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Posts: 93
Location: Morehead KY | I'm getting ready to order myself a new net this weekend. I've had a frabil big kahuna for several years now but I've always wanted one of the folding nets. I'm either going to get a stowmaster or the frabil power stow. However down here all we can do is look at them on the net or in a book.
I'm looking for opinions from people who own either of them and what you think of them. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. |
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Location: Illinois | I fish with a guy with a StowMaster, and he likes to keep it "stowed" while we fish. Haven't had any issues losing fish unwrapping it from it's case, and it opens up more floor space in the boat. I am the type that likes the handle extended, out and ready to grab. I hate stowed nets but have to admit they work just about as well as my preferred Beckman Finsaver |
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Posts: 1405
Location: Detroit River | I have the Stowmaster & I only keep it folded when I'm not fishing the open it up once we get to our spot. When I'm fishing on the Detroit or St. Clair River with Bondy Baits I need to keep the net ready because they fish come to the top quick & we'd lose a lot of fish if the net wasn't ready. Got mine off of Amazon because they were the cheapest that I found. Oh ya, I love that net.
Edited by Zib 5/26/2012 8:32 PM
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Posts: 93
Location: Morehead KY | Hey zib, what size hoop is that one? I like the pic with the little one that's good! |
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Posts: 540
Location: Leech Lake, Walker MN | Have used a stow master for years and never an issue don't even know its in the boat but it's always there great choise IMO. Always calm waters to you |
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Posts: 332
Location: Michigan | I've used the Stowmaster TS116Y (36" x 38" hoop) for the last seven seasons and am very happy with it. I keep it in the stowed position when fishing with a partner, it can be opened/deployed ready to scoop in roughly 5 seconds.
If i'm fishing solo, i have it opened with handle extended ready to go.
It is a little on the heavy side and the mesh holes on the bag are smaller which some do not like because of more drag in the water and un-tangling hooks. I like the smaller mesh myself.
I have not seen the Frabill stowable except for pictures but am sure it is a fine product also. |
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Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | I have the Frabill, great net, great company. |
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | I've used both nets a considerable amount and never noticed much of a difference between the two. If I had my choice, Frabill all the way. The company and it's customer service is what makes me choose them everytime. |
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Posts: 243
| Stowmaster is convenient for freeing up space, but as mentioned, some don't like the bag (I'm one of those who prefers the larger, thicker bags). I have the big one as well, and it can be a little difficult sometimes to get everything untangled. I have a friend who replaced his bag with one from another brand and it fit. I may do the same. I do really like the flat front styled nets instead of the circle styles----I think it makes it easier to land fish. |
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Posts: 93
Location: Morehead KY | Thanks guys for all the feedback! |
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Posts: 93
Location: Morehead KY | one other thing, I know that beckman nets are made in america. I can't find if Stowmaster or frabill are? Anyone know? |
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Posts: 332
Location: Michigan | corey@caverun - 5/27/2012 11:42 AM
one other thing, I know that beckman nets are made in america. I can't find if Stowmaster or frabill are? Anyone know?
Yes. Stowmaster and Frabill nets are both made in the United States. |
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Posts: 1405
Location: Detroit River | corey@caverun - 5/26/2012 10:03 PM
Hey zib, what size hoop is that one? I like the pic with the little one that's good!
It's 36"X38" with a 48" deep bag. The model number is TY116Y. The netting is rubber coated. My buddy has the same net but it's about 5 years old & the netting is thicker. The thinner rubber coat netting on mine goes through the water much better than my buddy's.
Edited by Zib 5/27/2012 11:40 AM
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| I love the concept of them. They take up very little space. Have the Stowmaster, but I like the new Frabills. I don't think you can go wrong with either. My Stowmaster has the thicker mesh. I believe the Frabills are similar in that sense. Haven't seen the newer Stowmasters, but Zib's mesh is definitely thinner than mine. Not sure if that makes any difference, but I would say that's the biggest thing that sets the Stowmaster and Frabill apart. You'll be pleased with either one you end up with. |
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Posts: 137
| I had the older stowmaster with the thicker bag, but the frame was getting a little beat up at the joints over the years and becoming hard to open, so I got the new stowmaster. The new bag is big, but mesh is very fine, so it tends to get tangled up more compared to the old one, but it goes through the water a lot easier. My solution, switched out the two bags so the old bag is on the new frame and the new bag is on the old frame. I can use the lighter net when I'm by myself and having the net open all the time isn't a space issue, being that I'm in a 16' cherokee. The newer frame can be opened easily and with two people and two hands on the net, the weight of the mesh isn't an issue.
If the frabill has the thicker net bags, I probably would have gone that way the second time around. But either way the nets are great. I take them on our fly in to CAnada every year because they fit in the plane with the limited space we have. And the owners of the service love them and told me they wished more people would take something like that on their trip to help release fish properly. Good product. |
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Posts: 93
Location: Morehead KY | I'm trying to decide which size to get now. Like I said I had the kahuna and it was just to big to handle by myself and I fish by myself alot. I just don't know if the the 30x32 is big enough. I had the big game and it was perfect for me it was 32x41 I believe. I have never owned one of the square nets though and I don't know if that makes a difference as far as more room or less. |
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Posts: 1405
Location: Detroit River | Here's a shot of the older & newer netting that comes on the Stowmaster.
The OLD netting.
The NEW netting.
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Posts: 181
Location: St.John, Indiana | I also have a newer stowmaster with the thinner netting. IMO the netting is to thin. compared to my older Frabill power catch net which has the heavy coated netting which all nets should have. I have had to cut the hook more than a few times because the netting gets wrapped and twisted with the thinner netting. One of my buddies has the older Stowmaster with the heavier netting ,which is much better. I still use my Frabill when I fish by myself , I know most guys want a lighter net in that situation but I have less problems with my Frabill. Just wish I would of waited to buy a foldable net till Frabill came out with theirs. I am not saying the Stowmaster is a bad net , but I think they should go back to the heavier coated netting . |
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Posts: 1405
Location: Detroit River | I prefer the thinner netting over my buddy's thicker netting on the Stowmaster because I fish by myself about 25% of the time & need a lighter net that goes through the water easily. The thicker netting doesn't tangle as much as the thinner netting. The thicker netting is a pain even with 2 guys in the boat when we are fishing the Detroit River & St. Clair River because of the fast current catching it. My buddy's net got blown out of his boat while driving his boat. Luck for him he was only in 5 or 6 fow & could see his net on the boat & hooked it with a Bondy Bait. Now he folds up his net when he's moving from spot to spot.
BTW, the Stowmaster has a lifetime warranty except on the netting. |
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