Three Types of Fishing Nets to Buy

15 May 2020
 Categories: , Blog

Share

The right fishing lure can be instrumental in catching fish, but unless you have the right net, you might struggle to get the fish into your hands. If you're shopping for some fishing equipment as a new angler, make sure that you evaluate the different nets that your local outdoors store has available. You might be surprised to know that there are several different types of nets, and that each one has a specific use. While you don't necessarily need to take all three of the following nets on each fishing outing, having access to them before you pack will be important.

Landing Net

A landing net is a standard fishing net that helps you land what you've caught. In other words, it helps you to control the fish as you pull it out of the water and into your boat or onto the shore. There are all sorts of landing nets, including those that are made with rubber netting and rope netting. Different landing nets have different sizes of openings, and you'll find some with long handles and short handles. There are specific reasons to buy each style of landing net, but you can't go wrong with one that has a medium-length handle.

Cradle Net

If you're looking to catch large fish, a landing net can work. However, some fish are larger than you can comfortably hold in a landing net, which means that you'll want a cradle net. This type of net typically consists of a pair of wooden frame pieces with a large section of net stretched between them. In a sense, a cradle net looks a little like a hammock. This net is designed to allow you to position it below the fish while the fish is horizontal and cradle the fish as you bring it up to the boat. Landing nets can also be effective for not causing harm to the fish.

Minnow Net

If you plan to use minnows as bait, you'll want a minnow net. Small and inexpensive, these nets have a long handle and are designed to allow you to retrieve individual minnows from your bait bucket. It can be difficult to grab a minnow with your bare hands, and potentially unpleasant if the water is cold. A minnow net makes this process quicker and easier. If you're looking to catch your own minnows to use as bait, you can also use the minnow net for this purpose.