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By Stan Fagerstrom
Part 2
In my last column I detailed some of the mistakes anglers sometimes make with a landing net. I talked mostly about bass fishing.
Proper use of a net becomes even more important when you're dealing with strong fish like salmon or steelhead. One little mistake with the net and you can kiss those silvery battlers good-bye.
I recall what a guide told me once while we were fishing for spring chinook on the Columbia River. "You almost always get one shot with your landing net fairly soon when you're fighting a chinook," he said, "make it count. If you don't, once that fish feels or sees the net it's going to take you forever to get it back up again."
What that guide said is true. Check it out yourself next time you hook a salmon. Chances are the fish will come to the boat reasonably soon---the first time. You may or may not have opportunity to get your net under it when it does. But don't try to net it unless you're certain you can.
There are a couple of other things to always remember when a net is used. Number one is don't net the fish tail first. Do that with the big, strong species and they'll swim right out in a heartbeat. The first instinct of a fish is to get down and away. Deep water is their escape route. Net them head first and they are likely to bore down into the net trying to escape. That, of course, is right where you want them.
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| This steelhead is right where those anglers want it---safely in their landing net. |
For most species by far the best procedure is to cool it until the fish is within easy reach. At that point, and not a second before, place the net down into the water. Lead the fish over the net. Once it's in position, bring the net up. The fish will be yours.
It's also wise to check the condition of the mesh of your net every now and then. I neglected to do that once years ago. The result was having a beautiful sea run cutthroat swim right through my landing net. It managed to break my 3-pound tippet in the process.
When I examined the net I discovered the mesh was so rotten I could easily tear it with my fingers. The cutthroat had punched a hole in the mesh and swam out through it. My carelessness cost me one of the best sea runs I’ve ever hooked on the long rod.
One final thought. Use common sense when you purchase your landing net. I've seen bass fishermen trying to scoop up largemouth with a trout net. That's another invitation to disaster.
Small nets work fine for hatchery trout or most species of panfish. They aren't worth a toot for larger bass or the migratory species like salmon, steelhead or sea run cutthroat. If you're in doubt, purchase a net larger than you think you'll need.
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You darn well better know how to handle your landing net when you tangle with a beauty like this.
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That larger net may not be convenient to handle or store. But oh how comforting it is to have when the fish of a lifetime comes along. Provided, that is, you stay cool and use the darn thing the way you should.
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