Landing Fish

[Quarry Man]

Why don't any pros use nets. I can't think of a single one that does. I don't want to get a treble stuck in my hand when lipping it. I also feel like bass are more likely to shake free when doing this. Solution: nets

[MN Fisher]

Speed - remember that FLW score is based on total weight. The faster they can get the fish in, weighed, and released, the more fish they can catch. Using a net would take more time and result in fewer casts.

[DitchPanda]

Guys use them in FLW...pretty sure they aren't allowed in the bassmasters elite series

[CrankFate]

Not allowed.

[scaleface]

Not allowed in BASS . They are afraid it will harm the fish . I'm more concerned about angler safety in trying to land a scrappy bass with a couple of trebles in its mouth .

[J Francho]

53 minutes ago, scaleface said:

They are afraid it will harm the fish .

I think they are more afraid of boring TV coverage.  It's more dramatic if they hand land them.

 

 

What pros do shouldn't prevent us from using all the tools we can to safely and securely land a fish.  

[Hower08]

Most rules state they are not permitted to use nets. I use a net on any decent fish I catch. I think bouncing them off the console and carpet does way more harm than using a net

[Quarry Man]

2 hours ago, Hower08 said:

Most rules state they are not permitted to use nets. I use a net on any decent fish I catch. I think bouncing them off the console and carpet does way more harm than using a net

agreed, I also don't want hooks in places they shouldn't be. I would argue that nets are better for the fish if you use the rubber mesh types. I can't see how boat flipping a fish is any better, let alone grabbing by the jaw.

[WRB]

The net controversy isn't scienentically documented with studies I know of for large scale fish like bass. Anglers assume the net mesh removes the protective slim coat leading to disease. 

It's monkey see's the monkey does. We see the pro's use nets we use nets, see the pro bounce bass we bounce bass, see the pro lip or grab the bass we follow suit. 

Is a heavy hard to handle rubber mesh net better to use then a lighter weight knotless net? I don't think so and got rid of the rubber net after using it and went back to my trusty knotless mesh net.

When you need a net you need it!

Tom

[A-Jay]

As mentioned, most top level especially broadcasted  derbies ban net use.

Has no bearing on what I do.

Net use has been an important part of my personal and successful landing, handling & safe fish release system for a long time.

YMMV

A-Jay 

 

[N Florida Mike]

I never use a net. With my low slung Jon boat, I can just lean over a little and either lip them ( bigger fish especially ) grab them behind the head, or just lift them in.

I rarely use anything with treble hooks either, so that’s not a factor.

I don’t like nets- they are hook magnets.

[TnRiver46]

FLW allows nets. BASS, MLF and BPT do not allow nets. I’ve fished many years with and without nets. Sometimes you lose them while trying to net, other times you lose them because you didn’t have a net. The latter is much more frequent in my experience. Black bass aren’t so bad without a net, it’s the big catfish and other toothy monsters when it’s really handy to

have one 

[A-Jay]

26 minutes ago, N Florida Mike said:

I never use a net. With my low slung Jon boat, I can just lean over a little and either lip them ( bigger fish especially ) grab them behind the head, or just lift them in.

I rarely use anything with treble hooks either, so that’s not a factor.

I don’t like nets- they are hook magnets.

I am a routine treble hook user.

Extracting treble hooks from a net can take up to 60 whole seconds on occasion.

But when done carefully, it rarely results in anything like this . . . 

Sorry @Hartwood71 but thank you for the reminder (painful as I know that was)

A-Jay

[N Florida Mike]

20 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

20 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

bass aren’t so bad without a net, it’s the big catfish and other toothy monsters when it’s really handy to

 

Agreed !

[MN Fisher]

I'm much more interested in NOT having hooks embedded into fingers - so even though my canoe is low enough that I could grab the fish, I use a net...always.

[N Florida Mike]

3 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

I am a routine treble hook user.

Extracting treble hooks from a net can take up to 60 whole seconds on occasion.

But when done carefully, it rarely results in anything like this . . . 

Sorry @Hartwood71 but thank you for the reminder (painful as I know that was)

A-Jay

My finger literally started tingling when I saw that again.

[Glenn]

Pros don't use nets because they can't.  Not because they don't want to. Makes for faster TV action when you're not dealing with a net.

 

Makes no difference to me.  I use a net whenever I have 5+ pounder on my line, and whenever I'm using treble hooks, just like this:

 

 

[OCdockskipper]

I never use a net, it is just one more thing taking up space in a small boat.

 

Single hook lures are no problem, you can lip or grab the bass anywhere.  Double treble hooks are the ones that need caution and depending on where the fish is hooked & its size, there are different solutions.

 

a) Lure lift - for crankbaits, you can often lift the bass straight up by grabbing on to the lip of the crankbait (first use the line to get their head up).  This angle seems to immobilize them, allowing you to slide your other hand under their belly and pressing a finger on their stomach to keep them immobilized.

 

b) Grippers - If the lure is in a really odd place or you happen to have caught a catfish or something else you can't lip, grippers allow you control the fish without getting your hands near the hooks.  They don't take up much space and are easier to keep close than a net.

 

c) Water release - If there is no need to get the fish in the boat, do what trout fisherman do and keep the fish in the water, head up.  Use a set of pliers to grab the hooks to remove.  This works well on smaller fish.

 

Smaller fish, under 13 inches, will be the problem. they don't flop in the boat, they shimmy and that is what tends to send hooks into fingers.  Never trust a small fish, they do stupid things without warning.  Larger fish tend to signal when they are about to headshake or do something that could cause a problem

[redux]

I don't use nets. Just one more thing to fiddle with.

 

I can easily lift a fish (4 pound and under) out of the water, grab the line, and deal with the hook whether it is a single hook or treble. For anything larger than that I just deal with getting control of the fish at the edge of the boat and either lip it or belly land it. If it gets off it gets off and that's part of the game.

 

I have had 2 experiences with nets. The first one was great. The second was terrible. My preference is that the angler land the fish 90% of the time and leave the other angler alone. Of course sometimes boat position or the other angler's physical ability makes it impossible for them to get to the fish, but that should is an exception.

 

Now, the pros...stop boat flipping!! And stop kissing them!! Both are disgusting practices and have no place in my boat.

[Tlauz]

I carry 2 nets in my boat. I use  it whenever using crank baits or landing a larger fish.  Bass can be dangerous, but small pike are the worst.   I try to unhook pike at the side of the boat when possible, but sometimes when they are hooked bad I have to net them. The lake I fish  also has a very small population of muskies.  Three years ago I had to hand land a large one.  I now have a musky net in my boat also.  If I am lucky I get to use it once a year, but when I do I am really glad I have it.  

[Quarry Man]

how to remove treble hooks: PLIERS, somehow I forgot to add the part, 

[gim]

18 hours ago, Tlauz said:

Bass can be dangerous, but small pike are the worst. 

They sure are. Super slimy and not much to grab with a mouth full of treble hooks and teeth makes for a deadly combination.

[Dens228]

I used to hate using a net until I found the one I liked.  I wanted rubber coated, I wanted a large mesh. The hooks would still get tangled in rubber, small meshed netting, just not as bad. I would sometimes spend twice as much time getting my lure out of the net than anything else, often finding myself unhooking the bass and leaving the lure tangled in the net.  Now that I've found the perfect, to me, net I use it more often.  

 

[Quarry Man]

I would argue that braided and coated clear mesh is the best type of net. It may be heavier, but the pros outweigh the cons.

 

1. Fish don't see the clear net as well and are less likely to thrash at its site and are more likely to swim into it.

2. Hooks don't get tangled as bad with the mesh, saves time money and nets.

3. Mesh only has the possibility of fish biting through when netting head first. I have had open mouthed pike and pickerel bite rite through the mesh. I now use a mesh net that is dipped in rubber, seems to work. I carry tiptoes to repair the net when a break occurs.

 

[GreenPig]

I net every bass with my Ego S2(rubber coated). Never boat flip fish(break rods). I don't care what the pros do. When I hook that DD and she's slinging my big swimbait around, my netting movements will be muscle memory.