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| before the ice gives the lakes back to us, i need to get a new net.
what brand/model do you suggest? i'm leaning toward a treated/rubberized type bag, but don't want to break the bank, either.
how big of a hoop is "big enough"?
how big does the bag need to be in order to leave the fish in the water while unhooking?
thanks! |
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Posts: 1335
Location: Chicago, Beverly | I use a Beckman Northern pike net with the treated bag. So far it has been pretty good to me. I do not think I have netted anything over 42" in it though. I think it is a little smaller then the husky musky, but definitely a lot bigger then the walleye net,as i have one of those too, I don't know if Beckman still makes the northern net though. Around 40" deep seems to be good for the net and about 30" mininum diameter for hoop opening. Beckman has that new fin saver model available, but I think it would break the bank of most of us..lol.. |
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| I have used both Beckman nets and Frabill nets. Both are high quality nets and will suit you fine. Personally I would favor the Frabill Big Game net. It has some nice features including a handle that is oblong instead of round. This is a nice feature if you stow you net in the collapsed position. When you extend the net the plunger will always line up with the hole in the yoke. That feature alone puts the Frabill out front in my opinion.
Fred J |
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Posts: 32934
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Frabill. Great product that is tough, easy to store and deploy even when fishing alone, and priced right, too. I use a Big Kahuna, and Keith uses a Power Catch. Both are coated, and both treat the fish well. |
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Posts: 2427
Location: Ft. Wayne Indiana | I agree with Steve on this one as well. I use the Frabill Big Kahuna, and wouldn't trade it for anything else.
The bags are treated with a extra heavy coat so no hooks are digging into it. HUGE basket, so the chances of you missing a fish with the net are pretty slim. |
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Posts: 5874
| Frabill here, too. I have a Big Game Power Catch. Wouldn't have another net but Frabill. |
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Posts: 184
Location: Rockford Il 61108 | I bought a Frabill Big kahuna last show at West Allis. The big kahuna seems like it will do the job with little effort. You get what you pay for. |
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| Be sure to look at the Stowaway nets. They fold in half and with handle collapsed they take up very little room. I saw them at the Minnesota Muskie Expo last weekend. They make a huge net called the ego net but you dont need that big of a net. I was so impressed I picked up two. One Muskie and one Walleye. |
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Posts: 16
Location: Kawartha Lakes Region, Ontario, Canada | I use the Frabill Big Kahuna. I think what I love most about this net is the oversized yoak and the 60" deep dag. The yoak obviously makes the whole "scoop" action in the water not have to be so dead on but more importantly the deep bag allows you to rest the yoak of the net up flat on your gunnel while allowing the fish to remain in the water. SOMETHING TO CONSIDER DEPENDING HOW HIGH YOUR GUNNEL IS FROM YOUR WATERLINE
The webbing in the bottom of the bag is mush larger then most other nets and this allows the water to pass through easily during the " scoop" move through the water.
I have yet to have a fish's fin damaged in my net and to be honest, I really don’t forecast it happening, the holes are so big that there is lots of room for the fin to play through the webbing.
The bag is heavily rubber coated to eliminate getting hooks tangled, but more importantly, to be a little more fish friendly.
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Posts: 1936
Location: Eau Claire, WI | Been using Frabill nets for many years now. Strongest hoop, yoke, handle made and the knotless, coated bags help to ensure fish survival after release. |
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Posts: 1185
Location: Wishin I Was Fishin' | I agree Frabill is the way to go. I perfer the Big Game Power Catch, it is one size smaller then the Big Kahuna. I think the Big Kahuna's size makes it undesireable to try to find an easily accessable place for it in the boat. The Frabill handle is what really makes it the one to choose. I like the Frabil bag better then the Beckman also.
Edited by Jomusky 3/17/2004 6:20 PM
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Posts: 26
Location: St Cloud, MN and Madison, WI | I got a Beckman Pen Fin Saver. Had some real big fish in it last year and works good. |
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Posts: 75
Location: ft wayne, IN | Yes, Frabil is the better net for sure. Power catch is easier to stow and more importantly, much easier to negotiate actually netting your fish. It is plenty large enough for any sized ski. The big Kahuna has a nice big hoop but is more cumbersome to negotiate---we all know that many a great fish has been lost at boatside due to a muffed net job! The square and deep bag, rubber anti-hook coating, and triangular handle bode very well for the frabill. They seem to stand up to heavy abuse as well. I was quite happy when I replaced my Beckman with it. I don't have a folding stow away yet but that sounds very attractive as well depending on the mechanism involved. Frabill also makes an excellent sucker net for retrieving them out of your icewater laden livewell on those brisk spring and fall days....
JK |
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Posts: 3913
| Frabrill PowerCatch works great for me. Fish solo most of the time. Handled a 48" with no prob by myself, many upper 30"s and to be honest a just few other 40"+. I leave the fish in the big basket while I unhook the beasts, handle lays well across my little 14' boat, just keep my knee on the handle while I get the tools and camera ready. |
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| Also had the Beckman Northern Pike. It was too shallow for 40"+ fish. Had 2 jump right out this summer. Also, missed another that I would have had with a bigger net. So I've ordered the Big Kahuna for next year. I'm a little worried about the size for storage, but if it means 3 more muskies in the boat, then I'll find a place to keep it!
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Posts: 620
Location: Seymour, WI | Lambeau, don't skip on the net. Get a treated bag. You'll love it and the fish will too. The coated nets are very easy on the fish, no more tangled fish or split fins and the coated bag makes it easy to get your bait out of the net too.
Grass, |
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Posts: 2754
Location: Mauston, Wisconsin | Lambeau- I have a Beckman Husky Musky w/ treated bag- (it's great when I'm fishng alone-big hoop & larger mesh than the MG XD Fin Saver -> Muskies-big Walleyes etc. , plus easier to handle by yourself). I also have a Beckman Mag XD Fin Saver- for when I'm in Canada ( have seen a couple of W. Ontario fish that wouldn't fit into the Husky Musky) or fishing with someone else. The XD Fin Saver hoop & bag are so big it stow's real nice right over the top of the the 150 Johnson- out of the way and ready to rock & roll when needed. It's secure even when I'm running ESOX Maniac at full speed, or when towing behind the truck. I had the Husky Musky blow out of ESOX Maniac once- thank God for the end caps which make it float for a while (I injected some floatation foam into the handle since that incident). Beckman discontinued the treated Husky Musky, but the replacement treated bag's are still available. It helps to be a Beckman dealer.
Have fun!
Al
Edited by ESOX Maniac 12/17/2005 2:10 PM
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Location: Munster, IN | Check out a stowmaster too.
I have the big one and am very happy with it.
It has a treated net, folds up easily for space savings and is plenty big.
My only complaint is that it is a little heavy to handle when fishing solo.
Here it the link to their website:
http://www.stowmaster.net
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Posts: 4266
| Frabill |
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Posts: 2378
| do yourself a favor and go with Frabill. I have a Power Catch and love it. The Pow-R-Lok feature is the greatest thing going. |
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Posts: 199
| Hate to sound like a broken record but if you buy Frabill you are buying the best !
Shane Boettcher |
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Posts: 1996
Location: Pelican Lake/Three Lakes Chain | uhmmm..... Frabill!
Which net is personal preference, I prefer the Kahuna, some the Big Game. The Big Game stores easier but doesn't have nearly the sweet spot the Kahuna has. Both incredible nets. |
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