The Best Fly Fishing Nets - The Quest For The Perfect Net

I got my first net when I was six years old. My uncle, knowing that I was already nuts about fishing gave it to me for my birthday. It was a classic K-mart special, the kind with a cork grip, and metal hoop, course nylon netting, and a clip to an elastic line that came out of the handle. Clipped to my belt loop, the net would just barely drag on the ground, but it was soooo cool! In those days, my net skills generally included trapping a sunfish as it was flopping around on the bank after I had reeled it in, and of course catching frogs. I will say that I had that net with me when I landed my first trout on a fly. As I scooped the small brown up, the fly came out of its mouth, and to my dismay it promptly swam right through the way too large holes in the webbing! Not sure where that net wound up, but I still have the wicker creel he gave me on the same birthday.

By the time I turned 18 I was pretty serious about fly fishing, so my parents gave me a beautiful wooden net. Small and lightweight, it was a piece of art that I could clip to the back of my fishing vest, and it immediately became part of my fishing attire. I collected a lot a fish with that net, and if anything, it forced me to really up my skills on landing fish, as the net was uhm, very small. Just over six inches wide at its widest point, it was perhaps great for landing the small brook trout that were native to New England, the home of the craftsman that made it, but it became noticeably less useful when I moved out west and the size of the fish that I caught started to increase. The first time I actually landed a big rainbow (22”) it was quite the struggle, and when I finally got the head of the fish into the hoop, the tail wouldn’t fit. I can remember holding the tail, keeping the head in the net, squeezing my rod under my arm and shuffling to shore where I could set the rod down, get the fly out, and of course pose for a picture. The friend who was fishing with me joked about the line from the movie “Jaws”; “I think you’re going to need a bigger net!”.

A good net can serve several purposes, but first and foremost is that it should make it easier to land the fish. Bigger is definitely better than smaller, but at some point as you get larger the net becomes cumbersome to carry. In my experience, for a standard net that you will carry when on the river by yourself, something that is at least ten inches wide will be far more useful than one that is smaller. This can still be hung from the back of a vest, or snugged inside of a shoulder pack, but it will eliminate some of the challenge that I had getting the head of a big fish into that small net.

As I guide, I have found that there is a premium in being able to “catch” a fish when the fly comes out just as your guest is bringing it in. This is most easily done with the larger two handed nets that extend your reach, and when using two hands, can allow you to make fast last second adjustments to nab the fish that is trying to flop loose. That long handle and bigger net opening is also pretty important when bringing in a fish from a boat where reaching down and further away is important.

Nets are also important for holding and controlling a fish while you remove the fly, and if you are taking a moment to snap that treasured photograph. Nets that float in a level position with a relatively large net bag can serve as a live well. The fish can hang out totally submerged in a normal swimming position while you get your act together or coordinate with your companion to get that great shot. In my mind the best pictures show the fish barely out of the water, with lots of water dripping off the fish. Have the photographer get everything ready before you lift the fish up, and hold it up only a few seconds for one or two shots. If you plan on releasing the fish unharmed, it has got to stay underwater for most of the time you are working with it.

Speaking of releasing fish, if you want to increase chance that they will survive, the material your net is made of can make a difference. While net bags can be made of many different materials, rubber is the one you want. You will notice that it may be the only choice these days in many fly shops, but if you do see other materials, get the net with the rubber bag. This does the least damage to the mucus coating that covers a trout, and that coating is important to the fish for preventing infections. Protecting that membrane is also why you never want to touch a fish with dry hands, or drag it up onto the shoreline. (at least if you plan to release it alive…)

Nets are most commonly made of wood, metal, or some kind of plastic composite. For pure boat use, metal is nice as it is pretty indestructible, it’s not that pretty to look at. Nomad nets by Fishpond have taken composites to the next level, and all of their nets float and make nice live wells when needed. I still love wood, which also floats, and still makes the best looking net. Just keep in mind a wood net that gets a lot of use will need to be refinished periodically.

If you go into most any fly shop these days, you will find nets of all kinds of shapes and sizes. Everyone has their own personal favorites, and over time you will probably develop some preferences. If you are getting your first net, my advice would be to error on the side of too big as opposed to too small. After all, the most important time to have a net is when you land a really big fish and a small net will not do the job! If you plan to hang it off your vest, I suggest getting one that is at least about 10 inches wide. (The fishpond Emerger is something like 9 and 3/4 wide, but it is plenty long and a great net). Most shops will have the quick release magnetic clips that make it easy to get on and off your vest. Its not a bad idea to bring your vest, shoulder pack, or whatever you use to carry your gear into the shop so that you can test out how the net fits.

If you are curious what I actually use, the answer is that while I own more than a few nets, there are two that cover me most of the time. If I am out fishing for my own fun, you are likely to see me with a custom made wooden hand net, with a hoop that measures ten inches wide by fifteen inches across. In truth, I would actually prefer that it was slightly larger, but it is so beautiful, and I have such a history with it that I just like to use it. I carry it on the back of my vest with a quick release, hanging with the handle down. I have refinished it several times. When I am guiding, I generally rely on an El Jefe net by FishPond. While a little short for a true boat net, it fits nicely into a loop in my wading belt when I am on foot, and it is more than large enough to make that two handed grab when I need to catch that wayward fish.

Oh, and that first wooden net that I got for my 18th birthday? It has also been refinished, and sits on a bookcase shelf next to my old creel. Its a great conversation piece.

By Scot Bealer

Scot first started guiding in the 1980’s, and has fished extensively through the rocky mountain west and many other parts of the world.  When not on the water, he is typically out working with his wife, Lea Frye, doing wildlife photography.  See their work at https://www.leaf-images.com, or follow them on Instagram @lea.f_images