Fish net or gloves for kayak fishing

[Chubs]

I'm looking for a good fishing net recommendation for kayak fishing reds/ specs. I've got a net I bought from bass pro but it's handle is way too long, and the net way too deep for me to use effectively on the kayak or stow.

I've got my boga grips but I find it hard to get the fish under control to lip them without grabbing the line. Last trip I grabbed the line and cut my finger pretty good when the red thrashed around.

I either need a good net or a good pair of gloves so I can safely grip the line then use my bogas. What do you guys use?

[imaoldmanyoungsalt]

I bought one at BP too. Its a pretty nice rubber net and was on sale for $10. The handle is too long tho so I plan to cut it off shorter and just put the plastic cap back on it. It is kind of deep tho but as far as being too deep I haven't used it yet so not sure. You may be able to roll the net back around the frame and zip tie it in several places to shorten it?

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[Chubs]

Hmm, I suppose that could work and it would be free more or less. Sounds like we probably have the same net.

Though the net seems good for surf fishing which I also do from time to time. Hesitant to cut it just yet

[imaoldmanyoungsalt]

I actually bought 2 so I'll cut 1 and leave the other long for using in my boat

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[TroutSupport.com]

I think thats a good idea and good solution. Nice work.

[imaoldmanyoungsalt]

So I decided to go out n tinker with mine a little to see how well the rolling it up idea would work and it actually works really well. The rubber net clings to itself well enough I'm not sure you even have to zip tie it. Maybe just reroll every now and then. I put a 10lb mushroom anchor in it and it holds without zip ties. Of course a flopping, thrashing fish is a little different than a motionless anchor. If you wanted to avoid having to ever reroll you could probably just use a few ties and still be able to cut them off later if you ever wanted deepen the net again

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[kickingback]

I have a folding net from Frabill and works well for me. The biggest issue I found is handling without gloves. I bought these to use on the water mainly for offshore BTB but they work so well I use them inshore all the time as well. These will keep your hands dry well unless you put the entire glove under water. You can ring it out easily by just clinching your fist and any remaining water in gloves will evaporate.
You can buy these gloves with less rubber on back of hand to make it more comfortable. I like the palm coated only gloves as well when it is really hot out. They protect your hands from the sun rays as well.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00746O6QW/?c ... _lig_dp_it

[Chubs]

Thanks for the idea Old man, I'll have to give it a shot tonight too.

KB - The folding Frabill net looks like a good alternative and the price fit's the bill.
So here's a question I have with that style of glove - what do you do when you need to retie? I assume take off the glove?
I like fingerless because I can just go straight to retying if I need to - but granted I don't re-tie too often. Also I really only need the tips of my pointer, thumb, and middle finger exposed. I generally run my lure straight to the leader though without swivel / snap so do have to retie a bit if I find I need to change weights.
However, fingerless gives me that nice cut when I grab the line of course. And a good tip of the fingers sunburn too

-edit- which did you get that don't have the back of hand coated?
I saw these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P4PJOVM/re ... B017DJJLG4

Is that the same ones you got? How do they hold up to the salt? Also, I can't remember but do you use a paddle most of the time or are you peddle powered? I use the paddle so durability is important for me too.

[imaoldmanyoungsalt]

Nothing like TKF to get a man off his butt n doing something. Thanks for the inspiration Chubs! Here's the finished product (Unless I decide to shorten again after trial run of course)

I decided to stitch it around the frame with paracord after a few zip ties to hold in place. I was afraid the zipties alone might cause stress points where the net might tend to tear

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[imaoldmanyoungsalt]

I also bought these neoprene gloves from academy for $6. They work really well in colder weather but haven't used em yet in warm weather. They may be to thick for that. They have the slits in the index finger n thumb to exposed finger/thumb tips for tying. Ive been pleased with them so far. We'll see how they do in warmer weather.

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[kickingback]

Thanks for the idea Old man, I'll have to give it a shot tonight too.

KB - The folding Frabill net looks like a good alternative and the price fit's the bill.
So here's a question I have with that style of glove - what do you do when you need to retie? I assume take off the glove?
I like fingerless because I can just go straight to retying if I need to - but granted I don't re-tie too often. Also I really only need the tips of my pointer, thumb, and middle finger exposed. I generally run my lure straight to the leader though without swivel / snap so do have to retie a bit if I find I need to change weights.
However, fingerless gives me that nice cut when I grab the line of course. And a good tip of the fingers sunburn too

-edit- which did you get that don't have the back of hand coated?
I saw these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P4PJOVM/re ... B017DJJLG4

Is that the same ones you got? How do they hold up to the salt? Also, I can't remember but do you use a paddle most of the time or are you peddle powered? I use the paddle so durability is important for me too.

I originally bought those you posted above as they were cheaper and I wanted to try them out. Once I got them and started to use them I noticed that Glen Madden (Prof Salt) was using the same for offshore fishing in his videos. I asked him if they were the same gloves and he replied yes and that he loves them too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucrH8g1N7h8
I used them and the full backs all the time. They are my go to gloves for all fishing, fresh and salt. They can get smelly after a night of fishing but leaving them out to dry in my garage usually the smell goes away with the drying.
The full backs were more expensive but since I liked the cheaper ones I bought these and they are what I use almost exclusively. I can keep my hands dry most of the time I am out with the full rubber backing but like I said, they can get hot in the summer if it is hot out so the open backs give me more air to keep them comfortable.
Check out Prof Salts videos and see them in action.
I used to buy the Gorilla Gloves from Home Depot but found the rubber comes off after a few trips out. They are cheap but don't last.
As for re-tying, I always pre-rig a bunch of tandem rigs or single rigs all with 1'-2' mono leaders and I use barrel swivel clasp's that I simply open and put the new rig on to fish. If I break off at the swivel clasp (30 lb braid usually does not give before the mono) then I simply take one glove off and re-tie and I am back to fishing. I hate rigging on the water so I minimize my time with smarter tackle and rigs.

[Ryanh1801]

I find a net is more trouble than its worth. I either use fish grips or just grab it with my hands. Although I have admittedly lost a few good fish doing this, but I just hate nets on a kayak.

[imaoldmanyoungsalt]

Well I have to admit I'm really not a net guy either. The one in the pics is actually for my son. He likes a net in the kayak and the boat. I usually use thumb in the mouth for freshwater fish and boga for saltwater fish. I've caught enough fish in my life, both big and small, that I don't mind losing one every now and then. I enjoy the chase and the fight more than actually landing it and I seldom remember to take pics anyway unless someone is fishing with me and they suggest taking one.

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[TexasJim]

In my limited experience, when you lift a fish out of the water, they go ballistic, and will try everything they can to spit the hook. Frequently with success. Given a choice of gloves or a landing net, I will take the net over gloves. I carry a pair of the long hook-removal pliers, so I can remove hooks from netted fish, or hardheads, or ladyfish, or puffer fish, without touching or holding them. I can de-hook hardheads and ladyfish without allowing them in my kayak, which, I found out the hard way, is a sure-fire way to get ladyfish poop or hardhead fins where I don't want them. That's my choice.
TexasJim

[Chubs]

Nothing like TKF to get a man off his butt n doing something. Thanks for the inspiration Chubs! Here's the finished product (Unless I decide to shorten again after trial run of course)

I decided to stitch it around the frame with paracord after a few zip ties to hold in place. I was afraid the zipties alone might cause stress points where the net might tend to tear

-snip-

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Thanks for all the info.

I think I'll try to do what you did. I think I'd try to go about half the length you did too though, probably to whatever can just get me to the side of the yak from center

[imaoldmanyoungsalt]

Yeah I may still shorten mine. Just didnt want it too short cause you can't make longer but can alway make it shorter

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[TexasJim]

Oldman: As my old race-car builder friend used to say: "It's easier to add it off than on!" Cut long, grind to fit. TexasJim

[imaoldmanyoungsalt]

Tex
Cut long, grind to fit.....Lol reminds me of how I weld.

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[Yaklash]

I am not much of a hand grabber when it comes to fish over about 20", especially reds, but that is another option. Once you've got a fish by the shoulders (not grabbing the line), you can then get the Boga on it. The other option is wearing the fish down so far that you have trouble reviving them, should you choose to release them. The kayak adds to the issue for me. I have a much easier time fighting and landing fish when I am wading away from a boat or other people.

I carry a net. I have a couple. Both have short handles. One is deeper than the other, so I pretty much use the shallower of the two. I can’t recall the brand or where I got it, but it has the rubberized netting, is a floating net and is blue. Everlast also makes a good floating net with a short handle, but it is pretty deep. You could just let the net float in the water while you're fishing and store it when you are on the move???

A deep net has never bothered me on a kayak though and has come in handy when netting bigger fish.

[Chubs]

Appreciate the tips and I agree. I find it hard to land them while sitting down in the kayak for sure, mainly because you don't have your feet firmly planted on the ground and are shifting with the fish. Plus it's just sort of awkward to begin with when you don't have as much of a height advantage either.

And I prefer to handle them as little as possible if I need to release them since I hear it can hurt their slime coating. Plus I'm afraid they'll poke me with their spines Though I'll grab hardheads/ gaftops to get them free while avoiding those spines.

Also even though it's fun, fighting them to the point of their own exhaustion can lower their chances of survival if released, so prefer not take that approach. I hear if you keep them after fighting them to exhaustion it increases something like lactic acid or some such in their flesh and either spoils the meat or something too.

[troutslinger]

I use my wading net because most of the time I'm getting off the yak and wading.