Best net for pike

[hunted]

My 5 yo son and I had a legendary day fishing on Sunday. We caught 12 small pike and 25 walleye. It was awesome. Then the main reason I went out that day happened. With a 1/2 hour left my tactic of deep trolling a big plug paid off. Hooked what would have been my personal best pike. I would easily say 15+ lbs. got him to the boat and was in awe. Thought no way am I putting that big plug with trebles in my cheap net would be to hard on the fish when them trebles get tangled. So was going to grab him by the back of the head and un tangle the wrapped leader, line and plug. Went to grab it and his head was big and the hook was right there. So kind of stepped back to assess. Then snap line broke and he was gone. Boy was I mad at my self.

So what is the best net to buy for big pike? It will probably be another 20 years before I get a good one again but I want to be ready.

[BeeGuy]

big and rubberized

[Graffy91]

big and rubberized

Can't even say this enough...

Nothing better than the rubber nets... Especially for jack, those blue nets just tangled and did nothing but damage to fish.

[FishingFrenzy]

http://www.thefishinhole.com/index.cfm?action=product&se=27182 something like this would be good. Can't really visualize how big this is but just head to a store and find something that looks big enough for a fish the same size as the one you caught.

[pelada trochu]

Congrats on a great day. I hate when that happens. If its boat side its caught. Just no pic. Makes u spend hours what did i do wrong. Etc etc.

Dont force a big pike. At the end of the fight check the fight letf by giving a little slack to see if she runs again. Then u can go in with a net without it thrashing too much. I agree on the rubber net. You have to have a little give. So the rubber really prevents tearing her up. I usually end up grabbing by hand so i try to be careful. Hence the playing her a little more. But that is going to get me pretty bad some day. So get a nice net.

[hunted]

Thanks guys. Anyone try one of these?
http://www.thefishinhole.com/index.cfm?action=product&se=26160

Seems like a great idea to fold up for less space.

[RavYak]

I have never used one of those pure rubber nets, when I was looking for one I didn't like them because they are so heavy and seem like they would be awkward(I fish alone a lot so wanted a lighter net easier to handle with one arm). I bought one of these style nets (http://ca.wholesalesports.com/storefront/fishing-accessories/fishing-nets/basket-net/prod263145.html) (48" handle model) from a Canadian Tire in Saskatchewan for $50(can't seem to find it on their website though so might have just been luck on my part). I really like it, it is nice and light,easy to handle and the double rubber coating makes it so that the hooks can't get caught in the underlying net material. I have now used it on 20+ pike without a single hook or pike teeth getting caught up in it. This net is the best I have ever used and worth the extra money imo especially if you can find it in a Canadian Tire or some place like I did.

[Kokanee9]

I had a new one last year that I thought was going to do the trick. It had an extendable handle and was around the $70 range. It worked fine for a while and then when a large one like yours was caught, it folded the handle in half when buddy tried to lift it out of the water. I don't remember the brand, but I had mistakenly thought it would have been sufficient for any fish at the side of the boat. I replaced it with this one:

http://www.thefishinhole.com/index.cfm?action=product&se=26071

Instead of having a handle that extends itself, this one has a fiberglass handle that moves into the net area to make it smaller. I haven't had any problems yet.

Canadian tire also carries them, but I can't find it on their site.

[Wes_G]

For big pike... rubber nets are terrible. Sometimes you need to be quick with a net job and rubber nets have way to much resistance in the water. Try to pull a rubber net through the water and you will know exacly what I mean. Not to mention that they are incredibly heavy and you need one that has a big enough hoop and a deep enough net to actually be able to fit a big fish in it.

I was watching Musky Hunter one time and they mentioned something about how musky and pike start thrashing when there bodies are bent in a net, but if the net is big enough and there bodies stay straight, they are alot calmer when netted.

If you want a dedicated net for big fish I would look at a cradle. Granted with these the fish need to be pretty played out before you will be able to get them in but the idea is sound. Or else just look at something thats big, like 30" hoop and 30" at least. The netting is not nearly as gentle on the fish though.

As for lifting a fish and folding a net in half.... thats just not knowing what you're doing!

[WayneChristie]

when you lift a big fish in a net lift by the hoop, not the handle, and lift with the handle pointed straight up in the air so the handle doesnt take any of the weight.

[fishpro]

Check out some of the large nets with rubberized mesh, they're a lot lighter than the rubber nets. They also come in some large sizes, Bass Pro has a good selection.

[AndrewM]

http://www.thefishinhole.com/index.cfm?action=product&se=26071

Instead of having a handle that extends itself, this one has a fiberglass handle that moves into the net area to make it smaller. I haven't had any problems yet.

Canadian tire also carries them, but I can't find it on their site.

x2 This one works very well for me.

[Stugeogarcia]

Especially with Pike. You want a Boga grip. Don't cheap out a buy a knock off Rapala, or other. Big tip....make sure your wrist is in the lanyard before use.

[chriscosta]

Especially with Pike. You want a Boga grip. Don't cheap out a buy a knock off Rapala, or other. Big tip....make sure your wrist is in the lanyard before use.

X2i never leave home without it had it for years and it never fails if ya cant get his big lips open simply grab him by the shoulder area behind the head and I mean GRAB HIM dont let go (i once got a huge rapala in the finger cuz I let go) and then get the bogas on his bottom lip and dont pick him up with it wait till you can easily two hand it up a big fish will get hurt otherwise oh and tie the bogas to the boat the fish cannot get off they are pricy but smaller than a net and worth every cent in my experience or just get a yellow handle lucky strike net mine is six feet long and fits any size uf fish its rubber coated and compactable but also pricy for a net

[chriscosta]

Oh yeah do not drop the boga grip in the water its another expensive must for pike and youll have to splurge for a new one I cant remember but im sure I paid over a hundy for mine but like I said that was many moons ago

[BBJTKLE&FISHINGADVENTURES]

Ive got the big musky net , I just hate the mesh they use in it , but over winter Im going to look at getting a big rubber net , just as deep as I have now . If not I guess just settle with what I got . Unless a guy can rubber coat that mesh that would be very Ideal as far as im concerned .

[cranky]

Ive got the big musky net , I just hate the mesh they use in it , but over winter Im going to look at getting a big rubber net , just as deep as I have now . If not I guess just settle with what I got . Unless a guy can rubber coat that mesh that would be very Ideal as far as im concerned .

Not sure if it would work for water,or flexibility etc. But ive used Plasti-dip on stuff i wanted to rubberize before. I borrowed some from a acquaintance. No idea where he is these days and not sure where to buy it.

[RavYak]

For big pike... rubber nets are terrible. Sometimes you need to be quick with a net job and rubber nets have way to much resistance in the water. Try to pull a rubber net through the water and you will know exacly what I mean. Not to mention that they are incredibly heavy and you need one that has a big enough hoop and a deep enough net to actually be able to fit a big fish in it.

I was watching Musky Hunter one time and they mentioned something about how musky and pike start thrashing when there bodies are bent in a net, but if the net is big enough and there bodies stay straight, they are alot calmer when netted.

2 benefits of the net I posted earlier. It must be a cloth net with about 1/2-3/4" mesh that is dipped twice in rubber. It is still light and easy to handle even with one hand but yet because it is dipped twice doesn't allow hooks to get caught in it. Believe me this is a must as I have also used a single dipped net and the hooks still get caught in it.

The 2nd benefit is that it has the flat bottom stitched into it. On a larger fish it isn't going to allow it to lie flat but it will keep it from bending into a pretzel. Smaller fish up to 24ish inches fit quite nicely and just kind of curl sideways in the net and then are real easy to lie flat to get into the net and remove the lure.

If you really plan on catching big monstrous fish then buy a bigger version. If you catch average fish and maybe the odd big one then a net like mine would work great imo.

[BBJTKLE&FISHINGADVENTURES]

Not sure if it would work for water,or flexibility etc. But ive used Plasti-dip on stuff i wanted to rubberize before. I borrowed some from a acquaintance. No idea where he is these days and not sure where to buy it.

yes thats the stuff I was thinking of .

[buckbrushoutdoors]

I prefer gill nets

[RavYak]

Don't know why I couldn't find it the day before. Just saw them at the west end store and now found the link. Only $30 right now! Pretty sure I payed at least 40 a couple months ago. Only good as a smaller net, lucky strike does have the larger ones at wholesale sports etc though they aren't near as cheap.

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/5/SportsRec/Fishing/FishingNetsStringersScalesTools/PRD~0784070P/Lucky+Strike+Basket+Net.jsp?locale=en