What Size Net For Bass?

[hoosierbass07]

  I'm wanting to make my first net purchase.  I read it's better to get a rubber coated net so that is what I'm after.  What I'm not sure about is the size.  I'm only going after bass right now and that would be the main 

use of the net.  What is a good sized net for bass fishing?  I don't want to order one too small or too large.  I will be doing most of my fishing from a canoe or bank fishing.   

 

Thanks

[swagkid300]

you really don't need a net

[WRB]

Take a look at StowMaster, knotless, not a rubber net...too heavy. 20" is good for bass with a boat.

Tom

[bigbill]

I was bass fishing standing about 3' above the waters edge. I was alone. I caught a very large silver fish with baby sized square teeth. With no net and being I have bad worn out knees I brought it to shore and let my line go slack and let it go. I later found out it was a silver salmon and possibly a new state record. The Mann's baby 1 minus crankbait did its dance and the salmon went for it. Again this is a 10acre body of water with a manmade dam for water power that gets the winter and storm runoff from a larger lake that's up stream. I found out they did stock the larger lake with salmon years ago. I use a local deli to weigh in all my big fish that's minutes away. Plus he sells fishing stuff there too. I'm on his wall of fame with my 6# 1oz bass caught at the same spot. My point when fishing from certain shore areas we too need a net. Or never go alone.

The 6#1oz bass I caught there, the line broke as I had her at the waters edge. I thought quick and split my two piece rod and used the eyelet on the upper section to pick up the bass and get my topnocker back. Again no net.

[SirSnookalot]

A net is never a bad idea although I don't use one for bass fishing.  If I did have a net with me it would for some of the larger species of fish you might encounter.  I'm not sure what size, on the jettie we use 36" round pier nets, 40 inch fish are pretty doable with some patience, 1 guy pulled up an 80# tarpon with his pier net, lifted it by himself too......wow.

[Grizzn N Bassin]

mines not rubber, is 18'' across and I made it myself.... Its nice to have one when you get a cow , the little guys well they don't need a net

[jacktgi@aol.com]

If you can reach your hand to the water's surface you don't need a net.  For smaller bass I lip them with my thumb in the mouth, for big bass I put four fingers in the mouth to lip them.

 

Jack

[Scott F]

I often use light line and jerkbaits with 2 sets of treble hooks. Lipping a bass with a mouthful of trebles is not always a good idea. Smaller bass get swung in the boat but I don't want a bigger bass to break my light line and swim away with a bait stuck in his mouth not to mention I'm not crazy about losing $18 crankbaits. I use a Frabill Conservation series 20 x 23 inch knotless. It's a perfect size for bass, and I've landed big walleye and pike with no problems. I wish I'd gotten the rubber net instead. The Frabill Conservation is a very high quality net but the treble hooks do get tangled in the small holes of the net which can be a pain to deal with.

[Marty]

 

 I will be doing most of my fishing from a canoe or bank fishing. 

 

From my canoe I use an old net with a 13x17 hoop and 12" handle.This has been more than adequate for bass up to 6#. From the bank I'd want a longer handle, so I'd look for a telescoping handle for versatility.

 

I just use the net when I feel I have to. Normally that's on a fish hooked with trebles and too large to swing into the boat or a fish so buried in weeds that I can't see it.

[hoosierbass07]

  I went to Gander Mountain and they had 25% off their Frabill Conservation series nets.  I bought one that was rubber coated and around 20 X 23 inches.  The man working the area said it was plenty big enough for the bass here in Indiana.  I would eventually like to go after some fish that have some teeth.  Walleye and others if they are around my area (I'm not sure if they are around here).  Looks like a decent net so hopefully I can get a few seasons out of it.  

[SirSnookalot]

I had an episode lipping a bass that caused me to spend 5 hours in the emergency room waiting to have a hook cut out of me, never again as my safety is paramount over any fish.  I bought a net some years ago for snook, spent more time getting the trebles untangled as I did fishing, that net is spending it's life at the local dump.  Pier net aside, I do take a handled net sometimes when fishing a low sea wall, the negative is that I'm confined to a smaller area to fish.  I do have use a net offshore when I'm over limit, fish out of season, but if keeping the fish prefer using a gaff.