Netting Your Bass

[Sam]

I am having a debate with a friend about netting a bass from your boat.

He says to keep the net out of the water and then thrust it into the water to sweep the net to land the bass.

I say to keep the net in the water so the fish can swim into it or sweep it to net the bass and you will not startle the bass by thrusting the net into the water.

So what do you guys think?

Appreciate your feedback.

[tomustang]

The fish is startled already by the hook set and fight, don't see how much of difference the net being positioned is going to changed that

[central.PA.bass]

Keep the net out of the water until fish is about to surface.. Then make a clean sweep and get the fish...A net in the water can only cause problems if you are waiting for the fish to swim into it..

[etommy28]

NEVER SWIPE AT THE FISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! if my coangler does that he gets yelled at, you put the net in the water and lead the fish in. stabbing at it will make you lose fish.

[roadwarrior]

NEVER SWIPE AT THE FISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! if my coangler does that he gets yelled at, you put the net in the water and lead the fish in. stabbing at it will make you lose fish.

My partner tried to stab my fish at The Make-A-Wish tournament at Florence last October.

That cost us "Big Bass".

[bigbasshunter]

First things first, never net a fish with a dry net!!! This will remove their protective slime coating.

Second is it only takes one fish loss due to jabbing trying to net the fish and shredding the line.

Wet your net and keep it flat against the boat until fish is nettable.

[Sam]

Thanks, guys.

I agree with keeping the net in the water and close to the boat.

Isn't this a great site, or what?

[WRB]

Both methods discribed can and will cause you problems when netting a bass with multiple treble hook lure. Taking a stab or swipe with the net isn't going to work out well most of the time. Leaving the net in the water with the net bag loose can cause problems trying to manuever the net under water, the fish can turn quickly and snag the net bag.

I like to hold the bottom of the net bag agianst the net handle, gently slide the net hoop below the water surface and as soon as the fish head is about the enter the net hoop, release the net bag and line pressure, the fish dives into the net for you and you are in control.

Tom

[Dave P]

Net in the water and lead the fish into it head first. Always. If you get in the habit of swiping it will cost you a fish because they can move a hell of a lot faster than you can swipe a net.

[Mike L]

Last month in a local tourn on Toho, my boater was reeling in what looked like a 4 lber. When he got it about 20 ft from the boat I did what I've always done...put the net in the water with the handle on the gunnel waiting for him to bring the fish closer so I can come up from beneath it and scoop it up.

When he got about 6 ft from me he yelled for me to GO GET HIM!

I stretched as far as I could but couldn"t quite reach it. I yelled back..JUST A LITTLE CLOSER! he raised the rod, brought the fish in 3 more feet and I netted.

After it was in the boat I told him, "next time just bring him to me, I don't want to take any chances of losing your fish by reaching so far out that I can't control the net, because I'm reaching so far I get off balance and risk knocking him off">>

He said " I like that! most backseaters just go get them, and I cringe everytime the net gets close, I thought you were gonna do the same but you didn't move...That fish weighed 5.7lb which helped him place 2nd. He refused to take the 25.00 I offered for gas.

Mike

[Triton21]

I Lip them.

Kelley

[WRB]

I Lip them.

Kelley

Not with multiple trebles, otherwise agree.

Tom

[Fishing Rhino]

Most of the problems I've witnessed in the process of netting fish is that the person with the net gets too anxious, and tries to net an obviously green fish. Be patient, and wait until the fish becomes somewhat subdued, and controlled by the fisherman with the rod in hand. Then the odds swing dramatically in favor of the person netting the fish.

The sole exception to this is when a fish is obviously poorly hooked in just the skin. Even then, the netter should be sure he and the person fighting the fish are on the same page.

[M-D]

I prefer to have the net in the water laying flat against the side of the boat, bring the fish along the boat and scoop the fish up with the net. Stabbing at a fish is a BIG no no IMHO.

[NoBassPro]

Stabbing at a fish is a BIG no no IMHO.

Is it ok to shoot them with a .22 if you can't stab them?

[Triton21]

Not with multiple trebles, otherwise agree.

Tom

Guess I have been lucky so far not getting a hook in my hand. If hooks are exposed too much I land them by lifting them under the belly.

Kelley

[SirSnookalot]

Most of the problems I've witnessed in the process of netting fish is that the person with the net gets too anxious, and tries to net an obviously green fish. Be patient, and wait until the fish becomes somewhat subdued, and controlled by the fisherman with the rod in hand. Then the odds swing dramatically in favor of the person netting the fish.

Obvious Tom is an old salt, "green fish" is a saltwater term for a fish that isn't ready to be landed. Once the fish is ripe and the angler has the fish in position, just reach down and scoop it up. Gets a little more time consuming if the fish are bigger, thrashing around, and have teeth. Many toothy critters love to try and take a chunk out of your leg if you aren't careful.

I never knew green fish were LMB and brown fish were small mouths until I went on line.

[bigbassctchr101]

I keep the net in the water flat side along side the boat and lead the fish into it. If it is on a treble hooked bait, my partner and I always try to boat lift the fish with the net right under the fish. It saves a lot of time trying to fish out the treble hooks from the net. It works for us and haven't lost a fish doing this yet.

If its a large fish, its always going in the net. Head first. Unless something weird happens.

I've netted smallmouth about everyway you can think about netting a fish. From 5ft down with my arms fully extended in the water, and all the way to catching one overhead that jumped (and had an extra hard pull) and was flying across the boat.

[WRB]

Guess I have been lucky so far not getting a hook in my hand. If hooks are exposed too much I land them by lifting them under the belly.

Kelley

I don't like using nets or bouncing fish and try to hand land them by the mouth except; at night and as mentioned with multiple tebles. One slip is all it takes and you have a flopping bass hanging by the treble hook in your hand and it's very painful. I lip landed a 14.2 with a Norman DD22, the bass made a hard twist out of my grip and the rear treble found the back of my hand. Now I use knotless nets with crankbaits; better safe than sorry.

Tom

[out_doors_guy]

I don't normally net bass but I do with other species. Stabbing, sweeping and scooping up a fish is a good way to loose it. The only way to net a fish is to lead it into a STATIONARY net, after the fish is in the net, then lift it.

[11justin22]

Ok I'm confused, why would stabbing or sweeping make u loose a fish. Ony time I use a net is in a tournament and there is no time to fight a fish until its subdued. Get the fish in the net s u don't loose it period. I generally hold the net in the water and let the angler pull the fish up until its in range of me and sweep the net towards it. I saved three fish Friday night by doing it this way, as soon as I would start to lift the fish the hook would pop loose.

[Dave P]

Ok I'm confused, why would stabbing or sweeping make u loose a fish. Ony time I use a net is in a tournament and there is no time to fight a fish until its subdued. Get the fish in the net s u don't loose it period. I generally hold the net in the water and let the angler pull the fish up until its in range of me and sweep the net towards it. I saved three fish Friday night by doing it this way, as soon as I would start to lift the fish the hook would pop loose.

Because if you miss, it's gone. If you hit the line, it's gone. If you hang the lure on the outside of the net bag, it's gone. If it decides to run the opposite direction, it's gone because it can swim a lot faster than you can sweep. If it hasn't happened to you yet, it will. Let him lead it into/over the hoop and then you can lift up from underneath. That sounds like how you are doing it.

[11justin22]

Because if you miss, it's gone. If you hit the line, it's gone. If you hang the lure on the outside of the net bag, it's gone. If it decides to run the opposite direction, it's gone because it can swim a lot faster than you can sweep. If it hasn't happened to you yet, it will. Let him lead it into/over the hoop and then you can lift up from underneath. That sounds like how you are doing it.

Ahh I could see hitting the line or especially catching a treble hook on the net...that makes sense. Hopefully that never happens. I have pretty good hand eye coordination. I played sports and still do some. How u explained is pretty well how I do it. I'm not hanging over the boat trying to snag the fish lol.

[SirSnookalot]

Personally speaking I think some are making more of it than is needed, a LMB should pose no problem in netting. Trebles being caught in the net would probably be my main concern. I would only use a net fishing from an elevated position like a sea wall from shore. If you don't want to lip the fish for fear of being "hooked", using a boga type appartus, Cableas has a cheapie plastic one for about 10 bucks or so, it's more than adequate.

[Will Wetline]

Net in the water and lead the fish into it head first. Always. If you get in the habit of swiping it will cost you a fish because they can move a hell of a lot faster than you can swipe a net.

This is exactly right. I'll add that that it's helpful for the netman/woman to be agile and sometimes to be a coach: if the fisherman is overexcited, tell him/her that the fish is not ready for the net yet.