Netting the Big Fish, best approach?

[Gus Orviston]

Okay, so I fished with BOE and was hoping get a Salmon netting lesson :grin: , but that didn't happen. :whazzup: sorry roy.

Sooooo, I wanted to know what you all thought the doe(s) and don't(s) are of netting from a boat. While trout fishing I lead the fish and when/if they burst the end up on the net. Chinook tend to be head shy when they see the boat, or a net they about face....so do you come from behind or lead the big guy?

seemed like a slow day, and I plan on using a new technique tomorrow at 7:43 A.M. :wink: and then again at 8:30 :grin:

dennis
aka. flatlander

[Hogmaster]

#1 Rule: ALWAYS "HEAD IN"
May sound easier than it is, but it is a fact that salmon do not have a reverse gear. If you try to "sneak around" them they invariably see the net coming and can swim forward faster than you can swing the net.

I have caught several on my own (BTW, anyone who fishes by themselves - do yourself a big favor and put the net together BEFORE you hook up! :smile: - and the best way to work a fish is to not try to net him too early. Horsing a fish will lose many more than letting them tire and "belly up". Then they can be led, head in, to the net.

I try to look for the fin, and if I see one I may hasten the process to not unecessarily stress the fish. But if it is obviously clipped, hang on, have fun and bring him in when he/she is ready. Even if you have a few come unbuttoned (sharp hooks and tight lines prevent this), the fight if a big part of why we do this, right?!

Good luck!

:cheers:

[NEUTRON]

If ya want to practice netting skils, don't go
with BOE. From what I've seen on the board, those skills aren't needed around his fishing vessel. Better hook up with Fishbait or the Giz. :wink:

[Artwo]

I agree with Hogmaster, always head first. Since I do most of my fishing in smaller rivers with current I have found that if I net them with their head facing downstream (especially if your by youeself) you can use the current to help slip the fish into the net. Don't use a stabbing motion with the net, make it a nice easy scooping motion. After the fish is in the net I lift the handle striaght up into the air thus closing the net around the fish. Them I hold it against the edge of the boat for just a minute until things settle down some.

JK

[Hogmaster]

Good point JK! I see so many people, once they get a fish in the net, leaving the net parallel to the water. It is much better and easier to lift the fish into the boat to instead, once the net is around the fish, turn the handle straight up. The fish stays in the bottom and cannot get out and instead of risking bending or breaking the handle or your back, you can just left it in close to the boat with alot less strain...

[Lured In]

One other tip...I make a habit out of grabbing the rim of the net when removing the net/fish from the water. I have seen net handles break and poorly connected buttons result in lost fish due to net failure. Once the fish is in the net and the above "vertical" handle position achieved, reach down and grab the rim next to the handle. This is especially important with large nookies. :grin:

[Gus Orviston]

Thanks, I was using the head in approach, and grabbing the net rim is great idea to get control and remove the chance of a handle breaking/failing. Also going straight up is a good tip too.

Now here I come fishy fishy fishy...

Roy, you do tell good stories though!!! :tongue: