Reddit mentions: The best fishing nets

I agree with NuclearFishing, an anchor trolley is the way to go to keep a reasonable position in wind or current. Remember there are a few ways to attach to the anchor trolley. You can use a traditional anchor, a stake out pole, or a bush anchor/gripper. I know you said you were already full on gear so the choice is yours on what to bring with.

As far as "landing" any fish have you considered a collapsible fishing net? I got myself one of the Frabrill folding nets. It is incredibly lightweight but in the heat of the moment I wish it was more one-hand friendly. I do a lot of shore fishing and carry mine closed and on my belt. I pan fish a lot so every once in a while I'll hook something too big and will need the help of a net and having one I can deploy somewhat quickly is helpful. Also the very small mesh netting sometimes snags my barbs and that really grinds my gears. If your considering a collapsible net, check out video reviews to see how they are opened to which are more one hand friendly. Also the fish grips are not a bad idea either.

Great idea for a thread!

Outside of some tying gear, I just put one of these on the list.

I have a few little gadgets that I really like but wouldn't necessarily buy straight out for myself, but made great Father's Day gifts, like the Smith Creek Net Holster and the Smith Creek Rod Holder.

Also can't go wrong upgrading someone's maybe older style net to a rubber based net pretty affordably.

The shy ones are v skittish and will flee at the first sign of danger.

1. Lower your visibility. You need proximity to land your prize but you can lower your profile by building a wall of books/binders/etc
   
2. Attract via smell. A small plate of freshly cooked chicken nuggets and a small fan work wonders. Note: Make sure not to place yourself between fan and target or he may catch your scent and bolt.
   
3. Attempt mating calls. Different species are attracted to different things. Start with playing anime theme songs and work your way towards memeified things like Africa. WARNING: Keep volume low or they'll be startled!
   
4. Make the catch. I suggest this.
   
   Good luck!

Redington Crosswater combo ($132 with Prime)

If he likes smallmouth and catches them in his favorite creeks then get the 6wt. If he prefers trout then get the 9' 5wt option. This rod in a 6wt will also work for pond/lake fishing for bass. If he went to a bigger river then he would do fine with it as well, whether wading or in a boat.

He will also need a leader and some tippet. For $8.61 you can get him an individual leader, or for $16 you can get him the three pack. For tippet, if you get him the 8 pound leader then you should get him the 8 pound tippet for $7.57.

For leader longevity he will want tippet rings for $11.72. This will allow him to use his leaders for much longer rather than needing to re-buy leaders sooner. I know we're outside of your budget at this point past the leader, but if you can swing it then all of these things will provide what he needs outside of flies. Maybe someone else is getting him presents and could supplement the rest. Sometimes fly rod combos will come with leaders, but I didn't see it mentioned on the Crosswater combo. You'll notice I tailored it more to bass. If you find out he's more of a trout guy, then read on.

For $10.78 you can get a 3-pack of 9' 4x leaders. He can fish small streamers and nymphs with these, but would want a thinner leader for dry flies. For creeks he will probably fish small streamers and nymphs most of the time anyways, so this is a good choice (in my opinion). You'll still want the tippet rings listed above to make the leader purchase last a long time. For tippet, a spool of 4x tippet material for $11.43. The tippet prices seem high to me so you might want to dig around some more for options.

Other doodads to consider would be nippers and a zinger, hemostats, and a net. Teeth are a substitute for nippers, but biting through fishing line does wear your teeth. Hemostats aren't as necessary if he pinches the barbs on his hooks. You can get away with not using a net, but it is easier on the fish and the fisherman to use one.

Hopefully this helps and points you in the right direction. If you have questions just send me a message.

I have a small folding net that I take with when I travel. Its something like this one or this one . They fold down super small and can hold pretty large trout. Also, they are super cheap.

Off the top of my head, a good multitool like a Leatherman.

A scale with measuring tape. For making sure you are within a size limit or for bragging rights.

Bogagrip like grabber or Fish Gripper for handling fish.

Hemostat for extracting a deep hook.

A good hat, UV rated shirt, sunblock and mosquito/tick repellent. Maybe a backpack with water reservoir a la CamelBak. I also keep a small first aid kit and a hook removal kit just in case.

Dry bag if you are going to be on a boat or kayak. No one likes a water damaged phone.

Edit:

A folding net. Nothing is worse than having a good fish and losing because it too big to drag it up on the bank. I lost a good sized trout last week because I didn't have a net handy.

Great job. What plastics were y'all using?

In regards to your bent net, might I suggest a stowmaster net. I got one about 5 years ago and have had zero issues. It's a little pricy up front but we were having to replace a cheap net from Academy every year so I think it's been a good deal. We fish corpus and baffin and the kayak size is perfect

Surprised no one suggested a net. Not sure what species you're targeting, but it it's trout you should really scoop up a rubber/rubberized net. This net is crazy durable and way better than other nets in the same price range.

If you're targeting bass/saltwater fish, you're probably fine without one. Trout are giant babies compared to most other fish, and can die if you handle them wrong. I'd skim an article about trout handling too, if you know the main do's and don'ts you should be fine.

Polarized shades are nice to have too, they help you see your fly on the water and fish in the river if the water's clear. You could grab some cheap ones at wally world, but I think dropping $50 on a pair of sunclouds is worth it. Go for copper/brown lenses, they're the most versatile. Even if you don't stick with fly fishing, they're nice to have.

Amazon has a variety of nets to choose from. I would wait for the net to come before getting started. I had used the measurements on the description page for the circumference of the net and it was 2 inches off. Luckily the net has a little stretch to it. I had referenced this guide for a lot of the process. I did not have a steam box so what I did was just ran the thin strips for the hoops in a hot shower for about 5 minutes making sure they were thoroughly soaked before bending them. I personally didn't use a form for this but it shows, clamping directly to the soaked wood left deep imprints. Hope that helps. Can't wait to see what you come up with! If you have any specific questions during the process just ask!

Most C&R trout situations are improved with landing nexts. It’s hard to get a fish in hand with a long rod and long leader/tippet. Even with barbless, you may have to handle the fish to get the hook out. With a net, it’s easier to keep them in the water and reduces the amount they fight. Plus it’s easy to snap a quick pic in the net if you want to. Here’s a cheap rubber one (key to protecting the fish) I use. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HRLL3PA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_HIi7Ab7SSAYJH

They have nets with 5 ft plus reach. And they are much thinner than the xbox. You could try to grab it using the net and then pull it closer to the edge so you can use your hands to feed it thru.

These fishing nets have a very sturdy metal pole and a large oval made of metal. Great for pushing and moving stuff to clear it of the other garbage.

Something like this is perfect.
https://www.amazon.com/PLUSINNO-Foldable-Collapsible-Telescopic-Releasing/dp/B07221SH3B?ref_=Oct_CABSellerC_3409171_0&pf_rd_p=327c00f2-f68c-5151-b458-83f11560d32c&pf_rd_s=mobile-hybrid-5&pf_rd_t=30901&pf_rd_i=3409171&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=K1AW7KZTFYQFRYA9Z686&pf_rd_r=K1AW7KZTFYQFRYA9Z686&pf_rd_p=327c00f2-f68c-5151-b458-83f11560d32c

I thought of an accessory that is worth mentioning in this thread, the Handi Seine. It's an ultra fine mesh seine sock that fits over a standard trout net to catch bugs when you turn over rocks in the water. It can really help figure out what the local nymphs and critters are and how small they are. Amazon lists it at $14.89, but I got this one at the VA fly fest for half that. You could make one out of women's nylon stockings. (Do those even still exist?) Bonus feature, when not catching bugs you can stash a few brewskis in it and anchor it with a rock to let the river keep your brews cold so you don't have to carry them while you wade.

I sacrifice a rod holder and purchased an extendable flinging net from amazon. Works great for bass and not super expensive. PLUSINNO Fishing Net Fish Landing Net, Foldable Collapsible Telescopic Pole Handle, Durable Nylon Material Mesh, Safe Fish Catching or Releasing (12"/31cm Hoop Size (Fixed Pole)) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071XMJJ93/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_K8y4CbE98170C

Happy birthday!

I'd get a fishy net

I'm currently using a Frabill 3673 Rubber Handle Trout Net with the elastic cord cut off. I have an Orvis Gear Keeper retractor, and it is attached to the rim of the net, in between the net fabric and the handle with a small yellow piece of zing-it (leftover from creating some dummy cord for another project).

The net itself is very light, easy to handle in the water, especially when there's current, and the wide opening makes landing fish of any size a breeze. One downside is that i can no longer use my net as a seine using a Quick Seine Net attached onto my net handle. Also, it's large size makes an awkward and clumsy hike in when the fishing access is of any distance from the parking area.

I like the retractor, but find that it's kind of long, so when worn on a vest, it hangs lower than i'd like. Same when worn on my waist as part of my current setup, which is a Fishpond Thunderhead Lumbar pack. I clip the retractor to the orange grab handle and let it hang behind me.

I've considered using a magnet to help wrangle the net closer to my hip when fishing, but haven't found a comfortable way to do that just yet. I'm also going to try using the thunderhead's fishing net handle sleeve to see if that makes any difference with comfort and clumsiness on my next fishing excursion.

Handy Pak Net - Plastic Handle Vinyl Pouch (HPJN-30 Deep Knotted Netting) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0083DGL72/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_JCzDyb9HJY3PY

This is the one that I bought. It's held up well, I've only had it a few months though. They have one with a wooden handle that's a bit more expensive, I like the plastic though.

I just ordered this one. I had the shorter handle version but I laid it down somewhere on the river and it was gone. You don't need a hundred + net. Those are for the people who think gear makes them a better fisherman.

35" Fly Fishing Fish-Safe Net by Trademark Innovations (Burl Wood) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0163H4Y5U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_JB5SybDJ2FQYK

Well, it is a minnow seine and that is what it looks like they caught.

Ok I'll look into it. I have this one but I don't really like the shape of the actual rubber netting.

Edit: Do you know which phantom model it is? It looks like there are several different versions of it.

Would something like this work? The other ones on Amazon were $50-100. That one doesn’t show a weight limit though.

Here's one I got from Amazon. I've had it for 2 years and haven't had an issue. I've never tried a more expensive net, so I couldn't tell you what makes them better.

2 ring net with a buoy along with just good ole chicken on a string.