Collapsible or folding net

[avidangler]

I'm looking for a good quality collapsible or foldable net for handling big fish like musky or pike. I drive a small car and spend 90% of my time fishing from shore so there's a lot of walking through brush and less than favorable conditions. While I've seen some options online I'd like to able take a look at it in person before purchasing to see if it meets my requirements. Does anyone a. have or have used any specific nets they'd recommend and b. know where to get them locally? Any input would be greatly appreciated.

[cndbasshunter]

I'm looking for a good quality collapsible or foldable net for handling big fish like musky or pike. I drive a small car and spend 90% of my time fishing from shore so there's a lot of walking through brush and less than favorable conditions. While I've seen some options online I'd like to able take a look at it in person before purchasing to see if it meets my requirements. Does anyone a. have or have used any specific nets they'd recommend and b. know where to get them locally? Any input would be greatly appreciated.

ego net

[JasonK]

We bought a small collapsible net from Le Baron this spring. We were looking for something small that wouldn't take up a lot of room in the boat. It completely folds down, hoop and all. It's got an extendible handle as well. They had a bunch of different sizes in the store, I would stop in and have a look. We bought the smallest one and I think it was about $23.

[Roblin]

I bought a collapsible net a couple of years ago. The net material was soft and would grab the hooks and not let go. I'd have to cut the hooks out. I gave the net away and went to a solid frame net. It lays flat on the floor and you can walk on it. The net material is rubberized and won't grab hooks. Much better.

[Mike586]

For Musky, the only thing I can possibly suggest is a cradle net.

[JasonK]

We bought a small collapsible net from Le Baron this spring. We were looking for something small that wouldn't take up a lot of room in the boat. It completely folds down, hoop and all. It's got an extendible handle as well. They had a bunch of different sizes in the store, I would stop in and have a look. We bought the smallest one and I think it was about $23.

The brand name of ours is Frabill. We (unfortunately) have yet to scoop up a big fish that is flipping around crazily in it with a few treble hooks hanging out of it's mouth so we may have the same issue as Roblin. The mesh holes are quite tight. The end of the hoop is a stiff rubber/plastic which makes is collapsible. I'm not expecting it to last 10 years, I just really wanted something small. I've attached a few pics with my size 11 shoe for scale.

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20140628_070053.jpg (2.94 MiB) Viewed 3228 times

[Mike586]

Yeah that little net is fine for the little stuff, but it couldn't handle pike or musky. Now a cradle net is pretty much designed with pike or musky in mind and very popular with shore fishermen in Europe because of how easily transportable they are. Its basically a big rectangular net held between two aluminum (usually) tubes with end caps to make them buoyant. Guide the fish into it, grab the two tubes and close the net around it.



They're cheap. That luky strike model in that picture is available locally for less than $50, replacement nets are half that price, and they can be thrown into a plastic tube (electrical or plumbing pipes) with a shoulder strap for transport completely eliminating the worries of snags. I'm sure there are also zippered soft cases that they could be put into.

[jona38]

I'm sure if you have been searching online you've already seen the Stow Masters. I've never seen them, or any decent folding musky net anywhere local. You may just have to order one.
http://stowmaster.norsemenoutdoors.com/shop/muskie-net

[avidangler]

Yeah that little net is fine for the little stuff, but it couldn't handle pike or musky. Now a cradle net is pretty much designed with pike or musky in mind and very popular with shore fishermen in Europe because of how easily transportable they are. Its basically a big rectangular net held between two aluminum (usually) tubes with end caps to make them buoyant. Guide the fish into it, grab the two tubes and close the net around it.

Image

They're cheap. That luky strike model in that picture is available locally for less than $50, replacement nets are half that price, and they can be thrown into a plastic tube (electrical or plumbing pipes) with a shoulder strap for transport completely eliminating the worries of snags. I'm sure there are also zippered soft cases that they could be put into.

I have a cradle for when I'm with someone but it's not much good for when I'm out alone. Trying to hold the cradle and my rod all the while avoiding some large trebles just doesn't seem wise.

I went with a net from Frabill called the Hiber-net. While it isn't "ideal" size wise its by far the most compact and easy to transport I found. The hoop size is 27"-31" and is 32" deep, it also has a 72" handle and probably weighs about 5-10lbs so it's easy to drag through just about anything.


http://frabill.com/landing-nets/hiber-n ... net-1.html