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3. Nets

Well first you have to hook the fish on you fly rod then you have to net the fish. After the fish is in the net you have to take it to the person who will measure the fish. So I'm not looking for a man sized net. But one that is big enough that I can net fish quickly.

I agree with Kyle above that you will want something light weight and the rubber style net has become popular. I have old wooden nets with the "Measure It" catch and release netting...When I purchased a replacement net last year, the guy who runs "Measure It" nets tried to talk me in to one of the rubber ones and I should of listened. I mostly fish one fly at a time, but out west this past summer I discovered that if you do fish more than one fly, the fly not in the fish invariably gets tangled in the mesh. This will slow you down. I debarb my hooks and even with the little nubbin that's left I have had to cut the tippet and leave the damn fly imbedded in the mesh.

Spence

I was looking at the "Frabill Competition Trout Net" but I am not sure what size to get. If you have any suggestion please share.

http://frabill.com/landing-nets/trout-nets/3605.html


Before all of you animal rights advocates started complaining I used a regular nylon net and never killed a fish.

Now, I use the rubber coated one above. It works fine for me, but I guess it's probably no good because it doesn't cost enough money.

Nets are a pain in the butt. Always snagging brush and my flies. Ever been hit between the shoulder blades by one? Teamed with barbed hooks, nylon nets are why many fish in our pressured streams look like MMA veterans. I love the way they swing around and pop you in the mouth with well aged fish slime every time you bend over to look at a bug. Forget the net and use your off hand... Besides, the price is right Bruce!

I do like Tenkara nets. They are unobtrusive stuck in your wading belt and are very gentle on fish. Its hoop angle allows you to stick the handle in the crotch of your knee or wader belt so you can handle the fish with both hands. Besides, when I have one of those with me I don't need to carry a bug net. He He.:)

Nice points Kurt.

I once did some very serious brush busting to get to the river only to realize I'd lost my net somewhere along the way. I had to back track to find it hanging in a pine I had crashed through.

After this I bought one of those magnets with a long stretchy cord attached...When they get caught don't turn around, duck! :)

Then there was the time on the Madison in 1995 and I heard a horrible snapping noise when I sat down on the bank.

Finally...I was trespassing in a locale that I hadn't visited in a while, got off the trail, and tangled the dangling mesh in a barbed wire fence. It was summer, it was dark, I was sweating badly...I cut it free with my scissors.

Yes! Nets are a pain in the butt! :)

What is with the hate for nets?!

I can think of multiple fish I would have lost if I didn't have a net with me!

Do whatever you feel is best.

Perfecting the "long line release" totally eliminates the need for nets.

I love my net. It enables me to land a fish and take pictures of it.

I should just return my Nomad then. I'm pretty good at long line releases. :)

This should read, "I love Eric's net. It enables him to land a fish for me and take pictures of me with said fish." ;)


hehehehe

That's the thing you have to net the fish in competition because you are not allowed to touch the fish. Your controller will measure and release it.

Here's my personal favorite:

http://www.themeasurenet.com/

Not too fancy or expensive (of course coming from this budget fly-fisher), nice soft mesh, and you can measure the fish without even touching it! And replace the basket if it gets worn out. It's the one you see in all of my fish pictures. Just my 2 cents.

Jonathon

...and then you fall in! :)

Spence

I don't fall in, Spence. That's all part of my technique.