Do you use a net or have one on your boat?

[Muad Dib]

I dont have a net on my boat. considering i lost two fish at the boat today that i def woulda had landed if i had net i was thinking of the purchase. but i do like fishing like the bass pros do without the use of a net. well let me know what ya think

do you land fish with the aide of a net?

[6pointbuck2003]

I use one. IMO if im fishing a tourny and can use one i will. There is no way im gonna take a chance lipping a winning bass when i can net it.

[BassnMan Mike]

I keep one in the boat but dont use it unless I'm fishing a tournament. However when I'm out striper fishing then Im keep it on the deck or somewhere close.

[TommyBass]

As other said... only in a tourney.  I don't see much point in it for daily use.  Takes up too much room.  Unless your knowlingly going after huge bass, catfish, stripers etc... then I'll let it come along.

[Gatorbassman]

I have one in the boat just in case I hook a big fish. It's no fun trying to get a big striper into the boat without one. I also use it when money is on the line.

[Branuss04]

I don't mess around when it comes to nets.  I have a giant rubber net that I could land a 30 pound salmon with.  I got real tired of my old net and the fish sinking into the nylon, rolling around a bunch of times and getting it's gills and fins wrapped up.  With my new net the fish lye in comfort when I net them.  They don't roll and bounce around anymore, now they are chill and relaxed, it's like a hammock  ;D

Whenever I'm fishing swim-baits I always have the net handy and call for it as soon as I hook up, cause chances are when your using swim-baits it'll be a decent fish.  If I'm fishing normal gear, I usually take my time determining if it's a "Net-able" fish.  It's got to look more than 3#'s for me to think about netting it.   Cause lets face it, it's embarrassing when you net a 2.99# fish with a salmon net  :

[mattm]

Don't even have one.  Have wondered what the heck I was thinking though when I've had a couple of big ones on.

[ProCrafter]

Always have one but still find a way to try and swing them in and bounce them off the console back into the lake...DOH!!

[aarogb]

    I would use one if I had one.  I just have never got around to getting a net.

[cart7t]

No net.

[Sam]

Yes - tournament fishing.

No - fun fishing.

Yes - on boat for tournament fishing.

[FD.]

Yes - tournament fishing.

No - fun fishing.

Yes - on boat for tournament fishing.

X2 - Particularly when fishing with trebles, in close flipping you don't have time to get it anyway.

[Fishing Rhino]

I have a net in my canoe.  

I rarely use it for bass.  I'm sitting at nearly water level.  No matter which side of the boat I land them, they are right beside me.

No bending, reaching, or gymnastics to lip 'em.

However, I always use it when I catch a large pickerel.  The thought of lipping a 30" pickerel does not appeal to me.  The big ones look like barracuda.  And, you cannot hoist those monsters out on the line and rods I use.

I slide the net under them for support, and lift them with both the net and the rod supporting them.  It keeps their head out of the net.  If they clamp down, and get a mouthful of net, it's like trying to untangle a nasty backlash.

Before handling them, I always plunge the holding hand into the water.  It greatly reduces the amount of slime handling removes from their body.

I will use the net on big bass if they appear to be hooked in the thin lip tissue.  

I'll also use the net when a lure with more than one treble hook is involved.  I hate treble hooks, but realize at times they are necessary evils.

Lures with multi treble hooks and nets do not play nicely together.

[Hooked_On_Bass]

Yes, I do.

[reo]

I have never netted a bass as I am strictly CnR and do not tournament fish, if it gets loose at the side of the boat, so be it.  But I do have one on the boat as we often hook into things on lake erie that cannot be lipped or lifted ie; walleye, steelhead, GIANT sheephead and catfish. Best way to handle those brutes is to scoop em up.

[DINK WHISPERER]

I have two in the boat but don't ever really use them!

[MALTESE FALCON]

Yes. Too many Pike and Muskie swimming around here. Plus, my center console has too much freeboard to reach down to lip fish.

Falcon

[Bud]

I always use one.

[Eddie Munster]

What's a net?

[Fish Chris]

Wouldn't be caught without one ! I carry a Cabelas big fish net. I guess its like a 28" hoop..... but have been considering the rubber mesh type for a long time....

Comes in VERY handy when I have to land a big Catfish..... or pushing my boat back off of the shoreline when I have purposely beached it..... or grabbing a cleat on a dock when the wind or current is trying to blow me away from it, etc, etc.

As for netting big bass with it, well if its only an 8 or 10lb'er, it's not such a big deal.... but when I finally get that 19lb PB next to the boat, I don't want to be messing around with it !

Oh, and here's another scenario you might not have thought of..... Last week I had a 9 lb'er get me around a limb > just deep enough that I could not get to it with my hands < but I was able to get down to it with the net, and was able to land it.... {oh btw, it had whiskers ;-) ....but the idea is the same for bass, right ?

Don't know how many times I've watched somebody fighting a fish > they never expected to hook in the first place < and the first thing they will tell you is > "And I don't even have a net" ! ...... Dude ! Where was your head at ? Hasn't anyone ever told you that any time you cast a line in the water, you never know what you might hook ?

Not bringing a net is about as crazy as not bringing a camera, or a scale. It's just essential equipment.

Peace,

Fish

[Bankbeater]

I never use one fishing from the bank but there were a couple of times last year when I probably could have used one to land a fish that got off right next to the boat.

[senile1]

I carry a net but I haven't had the need to use it yet.

[fishfordollars]

I use one and it's a big one. Ten foot handle with a big wide opening. Learned my lesson a while back fishing by myself. If I had it then I would be lots of dollars ahead.

[Olebiker]

I have a rubber net in the boat, but I have only used it for tournaments.  Even then I feel a little bit sissy for doing it.  :

[simplejoe]

I got one, never used it. It's a Rapala folding net. I like it cause doesn't take up much room and it's always out of the way.