There's not much better in life than pulling in a massive fish into the boat. However, the opposite result can be one of the most frustrating.
If you don’t know how to net a fish the correct way your chances of frustration are much higher.
The very first step is simply to communicate with your partner or mates, be they your tournament co-angler or just your four-year-old. You both need to be on the same page and identify what each other is trying to do, and where each other is going to position themselves.
Secondly, make sure the fish is ready for the net. A fish needs to be properly fought and ready for the net. While you don’t want to overly stress them, you do want them tired enough that they go into the net easily rather than making a sudden plunge.
Thirdly, position the landing net in the water at an angle. You’ll hear some people say that you shouldn’t put the net in the water until the last moment. I disagree. If you wait until the fish is close to suddenly plunge the net in, there’s a good chance you’ll end up hitting the fish and knocking it off the hook.
You are better off placing the net about 3/4 of the way in the water at about a 45˚ angle. You would then have your fishing partner guide the fish into the net with their rod, rather than jabbing towards the fish with your net.
Be Ready to Pull Back and Out of the Way. If you misjudged the fish and it continues fighting, be ready to pull the net away. If a fish hits its head or the line against the net’s rim, there’s a good chance that this will provide enough leverage to dislodge the hook. You’re better off just pulling back and waiting to try again.
Bring the Fish in Head First and Scoop It Up. You should position yourself so that you can net the fish head first. This is a little counter-intuitive. You would expect the fish to see this and get scared, but it’s hard for a fish to turn 180˚ in a tight space with a hook in its mouth. In contrast, there is nothing stopping a fish from surging or jumping if it feels the net touch its tail. If you try to net the fish from behind, chances are you’ll lose it.
While it’s usually best to let the other angler guide the fish into the net with their rod, this isn’t always possible, especially if you’re with kids, so you might need to go after the fish. This should be done with a scooping motion and never a jabbing motion. Again, you want the fish in the center of the net. You do not want to knock them off with the rim.
Once the fish is in the net, don’t delay. Scoop it up and out of the water and bring it into the boat. You’ll find that doing this often dislodges the hook so don’t play around with the fish. Get it out of the water where it might thrash and escape and safely into the boat.
Be Careful of Hooks. It’s pretty easy to get jabbed by a hook that’s in the net. Depending on how the fish is positioned, it can move the netting substantially with any jerk. I’d strongly urge you to grab the lure with some pliers and toss it over the side of the boat. Get it out of the way before you attempt to lift the fish for a photo.
And that's about it. If you follow this simple advice you'll dramatically decrease the amount of dropped fish at the boat. But what type of landing net do I need? Here's a few examples:
Telescopic Mesh Fish Landing Net Pole Handle Fishing Tackle
$39.00
What's up for grabs? 1 x Telescopic Mesh Fish Landing Net Pole Handle. Features include: Foldable and Extendable Landing Net.Rubber coated netting helping to protect your catch and reduce the chances of your hook tangling in the net. Long… read more
Eco Friendly Fish Landing Net Large Fishing Tackle
$24.90
What's up for grabs? Eco Friendly Fish Landing Net Large Features include: On offer is a high quality replacement of rubber landing net without handle. The rubber material of the net will stop your hook from tangling and ensure… read more