Whether you’re fishing bass tournaments or targeting toothy critters, every angler needs a good landing net. I went the budget route for many years; I’d buy those cheap ones that felt like basketball nets and I’d always spend more time untangling my treble hooks than fishing. I finally got frustrated and started leaving it at the house whenever I went fishing. Of course, as luck would have it, I had some fish pull off at the boat in tournament situations.
So I decided to try my luck with the high-end nets.
I’ve been using the Ego S1 Genesis Kryptek Net so far this year and I’ve really liked it. It solves some pretty common problems and in the next few slides, I’ll take you through my thoughts on each.
Compact storage
Storage should be a big consideration when choosing a fishing net. Even in my 21-foot bass boat, one-piece nets take up a bunch of room and there’s really no convenient place to store them. I can strap ’em down on my front deck, but then I’m limiting the number of rods I can have on my deck.
This net, however, breaks down easily into two pieces. The handle screws right into the hoop in just a few seconds and cross-threading has not been an issue thus far.
It’s a nice feeling knowing I can stuff my net into one of my rod lockers and keep it there at all times. I’ve kicked myself dozens of times for accidentally leaving my net at home on tournament day, but that’s not an issue with this net. It stays in my boat, so there’s no excuse to not have it whenever it’s needed.
Plays nice with hooks
Like I mentioned earlier, treble hooks are usually a net’s worst nightmare. I’ve spent hours trying to repair nets from rips and tears caused by hook points. Things can get pretty hectic in a boat when you’re trying to unhook a bass, put it in your livewell and cull – all while having your treble hooks snarled in your net.
This net material is a rubber mesh, so you’ll never have any issues. I’ve netted a lot of bass with it and have not had a single tangle or rip. I can pull the bass right out of the net, unhook it and get back to fishing in a matter of seconds.
Lightweight
If you’ve used a heavy net, you know how cumbersome they can be. If you stick ’em any more than a foot into the water, pulling ’em up quickly can be tricky. As soon as that fish hits the bottom of the net, every second you leave it in the water is an opportunity for it to escape.
Depending on the model you choose, these nets weigh anywhere from 1.3 pounds to 1.65 pounds. They’re simple to operate with one hand if you’re fishing solo and very easy to remove from the water quickly and smoothly.
Just because it’s lightweight, however, doesn’t mean it’s flimsy. You can beat it up and toss it around the boat without any bending, warping or loss of structural integrity.
Available at Tackle Warehouse
If you’re sick of the nets from the bargain bin, I think you’ll be quite impressed with this one. It’s not the cheapest option out there, but neither is losing a big bass in a tournament.
The Ego S1 Genesis Kryptek Net is available at TackleWarehouse.com.
It floats
This was probably my biggest hang-up in regards to purchasing a high-end net. I’m a really frugal guy, so I never wanted to spend a bunch of money on a net and risk dropping it overboard. This net, however, solves that problem at puts my mind at ease.
Whether it skips off your front deck while running across the lake or you simply lose your grip, the Ego S1 Genesis Kryptek Net stays on top of the water to make it easily retrievable. The Kryptek camo pattern is also a bright blue color, so it’s very visible when it’s dropped overboard. I can see its flotation properties being quite attractive to kayak anglers, as well.
