too big for it and if I have any more trouble, I'll consider getting a bigger net. Thank you all for the input.

[birchy]

No worries headscan.. Toolman and BigBadBrent are both good guys.. they just don't get along with each other that great..

 

I prefer to use a net. I have one of those big mamma jamma catch and release nets with the metal frame from Wholesale Sports. Works like a charm. You can leave the fish in the water, take the hook out, and then just lower the net and they swim away.

 

Even though I have these big hands, for some reason I can't seem to hang on to a fish without really squeezing them, which to me is more harmful than netting them.

 

Just my opinion.

[wongrs]

take a look at this link to get a better idea of net versus hands.

 

http://flyfishcalgary.com/board/index.php?showtopic=576

 

both are probably ok. in terms of catch and release practices, following hands and/or net advice you receive on this board is the same difference as arguing why you should go to the gas station across the street that has .2 cheaper gas. it's practically the same thing compared to others that use gaffs, lift fish by the gills, squeeze the hell out of them, toss them on the rocks and step on em, tire them out so they can't move, chuck em back in the water with a sky arc and don't cradle them in the stream and allow them to recover. take a step back and look at the gambit of catch and release practices. net versus hands on this board is virtually negligible.

 

it comes down to keeping the fish in the water and letting it recover for long enough. if you're having a hard time keeping the fish under control and it's thrashing around on the rocks, then it's time to get a bigger net. there's a trade-off between a bigger net and the PITA to carry that bigger net around.

[toolman]

Well this seems to be the position of those who use nets routinely. That there is no difference or nets are better.

Many anglers will try and land trout without a net, but it often does not work out for them and they abandon the method. They have not learned the skills, techniques that are required, so choose to believe that nets are better.

The folks who don't use nets, have learned the skills and techniques to do so and understand what I am saying.

Usually they have learned this method when fishing for large Steelhead, Atlantics, Sea Trout, Pacific Salmon etc., where the use of a giant net is both impractical and unneccessary.

 

Here are a few problems that are often encountered when using nets and the stress they cause to the fish.

 

Nets remove protective mucous/slime from the fish, which protects the fish from bacteria, parasites, fungi and also acts as a thermal insulater to help regulate body temperatures and prevent thermal shocking, especailly important when water temps are at extremes, high in the summer and cold in the winter.

 

Nets/confinement, causes higher stress levels which leads to more chemical toxicity in the fish, leading to longer recovery times. Fish panic when you pick them up with a net, especailly if you lift them out of the water.

 

Nets bieng used are often too small and fold/bend the fish unaturally, which causes further stress, panic, injuries.

 

Hooks frequently become imbedded in the mesh of nets, often delaying release.

 

Fish often slam themselves (especailly their Tails) on net frames, causing injuries and increased stress, which leads to more chemical toxicity.

 

Gill plates, fins, teeth, often become entangled in the mesh, delaying the release and increasing the amount of handling stress.

 

It seems that some anglers are just interested in the photo opt and they justify the use of their net to do so, when the use of a net is not always neccessary or in the best interest of the trout.

 

Personally I don't really care if someone uses a net or not and whatever you are comfortable with is ok by me, but to say that not using one is more harmfull to the fish, is just plain BS.

 

To disagree with each others views is perfectly acceptable and I for one, welcome all open discussions, as usually there is something to be learned. But to take cheap shots and make public character attacks, trying to discredit those who disagree with you, is not acceptable.

[lonefisher]

Whoever posted that gaff hook suggestion obviously pirated my account as I would never say that Seriously though it was just a joke.

My opinion on the net vs hand debate has been posted every time this topic comes up so I won't bother posting it again..... All I will say is I bet very few of BBB or Toolmans released fish die.... both being fairly ethicaly minded and capable fishermen likely have a pretty damn low mortality rate..... This is like a battle royale with Mother Terresa VS Mahatma Gandhi pretty much pointless..... I think that fish on the whole are fairly resilient creatures likely moreso then they are given credit for around here...... Just don't bounce em off rocks or run em up and down the shoreline for 5 minutes showing all your buddies. Bring em in whichever way admire em for a sec and let em go. People who use nets kill fish..... people who tail fish kill fish...... wanna know which people don't kill fish? The people who don't fish..... never wanna kill a fish? quit fishing..... I hooked a brookie early in the year had him on the hook for about 5 seconds before he spit it 3 minutes later he was floating upside down.... I waded out tried to revive him for several minutes no luck some times these things happen..... Thats the only fish I know I killed this year but looking back there is nothing I could have done differently I think that fish was killed as much by the shock of the hookset as anything as he was never even landed and spent literally 5 secs on the hook.....

[Weedy1]

As far as landing and releasing I try to skip the landing part. I seldomly touch fish, I really see no reason for it unless the fish is way out of control. Being primarily a lake fisherman, 90%+ of the fish I catch are released simply by removing the hook with my fingers while the fish is still in the water. I have become quite competent at doing this with fish up to the 18" mark, any larger I usually use a net because it's kind of hard to do by yourself in a boat. This backfired last weekend though when a fish took off while I was taking the hook out and the second hook in line pierced my left pinky finger. There was my pinky finger playing rod and reel. The fish eventually broke off leaving me wondering why there was no pain involved. Luckily I have a long calous running down my pinky and that's where it pierced. So I guess there is one advantage to using a net but if I take pleasure in piercing fish I guess I have to take a few piercings myself every now and then.

 

When it comes to pictures I don't think it is a real important aspect of my fishing. I know what I have caught, where, when, with who, sometimes on what, etc. I fly fish to clear my head, to get away from it all. It's not a competition as I believe it is with some folks. (No one on this board though, no, no, no no no... ) I have memories of some fish and places that pictures wouldn't even begin to explain. It is nice to have a few pics though, especially of those special fish.

[toolman]

Good perspectives folks. Here's another from Guy Turck's web site.

http://www.turcktarantula.com/articles/to_net_or_not.htm

 

ps. Thanks MrBotangles for the link to Guy's site.

[ladystrange]

Good perspectives folks. Here's another from Guy Turck's web site.

http://www.turcktarantula.com/articles/to_net_or_not.htm

 

ps. Thanks MrBotangles for the link to Guy's site.

 

 

interesting discussion. quite the learning experience. thanks toolman for positng the article link.

[reevesr1]

..... This is like a battle royale with Mother Terresa VS Mahatma Gandhi pretty much pointless.....

That could be my favorite quote of the year, and completely appropriate to the case in point!

[bigbowtrout]

[esleech]

I always carry my net...When I have forgotten it though, it was very easy to tail a fish, or cradle it, with no injury whatsoever to the fish. If you are uncomfortable tailing the fish, or cradling it, then use the damn net. Simple isn't it?

[lonefisher]

Rickr I thought it was suitable but I hope TM and BBB don't see that as insulting as its not meant that way..... I just think it comes more down to the person releasing the fish in a timely manner..... I personally rarely use a net but in certain cases I would prefer to use one...... Like that Turcks link posted there are situations where a net is handy and even preferable..... But I rarely find myself in situations where I am catching numerous 20" plus fish on 6x tippet.... I find most places extremely light tippets are not needed and even when they are needed I find that a good knot even on 6x will hold for the landing of most average BIG fish. I am not saying you can tail a 15lb brown on 6x tippet but most big browns, bows, and cutts really don't go over 5 lbs or so.... In fact I think very very few do....

 

PS just thought I'd ask if anyone heard about the 21lb brown that came outta grotto pond this year?