A net is a net, right?  Big ones, small ones, long handles, short handles, and that’s it, right?  Well I can’t say I ever spent a whole lot of time worrying about what net I needed on my boat, and I have never asked a fellow angler, “What kind of net do you use?”  But in all actuality, a net is a vital part of our game.  Yes, most any net will get your catch into the boat, but how user friendly is your net?  I recently received a net that changed my opinions on this subject, and I believe it may change yours.  

The net I received is called “The Great Net”.  You may have seen the fairly new rubber nets out there by now.  They aren’t real deep until weight is applied, and they stand out because they are jet black.  I saw them but never gave them a lot of thought.  After getting mine in the mail last week, I soon took it to my sons youth fishing tournament for a test drive.  These tournaments allow any species to be weighed at the scales and are held at a private lake where catfish are the best bet.  My boy rigged two treble hooks about 18” apart, attached the chicken liver and let it fly.  Shortly after it was on.  He was yelling for the net.  I scooped up the 3 lb. cat and began to remove the hook.  Catfish usually spin and flop in your net until the treble hooks are wrapped so tightly in the string nets that Houdini can’t get it out; at least not for a while.  The hooks were very easily removed from the Great Net.  Three tournaments and some 25 catfish later, I am pleased to say, not one tangle.  That alone is a big plus.  Who has time to get those crankbaits unraveled from the net in a tournament?

As for the flexibility of the net, it definitely sinks in proportion to the weight of the fish.  My youngster caught a 5 lb. catfish during the second tournament and it was securely deep in the net.  The fish under 1.5 lbs. were a little tricky, but I think most guys will swing those right into the boat.  You could boat the small ones, but you had to be careful not to twist the net.  The fish over 2 lbs. were not a problem.

Another characteristic I like about the Great Net is that it is foldable and collapsible.  

With the push of two buttons you can fold the net and collapse or remove the handle.  When broken down it is 11” wide and fits much better than fixed nets in most boat storage compartments.

The net, when put together, is wide enough to handle just about any of your freshwater fish, and with the handle, measures approximately 5’ long.  You have good reach with this net, and the anodized aluminum handle is light yet strong and has a comfortable rubber grip. The Great Net proved to be a nice addition to my boat.  I am very pleased with this product and will probably never use a string net again.  Just the fact that it eliminates those nasty net snags was enough for me, and after several uses, I like it more and more.

The Great Net is priced at $39.95 and can be purchased from Custom Molded Products. For more information on The Great Net, call Hal Murk at 1-800-733-9060, or email hlm@custom-molded-products.com