Light Economical Net (under 6 oz.)

[Michael K]

Hi. Does anyone know of a light and "reasonably" priced net?

What I want from the net is the following:

1) Be able to handle a fish up to 20 inches long.
2) Under around 6 oz.
3) Not become a tangled or hooked nightmare each time I land a fish with either hooks or fins stuck in it (rubber is probably too heavy).

The trail light designs Ti net plus is way out of my price range at 174 dollars for what I want to spend on a backpacking net.
http://www.traillitedesigns.com/apps/webstore/products/show/2530005

I'm thinking that there has to be some light small aluminum nets or balsa wood nets out there. Last year, when I started caring more about weight I stopped carrying a net. The issues that I faced is that there is not always an easy place to drag and beach a fish, which seems to be the best method to land a big fish without a net. Also, I don't like doing this because the fish that I'm likely to beach are likely the bigger ones that I release. I only keep a couple small ones from alpine lakes and release the big girls. I don't like the idea of harming these fish by dragging them on an abrasive surface or wearing them out until I can cradle them with my arm once they are exhausted.

[Jay Johnson]

http://www.themeasurenet.com/Measure-Nets.html

I have the small w/rubber bag. It will get you right around 6oz(perhaps .1 or .2 oz over, mine has magnet/leash attached that I didn't want to take off to weigh). One thing I found out after I received it in the mail, is that the measurement part of the net is nylon instead of rubber. It isn't too often that I snag in that area tho, but i mostly fish barbless, even if I'm catching trout to eat, making snags on the nylon not that often. I do wish the bag was complete rubber tho. However it is lighter than any wooden net w/ rubber bag that I held at stores.

$30 dollars for the small w/ rubber bag. Not too bad.

[Mark Ries]

I found a net that used aluminum tubing for a frame has shock cord through the tubing to hook to you and extends and retracts is large enough to land a fish you would need it for and is 5.3 oz perfect until I realized that the braided knotted nylon that the net was made out of would probably do more damage to the fish than landing it into wet rocks not sure but it is something I carried on that trip and its never been used. The rubber nets do seem heavy I'm still looking. My thoughts are some nets might remove a lot of the fishes protective slime making them bad for catch and release. I'm not sure if I read that or made it up in my mind. Not to steal the thread but hopefully input on this is welcome by the OP. What's anybody think on this? Any net solutions?

[Greg Mihalik]

"My thoughts are some nets might remove a lot of the fishes protective slime making them bad for catch and release."

Very true of the TUSA "tamo" nets. Tenkara style fishing lands a fish Very fast and they still have plenty of fight in them. If they thrash around in the net you can see that it gets covered with slime – not good for the fish.

Keeping the net and the fish in the water is a good practice, but sometimes makes it hard to get at the hook.

Barbless hooks make everything easier. Often, with the fish in the net and no tension, the hook will come free on its own. And barbless are Much easier to extract from the net, your clothes, and your finger.

[Adam Klags]

http://www.tenkarabum.com/ti-tenkara-net.html

This is the one to get I'd say. I love mine.

[Tim Drescher]

Attempting to bring this thread back from the dead as I'm in the same situation as the OP. Has anyone found anything comparable to the Trail Lite Ti Net without the big price tag?

Does anyone know how much the Greys GS Scoop Net weighs? I would take a guess of at least 11 oz, but I can't seem to find a spec on any of the offered sizes.

Has anyone bought the full Tenkara USA net from backcountry.com? Still spendy, but does anyone know of an average weight? More curious than anything.

Easy MYOG ideas?

[Josiah]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Aluminum-Landing-Net-Hoop-11-x-15-Handle-7-/390563525194?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5aef66724a

No affiliation, but I did buy one and am impressed with the quality for this price point.

[brian H]

outta curiosity in response 2 this thread [since i dont usually bring it w/ me these days] i weighed my standard sized [opening = 14 x 7] wood-handled, commercially available, inexpensive trout net, w/ the same mesh bag as the ebay one posted
…and it comes in at 6.3 ounces
…like many of the wild trout my son & i land without it lol

i found a coupla pix

[alan genser]

although it's currently not available…

http://dragontailtenkara.com/bamboo-tenkara-net-hand-made/

these guys also don't have it:

http://moonlitflyfishing.com/bamboo-tenkara-net/

it appears to be this guy:

http://trustfishing.gmc.globalmarket.com/products/details/hand-made-bamboo-tenkara-fishing-net-1497256.html

so 50pc minimum order at $25/pc. i sure as heck like the look of it, combined with a great weight/price ratio.

either enough interest to either of the resellers could get it back in stock earlier, or we manage a group buy here?

hmm..that ebay model posted above is just to cheap to care about the extra ounce for now…

[Marc Kokosky]

I recently bought this one:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Cortland-Catch-and-Release-Aluminum-Trout-Net/17163627#Specifications

If it isn't 6oz it's pretty darn close. I'm not home right now and able to weigh it. I think I paid about $6 for it at Walmart.

I like that it is more rectangular in shape too so it fits perfectly in the outer pocket of my GG Gorilla pack

[Marc Kokosky]

Also found this one at Petco. I may grab one. Out West it definitely won't work for most places, but for here in the East, especially in SMNP and Shenanfoah it would work perfect for the small brookies we find. Rarely, if ever are they longer than 10" I can't imagine it weighs more than 3oz or so and for $4 you can't beat the price.

http://www.petco.com/product/125834/Petco-Aquarium-Fish-Net.aspx?CoreCat=OnSiteSearch

[Bob Gross]

Just use a mosquito net head bag. Multiple use.

–B.G.–

[Richard Cullip]

Hmm – I use my hand (wet of course).

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