Rubber Landing Net Options

[cambrowne]

Hi all,

I am on the hunt for a rubber landing net for chinooks. I have seen lots of options for rubberized/PVC coated nylon, or smaller rubber nets for trout, but not much for completely rubber nets that are suitable for chinook.

The best looking one I have seen so far is the GR Series from Gibbs (https://www.gibbsfishing.ca/products/gr-series). Unfortunately, it does not have the best reviews on the Cabela's website.

Are there any other options out there?

This would be for personal use/testing, with the potential for outfitting an entire fleet of boats for the lodge I work for.

Thanks!

Cam

 

[sly_karma]

Rubber nets are generally intended for fish that are to be released. But isn't it better to not net at all, release at side of boat? Less handling, less mortality.

 

[rockdog]

I use this one from Canadian Tire and it has been really good.

General PDP Template

www.canadiantire.ca

 

[acrowe]

I agree, if its easy to pop the hook out its better not to net, but its probably a lot better to carefully net a fish in a rubber net than make multiple attempts to free it when it is hooked in a way that is more difficult to remove. If they are thrashing beside the boat while hooked that may end up making hooking injuries much worse.
I have been able to release a lot of coho this season while jigging, just by giving them a bit of slack line as soon as I see an adipose fin. Probably works for 3/4 of the fish.
I have had a rubber net I originally got for trout fishing and walleye in fresh water. Its a very big trout net. Its absolutely ridiculous for an 80cm Chinook, but I am still using it.

 

[Spring Time in Vienna]

Hi all,

I am on the hunt for a rubber landing net for chinooks. I have seen lots of options for rubberized/PVC coated nylon, or smaller rubber nets for trout, but not much for completely rubber nets that are suitable for chinook.

The best looking one I have seen so far is the GR Series from Gibbs (https://www.gibbsfishing.ca/products/gr-series). Unfortunately, it does not have the best reviews on the Cabela's website.

Are there any other options out there?

This would be for personal use/testing, with the potential for outfitting an entire fleet of boats for the lodge I work for.

Thanks!

Cam

The Gibbs one I have works great, has lasted for quite a few years. One mistake I see people make all the time is they hoist large chinook over the side holding the net horizontally instead of turning it vertical to lift over.

 

[Whole in the Water]

The issue with rubber nets that are large enough for salmon is that they are quite heavy. You can also use a finer mesh net made of softer material to reduce the damage done to a fish. I agree that the best option is to avoid netting the fish altogether if possible when releasing it is in question.

I use this one from Gibbs to reduce the impact of the net on fish:
https://www.gibbsfishing.ca/collections/nets-gaffs/products/replacement-cr-bag

 

[cambrowne]

Rubber nets are generally intended for fish that are to be released. But isn't it better to not net at all, release at side of boat? Less handling, less mortality.

I think it is a bit of a debate.

You either net the fish quickly, keeping the fight as short as possible or you fight the fish longer so that you can hand line it in and pop the hook off with a gaff or pliers. Both have their pros and cons. With that being said, in everything I read about trout and steelhead fisheries, a rubber net is best. Are salmon any different?

Hopefully, the UBC Catch and Release study will shed some more light on which one is the preferred method.

The issue gets a little trickier when a client catches a tyee, wants to measure it and maybe take a quick photo (who wouldn't???). We are not in the business of bonking tyees, and we discourage it as much as possible. So we are looking at ways to handle the fish as safely as possible.

 

[Aquaholic]

Rubber nets are generally intended for fish that are to be released. But isn't it better to not net at all, release at side of boat? Less handling, less mortality.

If the hook is an easy to remove location, agreed, but that is not always the case. Having a rubber style net that you can release with does have its uses.

Doesn’t Scotty sell one?

 

[Tips Up]

As noted the rubber nets are very heavy and have a lot of drag in the water. I went with soft knotless net. Release the majority beside the boat with gaff but sometimes have to net a fish with the current slot limit regs. Hard to measure a 79-80cm fish in the water. I gently lift and lay the fish on top of a flat ruler on the floor of boat for quick measurement if required.

 

[sly_karma]

Rubber nets I've seen have a reasonable hoop size but are quite shallow. Ok for trout, would need some delicate skills for salmon.