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I managed to release a half-a-dozen nice
steelhead from Idaho's Clearwater this week. I used a special
"knotless" net purchased in England to get the fish close
enough to flip out barbless hooks with the trusty hemostat. The net's
got a five foot long handle that slides out to ten feet in length so you
can scoop fish before they are played to exhaustion. The long handle
also comes in handy to reach over shore hazards.
I should note here that I don't fish much
for Idaho steelhead. While I was a steelhead guide in California for 20
years, I now think fish that swim 600 miles upstream need all the energy
they can manage to spawn. So I don't use the most effective steelhead
method -- freeze-dry or frozen ghost shrimp or crayfish tails drifted
under sensitive British floats.
I catch steelhead while fishing for
smallmouth in the Clearwater and Snake Rivers. I feel comfortable
keeping a few smallmouth for dinner along with the odd crappie and some
nice channel cats. None of these species are much impacted.
But to do this, and justify my impact on
fish where I plan to release most or all of the catch, I need to know I
can easily release hooked fish. And the answer to that is a quality net.
In fact, a quality net seems the last thing most anglers -- aside from
Orvis "everything" fly flingers buy. Such is unfortunate as
the usual shiny aluminum nets scare fish on the scoop. The knots in
their mesh also does nasty things to the slime that coats most fish
species' scales.
So consider a net that's on the large
size for the species you seek. Go for longer handle than most use. Note
that long handled nets can be "worn" inside waders. Boaters
might consider a couple of nets. Opt for knotless mesh, too.
If you do have a bright metal net simply
spray the metal dull brown, green or black. You might also consider
wrapping metal handles with some of the foam or cork used on surf sticks
for a better grip.
Once you've purchased or modified a net
to efficiency consider techniques. Leading a fish over a submerged net
is the best bet. Just make sure you get the head in the net, and the
body should follow if the bag is about the right size.
Once you get the fish in the net keep the
net in the water if you plan to release the fish. This helps avoid
injury to the fish. If you get a heavy fish on a long-handled net you'll
need to "walk" your hands down the net so you won't bend the
handle.
Consider a few of these items and you can
improve your net results.
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