BEST FISHING NETS

Netting Your Fish

A good fish landing net is a must. There are many different shapes, sizes, and materials used in fish landing nets. Sometimes you only get one chance to net a big fish, so it’s important that your net opening is large enough for the fish you are targeting. I can’t tell you how many times the guy netting the fish accidentally caused the fish to pop because of an issue that happened during the netting process.

Qualities to Look For In A Fishing Net

When you are looking to buy a new fishing net, there are several key qualities to consider. These qualities will impact your fishing net’s performance and longevity. The things to keep in mind are: • Durability • Weight • Fish Safety • Tangle Resistance • Dry Time Durability A fishing net takes gets beat up on the water pretty good under normal use. You drag it over rocky bottoms, expose it to the sun’s UV rays, gets exposed to both freshwater and saltwater, and even gets tossed around with the excitement of catching fish. Because of this, it’s a good idea to spend a little more on your fishing net and get a net with rubber or polyethylene so it can withstand the abuse of frequent fishing trips year after year. Weight The weight of your fishing net affects how easy it is to handle, especially when you’re reaching out a distance to scoop up your fish. Heavier materials will make the net harder to manage, and your can get tired making the net harder to manage, if your the guy that jumps in to net everyone’s fish. Rubber coated mesh type nets give your net plenty of strenth, but doesn’t have the excess weight and bulk. Fish Safety Chances are, you will release a lot of fish in your fishing adventures. Some net materials will harm fish when you net them, like knotted nylon nets. They harm the fish and damage their delicate scales and mucous layer, giving them less chance for survival when they are released. Soft, rubber and coated nylon nets are a lot gentler on fish. They gently cradle the fish without rubbing away their natural protective coating, giving them the best chance at surving when you release them back into the water. Tangle Resistance The excitement of netting the fish is over, now you have a net full of hooks from your bait or lure, taking up precious time before you can get your bait back out there to catch more fish. To prevent that from happening to you, you should get a fishing net that is made from materials that have a smooth and slick surface that hooks can’t easily get all caught up in. Rubber, and rubber coated nets, are the best choice if you want to prevent this situation from happening to you. These nets let the hooks slide right off without getting stuck. Ease of Drying The last thing you want to have to worry about when you get home from a long day of being out on the water is having to dry out a water soaked net. If you don’t dry them, or let them dry, before you put them away, you risk having your net get all musky and moldy. You should buy a net that is made with fast-drying materials so you don’t have to worry about it. Rubber and rubber coated nets don’t stay wet, and you won’t have to worry about mold or fungus growing on your net and making it stinky.

Typical Materials Used in Fishing Nets

When it comes to a fishing net, the materials that it is made from is very important. Each type of material has it’s own pros and cons, which is where your personal decision may be influenced depending on the type of fishing that you do.

Types of Fishing Net Material

• Nylon • Monofilament • Rubber • Coated Nylon

Nylon Fishing Net

The most common type of fishing net is the nylon fishing net, due to cost and durability. This type of material is the most general purpose type of fishing net, and works great for really big game fish as well. Nylon is a great all around type of material that can handle most fishing situations and fish types. Nylon is very strong, durable, and resistant to abrasions that make it a long lasting fishing net that can handle frequent use. However, knotted nylon mesh nets can be quite tough on fish. These nets can cause fish to lose scales, and disturb their protective mucous layer. This lessens their chances of survival when they are released back into the water. If you decide to go with a nylon net, you should choose the smoother knotless nylon nets that will cause less damage to the fish.

Monofilament Fishing Net

Monofilament nets are mainly used for cast netting for bait or mullet. The lightweight, ultra thin material allows the net to open fully when cast to give you maximum coverage. Monofilament nets can be difficult to work with because they can tanble up very easily, or wrapped around hooks, and lures. Mono nets need to be replaced more often than other materials because just like the fishing line, it degrades in UV light, or when it comes in contact with rough surfaces and rocks.

Rubber Fishing Net

For many reasons, the rubber fishing net is by far the best for most fishing situations. The material is soft and flexible, making it the most gentle net for catching and releasing fish that will give them the best chance at survival after they are released back into the water. The rubber material gently cradles the fish without accidentally removing scales or their natural protective mucous. An old familiar statement comes to mind, you should always leave things as you found them, well for fishing, this net does just that.

Coated Nylon

Coated nylon nets give you the best of both worlds, giving you a combination of strength, durability, and fish safety. These are strong nylon mesh nets that are rubber or PVC coated. The nylon mesh is strong, and durable, and resistant to abrasions, and the rubber or PVC coating helps to prevent tangling and minimize damage to the fish for a healthier release back into the water.

Which Fishing Net Should I Buy?

A fishing net can be quite costly, but it is important to buy the best one for your type of fishing. It’s one of the most important pieces of equipment in your fishing arsenal. It can make the difference between landing that big fish, or popping it off and only being able to talk about the one that got away. The fishing nets from EGO are a top quality net, and their advanced S2 Slider is an amazing upgrade for your boat where you can replace the net head with other heads like the push broom head to give your net handle more useability for other uses as well. There are a lot of fishing nets on the market today. The most important thing to look for is what fits your fishing situation, what fits your budget, how long you like the handle to be, how big of a mouth opening on the net, how deep the net is, and the material of the net. For me, I like the rubber and rubber coated nets, they are more gentle on the fish, they tend to tangle up less, the rubber netting is heavier and the net will go into the water instead of bundling up on the surface, making it easier to net the fish. All nets can tangle with hooks and lures, but rubber does less so. I also like telescoping long handles, so when they are not in use they have a smaller profile, but when I need it, I can swoop out far and deep to get up under the fish to let the fish swim right into the net with less chance of popping off.

Bubba Fish Landing Net

Never let another trophy fish pop off your hook and get away. The Bubba® Landing Nets are just what you need to be able to land your next big lunker fish. They are rated for 75 pounds, so they can snag up any large salmon, striper, musky, or even the biggest bull red. The net hoop is made from aircraft aluminum, so it can hold the weight and force of your catch. It has PVC coated nylon netting so the net glides through the water with ease. The net is knotless, which protects your fish from being injured lilke in traditional nets. The yoke of these nets is die cast aluminum black chrome, with a weather resistant finish and is very durable that can handle the harshest of freshwater or saltwater elements. The grip is a non slip grip that comes in handy when you are swooping down to pull up that trophy fish. Designed to fit in most rod holders for easy storage. Bubba nets are highly durable high performance nets. Pick up one today, and don’t let that next lunker slip you by.

Frabill Trophy Haul Power Extend Fish Landing Net

Land those trophy fish safely, any time of the day or at night, with the Frabill® Trophy Haul™ Power Extend Landing Net. You no longer have to fumble around with releases, and you no longer have to have bent or broken handles, and most importantly you won’t have any more lost fish due to low light misses. This net takes care of all of these things. It has a push button release that instantly adjusts the handle length from 38" to 72". An exciting feature for your late into the evening or night time catfish trip is that it has a lighted module at the net junction to help illuminate the fish landing zone, and it also has a reflective hoop that will help you see better to net the fish as the net gets closer to it. The tophy haul net has a yoke handle at the net junction that provides you with the perfect level of leverage and support that you need to lift that trophy fish up out of the water. The asymmetrical, flat bottomed net bag is made of conservation mesh to protect the fish during netting. Just the perfect net for those of us that like to fish day and night.

Frabill Trophy Haul Predator Fish Landing Net

Another Frabill fish net that let you land those trophy fish day or night. The Frabill® Trophy Haul™ Predator Fish Landing Net. This net has a 72 inch sliding handle that adjusts to the perfect length. It also has a lighted module at the net junction to light up the landing zone, and a reflective hoop that helps you line it up with the trophy you are swooping in to net. The Trophy Haul system also has the conservation mesh to protect the fish from injury while being handled. About The Author Mike Mendenhall is the the founder of Mendenhall Outdoors. This website is an extension of the Mendenhall family’s lifestyle and passion for the great outdoors. Everything that they learn, and experience, along the way that they find may be valuable to our website visitors is on the site for you to enjoy. We highlight products and services that you might find interesting. We frequently receive free products from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. If you click a link on this page, then go on to make a purchase, we might receive a commission – at no extra cost to you, and does not impact the purchase price of any products that you may purchase. The Best Fishing Net Fish Landing Experience Awaits!