Net Profit?

[crataegus]

Maybe it's just me, but I really enjoy lifting the fish into the boat by hand. There is an extra degree of satisfaction in it for me. I enjoy it as much as releasing the fish unharmed (and almost as much as eating them with a healthy coating of old bay seasoning). When a slab breaks the surface for the first time, I determine the quality and location of the hookset--and tailor a direction and aggression of pull that I believe gives me the best chance to get my thumb in its mouth. I've seen many fish get off the hook while the fightee (solo or team) is awkwardly flailing for the net, or coarsley pulling the fish towards it. Too much attention is diverted to getting the net rather than getting the fish. Chaos.

In the end, I believe that just as many crappie can be landed without a net than with a net. I thought about this last night: in about 75 fishing trips since owning a netless boat and after lipping over 100 1.5-2.92 lb crappie out of the water, I have yet to lose a crappie while reaching down for it.

Bold claim. How important is the net to you? Is there anyone who feels the same?

How do I post a poll?

[catman]

i never carry a net in the boat except in a tournament, and i never catch one big enough in a tournament to need one.

[crataegus]

just like bringing an umbrella means it won't rain!

[wasabi]

you are awesome

[speckfinder]

no net for me

[poppop]

How do I post a poll?


Crat, just click on post a new thread....scroll down to the second block..and it gives you an option to create a poll.

[chaunc]

My lund sits up a little higher than a lot of other boats so i cant always reach down and thumb the fish. Plus some of us over-weight guys cant bend down that far anyway. :D I definetly use a net.

[Hillbilly910]

just when tourny fishing, or an accidnetal catch, like a big bass or catfish or something. 99% of the time, just swing them up into the boat(i use short rods most of the time), some of the bigger ones i'll get down and either lip, and grasp.

But when were competeting, we use a net on all but the dinks, and the fish caught directly under the boat. Our first tournament, we basicly took ourselves out of the money by loosing 3 nice fish, and we swore never again.
our last tourny, we actually forgot the net(never again by the way!), out of the blue, i hooked into a monster, was a scary few seconds till i got him up into the boat. Needless to say, after my partner saw what loosing a fish like that could cost you, we might have 2 or 3 nets in the boat from now on!

HB

[deathb4disco]

For me, it depends on the size rod I'm using. If I'm fishing with a 12-14' rod, I use a net. If I'm using a shorter rod, I usually don't.

It also depends on the species. I'm more inclined to use a net for trout because they tend to be much more "fragile" than warmwater fish.

[boat49]

99% of the time I have a net in the boat and it gets used .099% of the time.