8. Netting Fish Made Simple (8 of 15)
It’s your biggest steelhead yet on the line and to say your revved up is a serious understatement. All the things that could wrong are pouring through your head. What should you do now? Answer, listen to the one with net.
The net person is an important part of this partnership and if you let them lead your chances will go up exponentially. Communication is vital and rests on a few key points:
1. Keep your rod low and lead to the bank. This will encourage the fish to stay in the water and decrease the chance the fish breaks the surface, freaks out and spits the hook. 2. Shorten your line. Get the sink tip knot at very minimum in the tiptop. I actually prefer even the leader knot in during the scoop. Imagine leading a dog on a 30 foot leash. Impossible. Now imagine on a 3 foot leash. Full control. 3. Lead a fish into the net head first. The net person should you where they want it and you should drive your catch into the front of the net. Anything other that head first means the fish can just swim away from the scoop. 4. While the fish is resting in the net remove the hook and release. With a good catch and release bag you don’t even need to touch em.
Remember ultimately nets should make everything easier. Easier to land them. Easier to do it quickly. Easier on the fish. Easier on you.
The net person is an important part of this partnership and if you let them lead your chances will go up exponentially. Communication is vital and rests on a few key points:
1. Keep your rod low and lead to the bank. This will encourage the fish to stay in the water and decrease the chance the fish breaks the surface, freaks out and spits the hook. 2. Shorten your line. Get the sink tip knot at very minimum in the tiptop. I actually prefer even the leader knot in during the scoop. Imagine leading a dog on a 30 foot leash. Impossible. Now imagine on a 3 foot leash. Full control. 3. Lead a fish into the net head first. The net person should you where they want it and you should drive your catch into the front of the net. Anything other that head first means the fish can just swim away from the scoop. 4. While the fish is resting in the net remove the hook and release. With a good catch and release bag you don’t even need to touch em.
Remember ultimately nets should make everything easier. Easier to land them. Easier to do it quickly. Easier on the fish. Easier on you.