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Posts: 3469
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | After watching the video Steve Worrall posted and reading some of the comments about netting a fish, how about we try to help others out here a bit and get some tips going...
I think my first and #1 process from start to finish would be this:
Keep your hands spread on the net handle (one at the end, and one at least midway toward the hoop and bag with the end of the bag held by a finger or two by hand closest to net hoop. If possible have the netter put the hoop in the water with the handle parallel to the gunnel if possible hoop 3/4 way into the water open to the direction of the person fighting the fish when the person fighting the fish feels the fish has been played out enough to slide into the net safely.
The fish is led into the bag as the bag is dropped from the hand on the handle. Netter lifts the hoop portion of the net up when the fish is WELL over half way in. NEVER EVER EVER lunge at the fish!!, then keep the net parallel to the water, bring handle over boat gunnel and proceed to unhook from there.
What are your processes for good net jobs?
Steve
Edited by VMS 5/15/2019 10:32 AM
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Posts: 2236
Location: SE, WI. | Botched net Jobs are a Product of Panic, and fish being netted toooo Green!!! RELAX! When fish is tired and gliding on the surface, that’s when the Net man needs to have Net in water, pulling net Slowly through water to get bag open. Try to middle fishes head in center of bag. No Quick fast jabs at fish by net man, nor fast movements by Fisherman... No Reaching by net man....vulnerable... When fish is 2/3 in bag, Lift Quickly to secure fish....Done! JD |
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| I think the idea that we may net fish that are too green has merit. Being retired, I fish by myself whenever the mood hits me since I live on a chain of lakes. When fishing by myself, I am always aware of whether the fish is ready to come into the net, yet when I fish with someone, we try and net the fish right away. I used to think this was healthier for the fish, not fighting them for any amount of time. But now, I kind of question that premise. Not only is a green fish more likely to result in a botched net job, they thrash more in the net and seem more likely to hurt themselves that way. Don't know what the best way is, just some thoughts. |
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Posts: 596
Location: Duluth | I think situation is important. If the net person is inexperienced likely better to play it out, or if a fish clearly isn't ready.
If you're fishing with your go to partner, and you barely hook a fish on the 8.....well that's where you and your partner prove your worth.
PS. Most of my fishing buddies are ex-teammates and seasoned lacrosse players so the netting and casting is the easy part.....Staying focused on the other hand |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | Do the opposite of what Jim Saric does. |
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Posts: 20180
Location: oswego, il | Good points above. I don't put the bag in the water while releasing it with my fingers until the fish is ready to be netted. Look at the video and others which have that that scenario. Net bag loose in the water. Boat is moving, bag is no longer where you would like it to be as you begin to net the fish. It could be in front of the hoop if the boat is drifting that way. The key is bag control. Green fish can move as you scoop and you couple that with an uncontrolled bag, boom. Sometimes netting a green fish is needed when they are lightly hooked and going to come off. |
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Posts: 1636
| I botched a net job for one of my friends, Mike Day once.
I did not miss or mess anything up... I just pulled the net away when the fish began to thrash... and it got off.
I may have been able to net it... but, I was too cautious and did not want to actually botch the net job.
Should have just went for it  |
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Location: Athens, Ohio | I still remember the whoopin I got from dad after trying to net his fish tail first. never again. m |
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Posts: 815
Location: Waukee, IA | Besides the tips given already, one thing a lot of guys forget to do is to talk to each other and then do what you say. The fisherman says when and where he's going to pull the fish up to the surface, the net man says if he's able to get it so the fisherman knows whether to keep it at the surface or let it dive and try again. The more time a fish is kept up at the surface the better the chances of it getting away so minimizing thrash time on top can help a ton. |
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Posts: 1416
Location: oconomowoc, wi | i loosened my wifes drag on her reel while she was battling a big one down deep under the boat..
no need for a botched net job! very quiet in the boat for at least 2 hours after that.
Edited by fishhawk50 5/16/2019 8:58 PM
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Posts: 1220
| A serious couple of minutes discussing this first with a new partner is golden compared to the blame-game possible for a lost fish. Generally, I want to control my fish and bring it to a motionless net waiting when I signal I’m ready. Honestly, the last big mistake I got yelled at for missing a partner’s fish was because I never heard him say, “fish on.” Don’t mistake how much hearing is diminished twenty feet apart with a bit of wind. Don’t be shy letting your partner know it’s “Showtime,” the other boats are going to notice anyway. Boy, was that big Irishman mad at me!! |
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Location: Athens, Ohio | I fish solo a lot. I've found that attaching lead weights to the bottom of my netbag helps the bag drop down quickly as I put it in the water, lessening the chance the fish will be half way in and get the hooks snagged on the bag. Bad things have happened when that occurred. m |
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Posts: 20180
Location: oswego, il | fishhawk50 - 5/16/2019 8:57 PM
i loosened my wifes drag on her reel while she was battling a big one down deep under the boat..
no need for a botched net job! very quiet in the boat for at least 2 hours after that.
I did that for a buddy of mine last November. Drag was still locked on a sucker hookup. Not a fan of horsing Muskies on suckers. Should have let well enough alone and chanced it. Happened on a TV show last year as well. Should just let the person fighting the fish do it. |
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Posts: 3469
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | mikie - 5/17/2019 7:19 AM
I fish solo a lot. I've found that attaching lead weights to the bottom of my netbag helps the bag drop down quickly as I put it in the water, lessening the chance the fish will be half way in and get the hooks snagged on the bag. Bad things have happened when that occurred. m
Hiya!!
I've wondered about doing that as well. I fish solo a majority of the time as well, and this could be a good thing if the net doesn't submerge as well.
How much weight did you add? Rubber core sinkers or how did you attach? Any pictures?
Thanks!! |
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Posts: 612
| Everyone misses the occasional fish at the net. Seen a few crazy things. Once while bagging a nice one as I lifted the net while the fish simultaneously moved with it's tail onto the hoop in the water. The fish sky rocketed out of the net. So cool, didn't mind misses it.
I fish alone often and kind of do a one armed swoop with a rather large net.
As mentioned previously never jab at the fish. |
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Posts: 454
| I think as mentioned before, good communication is very important. Guy with fish on should be giving directions to the person with the net, take it etc. or not yet. Good advice on keeping the bag controlled till the moment. Try to enjoy the fight, its what we fish so hard for. |
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Location: Contrarian Island | don't get Gout in your feet.. lol
I got a 52"ish to eat in the 8, buddy on the net had the entire fish IN the net, all of it.. he had bad gout in one foot and in the waves and the pain of having to lift up the hoop, well, he didn't and the fish popped off, swung around and was gone in the blink of an eye... there was about 15 minutes of quiet time in the boat.. we can laugh about it now.. I still like to razz him and call him "Gout Foot".
Edited by BNelson 5/20/2019 10:46 AM
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Posts: 759
Location: Ames, Iowa | Do what Steve wrote and what Kuntz wrote. My then 22 year old missed what would have been my personal best 53 incher caught on a topwater. He lifted the net out of the water as the muskie's head had just entered. The topwater hooked on the net frame and out slid the rest of the muskie. I had a great fight and got the fish to the boat. |
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Posts: 331
Location: Stevens Point, Wisconsin | Best tip I can offer is that when netting, scoop deep and through the fish. Seen way too many people think they have enough of the fish in the hoop and lift up too early and the leading edge of the hoop catches the middle portion of the fish. This is especially true on big long fish. Hooks get caught on the net or hoop and weight from the back half of the fish (outside of the hoop) causes the net man to lower the net in an attempt to re scoop. Then it's usually about then that the fish shakes it's head, hooks pop out (snagged on net or hoop) and the fish flops to freedom. Almost left my buddy on an island on lotw for this. I call him T Rex now. |
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