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Posts: 131
Location: Kalamazoo, MI | This year I picked up a Frabill Power Catch net. It has the coated netting and overall I have been quite pleased with it. This year we have been leaving the musky in the net in the water and letting it act as a holding pen as we unhook them as well. The problem is, the added time of the fish in the net has led to several instances of muskies biting through the net. We had one fish bite through about 4 of the webbings and swim right out. Weve had several others bite through 1 or 2 of the webbings, and 1 case where one bit through a couple and then proceeded to get stuck which required cutting another webbing. These arent big muskies by any means, most 30-40"rs. Is this something others with Frabill bags have experienced? Do the rubber nets hold up better(seems like they wouldnt)? By the end of October, at the rate we are going, theres going to be more power pro holding my net together than there is net holding my net together. |
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Posts: 32957
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | I have had absolutely ZERO problems with the Frabill coated netting, one I use the most is on it's third season. Contact Frabill and let them know what you have experienced, I am certain they will get you fixed up! |
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Posts: 335
Location: Orland Park | I have a Beckman, and it seems every fish that has been in that net has had it's mouth around it at some point. And maybe 50 fish. No rips or tears. |
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Location: Pewaukee, WI | 3rd season on my power catch and the net is in fine condition....also have had a kwik cradle for several years and it is still in great shape too after some good work outs |
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Posts: 2427
Location: Ft. Wayne Indiana | I got my Frabil Big Kahuna from Tony Grant about a year and a half ago. He used it for two years and I have used it ever since.
There has been hundreds of muskies in this net, and there's no problem with it. I love it and wouldn't trade it for anything!
Are you sure muskies bit through the net, or did it have weak spots in it and when the fish thrashed it ripped it apart?
Call Frabil, maybe you got a bad one or something.
Mike Hulbert
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Posts: 1996
Location: Pelican Lake/Three Lakes Chain | I love my Frabill and can't imagine a fish biting through the coated netting. If they are biting through the netting you may have a problem with the bag--call Frabill. |
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Posts: 103
Location: Land O' Lakes WI | Hi, this is Mark Gostisha here. I am the VP os sales for Frabill.
It sounds like you may be using our standard netting, not the catch and release netting designed for the musky market.
If there are knots where the squares meet, and there are weights attached up the netting on the back side of the net, this is not the best alternative for musky fishing. It is really designed to withstand the rigors of the salmon striper and catfish markets. Heavy fish, that are generally kept, and no big teeth.
The netting that all of the previous Frabill posts are talking about is our knotless, tanglefree mesh. This netting has a fat denier that the fish cannot bite through, it reduces any split fins or tails and it is almost hook proof. If you want to do the best hing for the fish, you can get a replacement net for your PowerCatch frame and have the optimum catch and release tool for musky fishing. The Frabill part number for the large hoop is 4666. Rollie and Helens, Guides Choice and several other retailers stock this net to upgrade standard nets to a catch and release net.
For more information you can check our web site a www.frabill.com.
Hope this helps you,
Mark Gostisha
Edited by Mark Gostisha 10/2/2003 1:33 PM
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Posts: 155
Location: Watertown MN | Spieg
I would guess that you pick up a power catch net that is the same size as there musky net, but has a finer mesh designed for walleyes, trolling, or lake trout. I have seen them at fleet farm, same size but different bag material. I can't image a fish biting through the musky bag.
Good luck
Troyz |
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Posts: 131
Location: Kalamazoo, MI | I picked it up from rollie and helens. Its listed on their site as "Frabill Power Catch Nets-60" net depth". As I said, I love the net, its nice and big, and looked extremely durable. I never imagined at the beginning of the season we would have a musky go through it. But sure enough, they are eating through it like crazy. The coating on the net seems fine also, its is just barely wearing off the little clips/weights/whatever those things are near the back of the bag. Other than that, still looks good. Every single cut has been clean. No frayed breaks, looks like the musky are taking razor blades to it.
Its great to know that nobody else has problems like this! Sounds like I may have just gotten a lemon. I will drop frabill an email and see what they say about it.
Thanks for the input guys! |
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Posts: 925
| I think you just said it yourself. "The little clips or weights."
You definitely do NOT have the rubber coated Power Catch. There is none of that stuff on the net.
You have the other net that everyone else is referring to. And I do not doubt that a musky can bite thru that weaker netting.
I've had mine for two years now and love it. |
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Posts: 131
Location: Kalamazoo, MI | Here is a picture of what I am talking about. The bag has 2" webbing.  Is this a different bag than what shouuld come on these nets? I assume the little 'things' are weights to prevent the bag from getting extremely tangled. I cant imagine a 60" depth on a walleye net. Note from MuskieFIRST Admin: This is in a post above your picture from mark. It explains the net you have well. 'It sounds like you may be using our standard netting, not the catch and release netting designed for the musky market.
If there are knots where the squares meet, and there are weights attached up the netting on the back side of the net, this is not the best alternative for musky fishing. It is really designed to withstand the rigors of the salmon striper and catfish markets. Heavy fish, that are generally kept, and no big teeth.'
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Posts: 131
Location: Kalamazoo, MI | OK! Sounds like we have determined the problem then. Thanks for all the help guys. Now, where can I get a replacement bag that will handle the musky teeth? Whats the model/bag I should pick up?
I must say I am kind of surprised rollie and helens would sell this as a musky net if its more designed for salmon and the likes. |
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Posts: 131
Location: Kalamazoo, MI | Wow, disregard the previous message, somehow I completely missed the post from Mark.
Thanks Mark! |
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Posts: 131
Location: Kalamazoo, MI | I cant seem to locate replacement net 4666 on rollie and helens. Does anyone have a link on their site (or at least what they call it) or another retailer that has this net? Id like to get it ordered asap! Thanks! |
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Posts: 1936
Location: Eau Claire, WI | First time I've had a chance to see the board in two days.... You can try Pastika's in Hayward WI or Guides Choice in Eagle River.
I've been using Frabill nets for years with much success, I wouldn't trade them for anything else. You'll be very pleased with the "musky mesh" bag. Not sure I want to see that fish that could bite through that..:) |
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Posts: 196
| Hmmmn...any chance your cat is biting through the net? |
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Posts: 131
Location: Kalamazoo, MI | She tried, without much success. I figured if it held up to her so well, it would hold up to the musky. No such luck! |
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