I carry one, but I don't always use it. I think unless you are truly skilled, ala Mr. Deeter, you usually end up doing a lot more harm trying to handle fish to release.

What is the straight skinny, are the rubber nets really that much more fish friendly? If so, why doesn't someone sell them (just the bags) as a replacement for current not so fish friendly nets? Many people don't want an entire new net, just a new "net". There you go, another freeby marketing idea from Wags.

So many of my fish manage to release themselves. I gave my trout net away, but carry a Lippa for big fish. It is awkward at times (a spring action would help). I do want to make and would use a steelhead net.

I am a solid net man. I have a fancy little catch and release net that is not only functional but beautiful. Nets shorten the fight and keep my hands off the fish.

If you have a floating net it's easy to net a fish and release it barely touching the fish or taking it out of the water.

I have also fished streams where nets are required.

I carry a net but more often than not I don't use it. I only net fish that I want to photograph, I guess. I've gotten pretty diligent about smashing my barbs over the years and that makes releasing fish a breeze - a net is rarely necessary.

one caveat - I definitely carry a net when fishing the great lakes tribs for steelhead. those fish are unmanageable without a net.

yrs-
Evan!

Face it, even while practicing catch and release, ours is a blood sport - a certain portion of the fish we catch are going to die, even if we don't want them to.

That said, when my intention is to release fish unharmed (sometimes I catch-and-fillet), I do what it takes to accomplish that. To that end, I don't use a net because I haven't found anything that works better than barbless hooks and a hook releaser that I make out of heavy gauge stainless wire. A quick pop on the releaser pulls out the hook, and I never touch the fish.

Using a net when with a client works for me. #1. Bringing the fish to the client is easier. #2. I actually cradle the fish in the net by leaving the net submerged while capturing the fish. #3. It is easier to point things out to a client while teaching them about the finer points of a fish, but still keeping it in the water. #4. Less lose of fish #5
easier to stage fish for a photo op. #6. I do like to admire them while they are in the water.
The net I carry is a light weight long handled mesh net with very fine holes. I find the fish thrashes less when I keep them submerged in the net. They calm down quickly.

when I fish alone I don't carry a net.

The only thing more fun than hooking a big trout, is gloving a big trout. Its like cating the fish twice. Grabbing a great lakes steelie by the tail after a battle is a blast, whether your gloving your own fish, or a buddies.

I always carry my net, but whether I use it or not depends on whether it's a photo/keeper fish, the odds my whole sleeve will end up soaked in frigid water if I don't, etc. But I don't believe fabric C&R nets do enough harm to make it a concern.

I limit the crap that I carry and the net is the first to go. I usually race up and down the rivers and leave everything except the stuff that is essential.

No net for me 90% of the time. I too practice long-distance catch and release:)

Fortunately or unfortunately a net has never worked out for me. I have purchased 3 nets in my 30+ years of fishing and each one has proven to be an interruption in my task at hand, "fishing". Between the bubbling through brush and getting hung up, to the constant thumping on my back I have found it easier to reach down with my trusty hemostat and give a little tug. I will say I'm sort of lucky when fishing for the steelhead on Lake Erie tribs, my buddy carries a net religiously and usually nets my fish. So I guess you could say I'm a "net bum" vs. a "fish bum".

I bring a net to lakes and big waters, but usually I leave it at home. Ive had it hang on branches and rocks only to have it snap back into my legs or back. And for the most part, Im not going to have to try and land any trout over 20" out of the waters Im on. Has anyone tried the fold-up nets? I always thought they seemed to gimmicky.

When walking a river or stream I don't carry a net. I use hemostats to pop the fly out while the fish is in the water. However, when using my small pontoon boat, I almost alway use a net as it gives me the extra reach across the side of the pontoon so I don't have fish, line, boots, anchor line, etc, all wound together in front of me.

Hello Deeter, I too have been guiding since 1975. I totally understand your concept for your clients on why you use a net for them and for there fish of a lifetime. I myself do not use a net as I am fearful of the possible affects on the fish, that being said however if I would use a net I would use a rubber net as you mentioned in your above story. I think that it mostly comes down to how you handle the fish once you do have him in hand, whether that be in a net or in your hand. I have seen far too many shows on TV that show them admiring the fish for what in my opinion is far too long out of the water. On my shows we only lifted the fish out of the water for 1 photo and released him immediately back into the water. My clients know that I don't use a net and they are OK with it. Now I've been at this for over a quarter of a century so I have a very strong client base as you can imagine. I do on occasion loose a large fish from time to time that would have made a great photo, however, the actual catching and fighting had already been done and in most cases there have been pictures taken of the fight or the attempted landing of the fish at the time. I haven't really thought about it but I could probably count on my hands and toes the total number of fish that I have lost by not using a net. The more I land by hand the better I become. At any rate whatever works for you is fine as long as you take care and treat the catch in a manner that doesn't harm him and gets him back in the water as quickly as possible. Thanks for the question and Tight Lines to you Deeter.

Trout, Steelhead i do not use a Net! JUst grab them by the Tail and Grip tight. Salmon is a little different story. Most of the salmon have to wide of a tail. SO i guess it depends on what im fishing for.

They aren't cheap, but the fold up net that fits in a holster (can't think of the original, and it is a good one,) can sure come in handy, and is out of the way until you need it. Having to grab a fish too harshly if you are a releaser, or drop it in the rocks, or release it too soon, which often causes death is eliminated with a decent net..You can let the fish revive itself, and then let it swim out of the net.
And the connection with nature thing not using a net?...got to wonder about those fly guys sometimes. :)