TDIL: Nets are important.

[DrMarlboro92]

I jad a very crazy trip to Lake Anna today. It was pattern fishing at its finest; the fish were stacked on the seawalls and every cast with a live action blue/silver rattle trap produced a fish. While this was pretty fun, it ended in disappointment when I lost the fish that would have been my new PB right at the boat. 

I hooked into him on a seawall behind some docks (it was set up like a small private marina) and fought him for a good 10 minutes. After finally dragging him to the boat I saw his head come above the water and I swear I could have put both fists in this things mouth and still had room for more; this was a massive fish. I reached down to grab him because I don't have a net, and I guess I let slack in the line and I got a splash in the face and watched him flip me the bird as he dove. I was so disappointed I almost called it a day right there. It took 30 minutes of sulking and cursing in the boat before I was ready to fish again. 

Lesson learned. Buy a net. 

[Darren.]

Yes. Yes they are. Nets are important.

I know all too well. Even so, sometimes a 
net can't reach far enough to secure the bass.

Alas! 

[OCdockskipper]

I will most likely be in the minority on this, but for bass fishing, I prefer to not use a net (especially if I am by myself).  I am not saying that lipping is better than a net, just that I prefer it.  

I find that large fish are easier to grab at the boat compared to smaller fish.  The huge mouth of a hawg is such a large target and typically a large fish is never green by the time she is by the boat.  With a smaller fish, you often have to avoid the hook(s), but once they get over 5 lbs, the extra room in that gaping mouth makes it a non issue.  I have landed numerous fish over 7 lbs, all by hand on the first pass and have never lost a large one at the boat in over 40 years of fishing.  I've lost them away from the boat, but never when they are close enough to grab (or net).

I fish from a smaller boat, sitting low to the water, so it is very comfortable & easy to just reach over & lip fish.  If I am standing to fish a particular bait, I often sit down after I hook up, so I am in good position to land the fish.  It isn't as awkward to grab the fish in this setup compared to what you sometimes see from people standing on the deck of a larger boat, trying to kneel or lie down to get at the fish.  In a smaller boat, a net just takes up valuable room & since I don't fish tournaments and release everything I catch, it isn't a big deal if a fish becomes unbuttoned at the boat.  Of course, that is easy for me to say since I have never lost one that way...

[soflabasser]

44 minutes ago, DrMarlboro92 said:

I jad a very crazy trip to Lake Anna today. It was pattern fishing at its finest; the fish were stacked on the seawalls and every cast with a live action blue/silver rattle trap produced a fish. While this was pretty fun, it ended in disappointment when I lost the fish that would have been my new PB right at the boat. 

I hooked into him on a seawall behind some docks (it was set up like a small private marina) and fought him for a good 10 minutes. After finally dragging him to the boat I saw his head come above the water and I swear I could have put both fists in this things mouth and still had room for more; this was a massive fish. I reached down to grab him because I don't have a net, and I guess I let slack in the line and I got a splash in the face and watched him flip me the bird as he dove. I was so disappointed I almost called it a day right there. It took 30 minutes of sulking and cursing in the boat before I was ready to fish again. 

Lesson learned. Buy a net. 

You know where she lives so you can always go back to the general area and try to catch her at a later time.She sounds to be at least 26-28" long if you can stick 2 fist in its mouth with extra space.

[DrMarlboro92]

6 minutes ago, soflabasser said:

You know where she lives so you can always go back to the general area and try to catch her at a later time.She sounds to be at least 26-28" long if you can stick 2 fist in its mouth with extra space.

I'm not going to make a judgement on length or weight, but this pig made the 7lb bass I caught last year look like a snack. Unfortunately given the nature of this lake and how much the fish move around, I may never get another chance at this girl. I'm going to try and go back tomorrow and see if they are still on the seawalls and try for another. 

[TnRiver46]

I have lost them more times than I can count at the net and at hand. I, like dock skipper, don't keep a net on board but if someone brings one or if I'm in someone's boat that has one, I definitely reach for it or call for it when a big fish hooks up. I hate that you lost the big one but a net doesn't always guarantee it won't happen again. But they are quite affordable and they do help........

[DrMarlboro92]

42 minutes ago, OCdockskipper said:

It isn't as awkward to grab the fish in this setup compared to what you sometimes see from people standing on the deck of a larger boat, trying to kneel or lie down to get at the fish.

I'm in a 77 ranger, and it definitely has a nose up attitude, which means kneeling and leaning over the gunnel is required to lip a fish. I didn't keep my line tight during all that motion to get down to the water, and lost him.  I'm not saying a net is going to make me land every fish, but this one would have been in the boat if I had one. Oh well, you live, you learn.

[MassYak85]

If anyone ever needed convincing of this....

 

 

[TnRiver46]

^ holy cow. That fish is huge. How can you think of what shirt you are wearing at a time like that???? Hahhaha

[everythingthatswims]

Ooooooooooh......... I feel for you man, I've spent a good bit of time on onefishanna. Hope you find her again!

[NYWayfarer]

Nets are important, unfortunately having one doesn't always mean you are going to land the fish though.

On my fishing trip on Wednesday I lost two big bass. One was because my drag wasn't properly set and while tightening it the bass exploded from the water and shook the hook. He was literally a foot out of the water when he spat it out.

The second lost bass was due to my net being just out of reach. I had to stop reeling to reach for the net and that slack line was enough to lose the fish.

I was fishing super clear water so I was able to see the size of these Smallmouths and I was heartbroken. Two bass lost to operator error. Tight drags and close nets are the lessons learned this week.

[DrMarlboro92]

1 hour ago, everythingthatswims said:

Ooooooooooh......... I feel for you man, I've spent a good bit of time on onefishanna. Hope you find her again!

That's about what this place feels like. I've never caught this many fish there. Many of them were small, but it felt good having that nuch luck on water that normally doesn't seem to have fish. I know a guy who calls lake Anna the desert haha. 

[everythingthatswims]

1 hour ago, DrMarlboro92 said:

That's about what this place feels like. I've never caught this many fish there. Many of them were small, but it felt good having that nuch luck on water that normally doesn't seem to have fish. I know a guy who calls lake Anna the desert haha. 

There are a lot of bass there, but it is a herring lake and gets tons of pressure, so go figure. A lot of the bass in that lake think they are stripers. Fishing in the spring in the clear water will show you how many bass are there 

[Steveo-1969]

OK, I can't figure it out.  What does TDIL stand for?

[Choporoz]

7 minutes ago, Steveo-1969 said:

OK, I can't figure it out.  What does TDIL stand for?

wondered same.....'today i learned'?  'tough d**n ignorant luck'?

[OCdockskipper]

TDIL: I believe it is either a marketing slogan -  "Teeners Devour Ima Lures" or

an old bass fishing axion - "The Dinks Ignore Lizards"

 

 

[gim]

I have a net that has a retracting handle so that helps clear up some space in the boat.  I have also seen a folding net which would take up even less space.  I generally don't have a problem with a standard size net getting in the way in my boat.  Its the muskie net that takes up a TON of space and it rarely gets used.  The hoop is big enough to net a dog

[DrMarlboro92]

8 hours ago, Steveo-1969 said:

OK, I can't figure it out.  What does TDIL stand for?

 

6 hours ago, OCdockskipper said:

TDIL: I believe it is either a marketing slogan -  "Teeners Devour Ima Lures" or

an old bass fishing axion - "The Dinks Ignore Lizards"

 

 

 

7 hours ago, Choporoz said:

wondered same.....'today i learned'?  'tough d**n ignorant luck'?

It's ToDay I Learned. I guess it's just another one of those things us youngsters use to be lazy.

It's often shortened further to TIL.

[A-Jay]

3 minutes ago, DrMarlboro92 said:

 

 TDILTHW

It's ToDay I Learned the Hard Way . I guess it's just another one of those things us youngsters use to be lazy.

Fixed that one for you

btw - I ALWAYS use a net.

A-Jay

[Bluebasser86]

I'm torn on the whole net issue. It's great when it works, but I've lost some really nice fish to poor net jobs when the hooks got stuck in the net. 

[A-Jay]

6 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I'm torn on the whole net issue. It's great when it works, but I've lost some really nice fish to poor net jobs when the hooks got stuck in the net. 

I hear ya BB ~ And that's a valid point.  I have 2 thoughts  . . . .

1) It's a tool and when used incorrectly it's hard to expect useful results.

2) Regardless of the results - hooks in the net are way better than hooks in the fingers / hand, especially with treble hooks.

Some consider getting hooked as a hazard of the job, I see it as almost completely preventable. 

btw - not trying to Hijack the thread but it's a somewhat related to the OP's topic.

A-Jay

[N Florida Mike]

I don't use nets because: 

I fish in a small boat and can lean over and lip big fish

I don't use anything with trebles much.

I lost a tournament because of a net problem.

I don't remember ever losing one fish in 42 years because of trying to lip them.

They take up too much room

They attract hooks like a magnet.

[Bankbeater]

I can't remember the last time I used a net to land a fish.

[Jar11591]

After getting a hook buried in my thumb, I NEVER lip a bass that is hooked with trebles while still in the water. I can't imagine not having a net on board.

I also fish waters with a lot of big northern pike, and they are a magnet for all things trebles. Try grabbing a treble hooked snot rocket or gator that isn't completely tired out yet out of the water. No thanks! 

They make thick rubber, hook-resistant nets that are 100x better for when fishing trebles. I never launch without my net. It makes it so much easier to land fish and I feel so much better while fighting big fish knowing that a net is waiting at the side of the boat. 

But it can certainly be a detrimite if the netter doesn't know what they're doing. A proper net job should not be lunging for the fish. The net should simply be placed in the water, and the fish should be guided in to it with the rod. 

[Gundog]

9 minutes ago, Jar11591 said:

 

I also fish waters with a lot of big northern pike, and they are a magnet for all things trebles. Try grabbing a treble hooked snot rocket or gator that isn't completely tired out yet out of the water. No thanks! 

 

 I know what you're talking about when it comes to pickerel/pike/muskie. I have a big, long pair of pliers that allow me to unhook trebles a little safer than the normal smaller pliers.  I don't have a net when I fish and although I've lost fish at the boat I figure its all part of the game of fishing. After 40 yrs of fishing I've got plenty of stories of fish I've caught and fish I've lost and that's why I do it. For the experience. The ups and downs. To me that is the fun.