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Posts: 1936
Location: Eau Claire, WI | Was having a discussion the other day with a friend about the pro's/con's of folding nets.
Considering the size of today's musky nets, and the room in your boat, etc.
Is a folding net something that would be important to you when considering you next purchase?
If so why...?
When would you keep it folded? For storage only or would you keep it folded all the time and then quick get it ready when you need it for a fish? Or a combination of the two depending on how many people and gear you had in your boat.
Curious about your thoughts on this subject.
Considering if you take care of your net and it doesn't get stollen you should have it for many years. That being said is $150-$175 a fair price for a quality release tool/net that offers all of the features you would like to see in one product?
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Posts: 1937
Location: Black Creek, WI | Well... I suggested to Mark Gostisha during his MF Chat that a folding net would be of interest to me. Its ease and dependability to open would dictate whether I leave it folded or "ready for action" in my boat. If it were as simple as extending the yoke on today's nets.... I'd leave it folded until needed to reduce boat clutter. Thus, I will never use a Big Kahuna unless Frabill comes out with a Folding Big Kahuna. Until then its a Power Catch or Beckman Pen for me.
Having a very fine mesh to form the loop for the hoop would be sweet as well.... for scratch protection on glass boats.
I've sketched out some designs in my noggin' for how a folding design MAY work.... but... I'm a CHEMICAL engineer not a mechanical engineer... so it most likely won't work (heh heh).
jlong
Edited by jlong 3/4/2005 12:54 PM
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Posts: 1936
Location: Eau Claire, WI | Jason,
That's the kind of feedback we need. I.e. "Love the size of the Kahuna but for me to own one it needs to be fold up design".
A few years back I put drawings together for a fold up Kwik Kradle, due to the cost of engineering/tooling and moderate acceptance for that net the idea didn't get all that far.
Most often the best ideas come from the customers who use the product and think of a way to make it better, you can email Mark at [email protected] with your thoughts.
Thanks,
Mark |
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Location: Munster, IN | I picked up a Stowmaster (TS116Y).
I plan on keeping it folded until it is needed if I am fishing with a partner, fishing alone it will be opened and ready for action.
It open and closes very easily and has a coated net.
I hate having to deal with moving the net around the boat trying to find a good place for it.
Your price range is right.
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Posts: 224
Location: Madison | I've fished in two boats that used Stowmasters, and was very impressed with them.
Folding nets are great when space is at a premium. For example, fishing out of a smaller boat (we can't all have 20' Rangers) or a Canadian fly-in lake.
-d
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Posts: 1080
| I have a very tiny boat where the interior space is at a premium.
I currently own and fish with a Beckman Pen Fin Saver Net. I love the net...or should I say...I love the fin saver bag.
In my tiny boat...this net is big and takes up a lot of real estate. I should be a fool to mention this out loud and not take matters in to my own hands and design and develop the obvious solution to this problem for us guys with smaller boat that desire the fin saver bag with the means of keeping the small real estate in a small boat orgainized:
Taking a Beckman fin saver bag, with the tight mesh, coated weave bag and combine that with Frabill's new self-locking yoke.
So those of us with a small boat can keep the net collapsed until it's called upon, then whip that thing out like a switch-blade knife with the self-locking yoke of the Frabill net and having the tight, coated mesh net of the Beckman Pen Fin Saver net to protect the fish's fins.
It just seems like common sense to me. And I'm sure I just gave away a huge money making opportunity with this solution. I wish I had the means to make this happen.
I'm seriously contemplating buying the Frabill net with the self-locking yoke and figuring out a way to pair with Beckman's Pen Fin Saver bag.
A winning combination right there folks. A blinding glimpse of the obvious if I do say so mayself.... |
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Posts: 1937
Location: Black Creek, WI | Add the finer mesh netting around the HOOP for scratch resistance to MACK's comments.... and I'd buy one!!!
jlong
Edited by jlong 3/5/2005 9:04 AM
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| I checked out the Stowmaster Musky net at the Medina show and was favorably impressed with its operation and quality. I think all the things you guys have mentioned have been addressed in that model of net. |
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Posts: 479
Location: Eden Prairie & Pine Island | I picked up a giant Stowmaster last year and reluctantly gave up the big Beckman. I'm glad I did, as its whole lot better fit in my boat. It stays folded up until needed, and the time it takes to unfold is diminimiss. Its actually bigger than the Beckman! Only complaint, and its minor, is that the bag on the Stowmaster tapers to a point, whereas the Beckman pen has a sort of square bottom that lies open better in the water when you are working to remove the hooks from your catch. |
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Folding Nets..? What are your thoughts?