Landing nets and crankbaits

[Maggiesmaster]

When I use my landing net to land bass caught on a crank bait, I get a world of tangles. Does anyone  else have this problem? My net has rubberized fabric, and crankbaits should be easily removed….but not!

[GreenPig]

Yes. But nothing beats a 2 lb Spot flopping around in your net with three treble Jerkbait. 

[schplurg]

I try (I say try) to support some of the fish's weight with my rod as it's in the net in an attempt to keep his head and the bait away from the netting. The net is more of a support for me to take most of the wight off when using trebles.

 

Edit: I don't use a net very often.

[Team9nine]

No problems here - you need a different net - true knotless rubber mesh nets like the Cabela’s Conservation Series I’ve used for over 20 years. Proven safer for fish and pose no issues with any type of hook.

 

[WRB]

How you net a bass affects hook tangles. Play the bass like you plan to lip it, then slide the bass into the net to reduce flopping inside the net.

The rubber net photo above has very high water resistance but works if you slide the bass into it in lieu of trying to sweep the net to capture a fast swimming bass.

Tom

[InfantryMP]

I only use my net for things like Pike or something else. I always flip my bass, or grab them out of the water. One of these days it will come back to bite me, but it has not yet. 

[MN Fisher]

Rubber coated net like stated previously...only thing I don't net are panfish...

[casts_by_fly]

I use rubber coated also with a wide mesh.  I net anything with a treble hook any any fish over about 16".  I'm in a kayak, and once I net the fish, I leave it in the net while I put down my rod, unhook it, pull out a phone if I'm taking a picture.  I'll get the occasional multiple hook hooked into the net, but never are they truly stuck in the mesh, usually its just wrapped around.  If you're getting hooks actually stuck in the mesh then I'd say you need a difference mesh.

 

[FrnkNsteen]

6 hours ago, Team9nine said:

No problems here - you need a different net - true knotless rubber mesh nets like the Cabela’s Conservation Series I’ve used for over 20 years. Proven safer for fish and pose no issues with any type of hook.

 

Agreed. That's what I use, not the rubberized string net. It's a all rubber net and rarely has an issue. Only a couple times have I ever had a hook actually penerate the rubber and get stuck.

[Woody B]

I use a cut resistant glove on my left hand to lip 'em.  A hook "will" penetrate the glove if you try hard enough but it won't go in to the barb.   I swiped a random picture off the web.  

 

 

[gim]

3 hours ago, InfantryMP said:

I only use my net for things like Pike or something else. I always flip my bass, or grab them out of the water. One of these days it will come back to bite me, but it has not yet. 

Why would you ever net a pike? They’re slimy, stinky and that snot makes a giant mess. Grab them behind the head and remove the hooks. If it’s a bigger one, use the gill plate.

 

As far as netting a bass with a treble hook lure, it’s inevitably going to get tangled. Remove the hooks from the fish first and release it, and THEN untangle the hooks from the net.

[Trox]

Boat flips only!!!

[Columbia Craw]

Remove hook(s) from net or your hand, or face?  I’ll take door number one Monty.

[casts_by_fly]

3 hours ago, gimruis said:

Why would you ever net a pike? They’re slimy, stinky and that snot makes a giant mess. Grab them behind the head and remove the hooks. If it’s a bigger one, use the gill plate.

 

As far as netting a bass with a treble hook lure, it’s inevitably going to get tangled. Remove the hooks from the fish first and release it, and THEN untangle the hooks from the net.

 I net most every pike or pickerel I catch. They are among the most manic fish at the boat side and there is really only one place to grab them not near the hooks (behind the head). Often when I get one close to the boat it has no interest in being grabbed. Also, when they start making runs towards and away from you it’s just a matter of time before your line catches a tooth or corner of the mouth and the fish is gone with your lure. With a net, it’s usually the first approach to the boat and the fish is in the net. Then it can go manic in the net when it realizes what’s happening. 

[Basser2021]

23 hours ago, Maggiesmaster said:

When I use my landing net to land bass caught on a crank bait, I get a world of tangles. Does anyone  else have this problem? My net has rubberized fabric, and crankbaits should be easily removed….but not!

I might be mistaken, but don't they make nets that are "hookless".

[Mbirdsley]

I net almost every fish that I catch including pike.  Right now I’m using my old Walmart frabill nylon net. only reason I can see for not netting a fish would obviously be during a bass tournament. I’m not trying to un-needlessly hurt the fish or break a rod flipping bass. 
 

I don’t have one yet but, the best bet for cranks are the rubber ones.  Bunch of different companies make the rubber nets.  A lot of them are made in the U.S. 

 

[gim]

11 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

I net most every pike or pickerel I catch.

 

I prefer to not even have one enter my boat.  That slime is disgusting.

 

When I'm actually muskie fishing, I have my muskie net with me so then a reasonable sized pike goes in the net in the water boatside just like a muskie would.  I don't bring my muskie net with me when I'm bass fishing though and my bass net isn't near big enough to handle a sizable pike anyways.

[casts_by_fly]

28 minutes ago, gimruis said:

 

I prefer to not even have one enter my boat.  That slime is disgusting.

 

When I'm actually muskie fishing, I have my muskie net with me so then a reasonable sized pike goes in the net in the water boatside just like a muskie would.  I don't bring my muskie net with me when I'm bass fishing though and my bass net isn't near big enough to handle a sizable pike anyways.

 

They still don't come into the boat.  When I net them, I leave the net bag in the water and put my foot on the handle.  I'm in a kayak so I am low enough to do that.  They can thrash all they want in the water and they aren't getting hurt or sliming the boat.  My net is 20"x21" hoop and it about that deep again.  Not perfect for a big one and not what I would take if I was targeting bigger pike and musky, but it will do in a pinch.

[Darth-Baiter]

Greg Blanchard just dropped a pretty funny quote about the topic.

 

he just said, "there is no greater magnetic force that what's between my net and a treble hook"

something like that.  I did laugh out loud.

 

I use a rubberized net and it does get caught up sometimes.  for the most part I do what @Splurgh said above and really try to control the fish with the fishing line.  it's like half net job, half controlled boat flip.  game over if the fish thrashes.  I am not above cutting a strand of net if need be.  hurts less than having a 3 treble lure buried in my hand or body.  I'm okay with slowing working the hook.  after all, I need time to bask in the glory of catching a net worthy fish!!

[Maggiesmaster]

19 hours ago, Mbirdsley said:

I net almost every fish that I catch including pike.  Right now I’m using my old Walmart frabill nylon net. only reason I can see for not netting a fish would obviously be during a bass tournament. I’m not trying to un-needlessly hurt the fish or break a rod flipping bass. 
 

I don’t have one yet but, the best bet for cranks are the rubber ones.  Bunch of different companies make the rubber nets.  A lot of them are made in the U.S. 

 

I’ve got a high dollar BassPro  net that’s advertised to be ‘rubberized’. Doesn’t seem to work for me! Seems like I spend more time unhooking crankbaits than fish. 

[Deephaven]

Pike in a net with trebles will test the treble proof rubber stuff better than anything.  The rubberized rope are ok if you control the fish the whole time otherwise nothing beats the true rubber ones I am too cheap to buy.

 

As for pike.  Play them to the boat, grab the line in one hand and with a pliers in the other grab your treble and release the fish in the water without lifting them. Super easy and as safe as you can get outside of possibly dropping your pliers.  Took a good 5-6lber off earlier today that way with a face full of trebles.  wretched completely ruined the bass bite before I caught him.  Almost out him in the livewell for a bit to see if the fish would turn back on but didn't want the slimy wretched in the boat.

[RDB]

The only time I use a net is in a tournament and I don’t fish them much anymore.  I boat flip pretty much anything under 5lbs depending on line size and lip or belly the rest.  I’m also not a fan of flipping bass into the floor of the boat and letting them flop around (not judging…just not for me).  I feel like it’s easy enough to just catch the line and minimize fish handling.