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Posts: 3513
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Was perusing through an old Musky Hunter magazine (1996) and came across an article debate by Bill Hamblin and Larry Ramsell regarding which way to net a fish. Found it interesting, and started to wonder what opinions any of you might have.
I have always netted fish head first, but am curious as to who out there nets tail first and opions why one might be better than another. Let the UNHEATED debate begin..
Steve |
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Posts: 1023
Location: Lafayette, IN | Head first. Fish don't swim backwards too well. |
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Posts: 2515
Location: Waukesha & Land O Lakes, WI | Anyway I can get it in the net man....if I can manage to get her in sideways....so-be-it. |
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Posts: 1769
Location: Algonquin, ILL | I'm with Gander any way it goes in works for me, buy sticking to one rule it could lose you some fish
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| Head first, but side first or tail first if that is the only chance you have!  |
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Posts: 1996
Location: Pelican Lake/Three Lakes Chain | It has to be a very unique situation not to take a fish head first, but with the size of my Big Kahuna just about any direction is possible. |
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Posts: 4266
| I agree. Even fishing alone it isn't any problem getting a fish into my Frabill.
Head first, as long as you remind the net man to leave the net under the fish until the hooks are well beyond snagging range.
Beav |
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Posts: 393
Location: Kawarthas, Ontario | Agreed with above. I've lost fish though because the netman tried to net tail first. |
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Location: Athens, Ohio | I still remember the whoopin I got at 9 years old trying to net one of my dad's fish butt-first. I wish there were big Frabills way back then. m |
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Posts: 1430
Location: Eastern Ontario | Only time I can see neting tail first is if the fish is snagged in the tail. All my fish come to the boat headfirst and don't seem to back out of the net but usually swim right into it.
I wonder how anyone can net a fish tail first, it's like when you get the big fish to the boat and then turn it around to get behind it and then as you scoop it the fish takes off and swims right out of it leaving your lure behind. |
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Posts: 814
| I always net head first! ALWAYS netting from behing and accidentally hitting the fish in the tail resulting in her bolting forward, at least if you net head first the fish swim in the net.  |
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Posts: 32958
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Agree with the above! Beav. let's go get that Cass Lake fish head first, tail first, anywaywecanfirst!! |
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Posts: 6
| Several years ago I lost a 45”+ fish early one morning because I “horsed” a green fish tail first in the net. Talk about over-excited. Anyway, the net man couldn’t get a clean lift due to arthritis problems and we literally experienced a Free Willy moment. When the fish leapt clean out of the net like a pole vaulter, I heard the bait hit the net loop and spit sideways as the musky made a successful dive back into the water. In retrospect, it was a pretty cool sight, but at the time it was nothing but disappointment.
Ever since that mistake, it is a head first landing only for me. I hate making the same mistake twice.
GM |
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Posts: 3926
| usually net my own, always headfirst and never a prob if the fish is ready |
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Posts: 36
| Head first. Far too many bad things can and do happen when netting muskies tail first.
Nick |
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Posts: 1086
| Head first. Tail first risks splitting the fish's tail fins and/or breaking other fins, even with fin saver type nets and nets with coated bags.
Edited by MACK 1/19/2005 7:47 AM
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Posts: 5874
| www.HeadFirst.com |
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Netting...tail first or head first?