favourite net?

[moonlighter]

whats your favourite net you would recommend for sea trouting.I stupidly left my pelican net at the river last year and cant seem to see them for sale-anyone got any suggestions

[Teifi-Terrorist]

Hi Moonlighter,

This is the one I use when night fishing:

http://www.fastnetsports.com/superio...nding-net.html

You will see my review on there. I've had it for a few years now, and whilst the joint has starting playing up, I would still highly recommend it - they have a lifetime guarantee, so no big issue.

I also have a McLean net, but tend to use that when guiding, as the long handle trailing in the water is a right pain when dealing with the running line when wading.

Regardless of what you choose, look for a folding version rather than a traditional gye net system, as it will make life less frustrating when wading etc.

TT.

[moonlighter]

net

thanks for the advice the fastnet looks spot on moonlighter

[johnevs]

hey tt what you think of your mclean net. i got the seatrout weigh net have not used it yet but looks a fair sturdy bit of kit. but glad i didnt go for the salmon net they do, would look like one of those ninja turtles walking about the place its massive{;:> irealised the net is a bit long could see what you mean about it hanging down in the water when wading, but i watched a you tube vid a couple of weeks back and the bloke was wading with it and had it the other way round with the handle facing downwards instead would that be the right way perhaps!!!!

[mepps4me]

A few years ago I bought a snowbee 24inch gye net and have found it great value for money and capable of landing decent sized fish. Since I tend to do a lot of my fishing on small overgrown rivers where I am continually on the move and surrounded by bushes and brambles, the only drawback I found was that the long handle caught on everything that I walked past as the handle was protruding about 16inches lower than the net frame. The solution was easy. I have since cut the long handle so that it is only two inches longer than the frame when in the closed position, replaced the expanding screw fitting on the shortened handle and I now have a very managable net. As long as I keep the mesh itself wound around the frame or handle while walking I rarely get caught up even in brambles. This shorter handle also makes it much easier to extend the net when it is needed to land a fish.

[Teifi-Terrorist]

hey tt what you think of your mclean net. i got the seatrout weigh net have not used it yet but looks a fair sturdy bit of kit. but glad i didnt go for the salmon net they do, would look like one of those ninja turtles walking about the place its massive{;:> irealised the net is a bit long could see what you mean about it hanging down in the water when wading, but i watched a you tube vid a couple of weeks back and the bloke was wading with it and had it the other way round with the handle facing downwards instead would that be the right way perhaps!!!!

Honestly John I think it's a great net for a guide or if you're going to leave it on the bank when fishing but not so practical when fishing/wading with it on your back. It's a very long net and regardless of which way you place it over your shoulder it becomes a pain - a net should be comfortable and be out of the way until needed in my opinion, not hinder your fishing. Also, it's very difficult to extend it when playing a fish, as you need to push the button to get it to extend then draw it open and put the button back into the hole to secure it again - not easy with one hand and when you're concentrating on the fish.

Also, the net is very deep. So much so that you find your boots getting stuck to the net after you have been kneeling etc. which has made me trip a few times.

All in all not my favourite by a long shot. Good construction etc. and great for guiding, especially with the in-built scales, but not practical for a mobile angler, sadly.

TT.

[Mick B]

Ive used a Ray Walton telescopic fold-over solid frame net for 6 years and its totally bomb proof.
The frame is very strong and seems unbendable, I extend mine by putting my foot on the ring frame and pulling the handle towards me!

Bit pricey, but I found mine in a local shop that had discounted the price 3 times and still offered me a rounded down figure when I showed interest to buy it :>

This net is now manufactured by Whitlock under their own name, I think the McLean net from NZ is of a similar design tho I've not handled one to be sure.

[davo]

Honestly John I think it's a great net for a guide or if you're going to leave it on the bank when fishing but not so practical when fishing/wading with it on your back. It's a very long net and regardless of which way you place it over your shoulder it becomes a pain - a net should be comfortable and be out of the way until needed in my opinion, not hinder your fishing. Also, it's very difficult to extend it when playing a fish, as you need to push the button to get it to extend then draw it open and put the button back into the hole to secure it again - not easy with one hand and when you're concentrating on the fish.

Also, the net is very deep. So much so that you find your boots getting stuck to the net after you have been kneeling etc. which has made me trip a few times.

All in all not my favourite by a long shot. Good construction etc. and great for guiding, especially with the in-built scales, but not practical for a mobile angler, sadly.

TT.

I have found the same as TT here. Have almost come a cropper a few times on stiles and when getting up from kneeling. Having said that, I find the net is comfortable to carry and I have not had a problem to date in setting it up while playing a fish (touch wood)

[T7]

I've got the smaller McLean gye net and it's perfect for me. Nice size for seatrout and small to medium sized salmon. If you put the strap over your left shoulder then the handle is out the way on your right.

I did look at the larger size but felt it was just too big...

[Teifi-Terrorist]

I've got the smaller gye net version T7 and still have the issues mentioned above. It is the most irritating net I have ever owned and will be selling it in the very near future. Too many design flaws for such an expensive net. ::

Glad you get on with yours, but perhaps you're not a vertically challenged Welshman like me. :>

TT.