I will be fishing tournaments as a boater next season and will need to get a new net. I'm seeing a lot of mixed reviews on the ones on TW. What do you suggest? Reliability is important. 

Best net there is - your thumb and first finger - as long as you do your job correctly.

In the event you can’t do it correctly frabile conservation series are darn good

Both Beckman & Frabile make quality nets. Stowmaster makes a folding net.

Frabill 9510 gets my vote.

A-Jay

 

That Frabill looks very good.  If you decide to go with a rubber net, be aware that most of them are so shallow that the fish are not reliably kept in the net.  Look for net depth before buying.  Thumb and finger work pretty well, but be sure you know how to get an embed hook out; sooner or later. . . :-)

 

The Frabil looks good but for another choice, check these out. (don't own one).

https://fishlandingnets.com/fish-landing-nets/

48 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Frabill 9510 gets my vote.

A-Jay

 

I've got that net, but if you are using crankbaits or lures with smaller trebles, I found that I was spending too much time getting my hooks out of the net. For single hook lures it's the best. Also, it does work well as a holding pen if you want to keep the fish in the water while you set up a camera or if you have to search for your scale. 

I've got a few nets. They may or may not be on the boat at the same time. A shallow rubber Frabil conservation net for bass, walleye, and large crappie, a deep coated (nylon??)net made by Ranger for pike and musky. I also recently acquired a Stowmaster tournament net which is large enough for salmon, musky, and pike. Haven't used that one yet, My dad got it free from an older gentlemen who was retiring from salmon fishing.

 

May I suggest a net that will avoid having the hooks get entangled in the netting?

 

I think it is rubber coated polyester.

 

Ask the tackle store if the net is the type that the hooks will not get hooked on the netting.

 

Otherwise, what the guys said above.

2 hours ago, Scott F said:

I've got that net, but if you are using crankbaits or lures with smaller trebles, I found that I was spending too much time getting my hooks out of the net. For single hook lures it's the best. Also, it does work well as a holding pen if you want to keep the fish in the water while you set up a camera or if you have to search for your scale. 

 

Not to hi-jack the thread and it might sound a little wacky but spraying the inside of the bag with a light coating of Black Flex Seal really seems to reduce treble hook penetration.

It will add a little 'weight', but you honestly don't need a whole lot.

 

A-Jay

21 minutes ago, Sam said:

May I suggest a net that will avoid having the hooks get entangled in the netting?

 

I think it is rubber coated polyester.

 

Ask the tackle store if the net is the type that the hooks will not get hooked on the netting.

 

Otherwise, what the guys said above.

The coated nets are better than the uncoated ones but hooks still get tangled. All rubber nets are tangle free but they are shallow and small

1 minute ago, A-Jay said:

 

Not to hi-jack the thread and it might sound a little wacky but spraying the inside of the bag with a light coating of Black Flex Seal really seems to reduce treble hook penetration.

It will add a little 'weight', but you honestly don't need a whole lot.

 

A-Jay

My solution was to buy a second, rubber net.

5 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

 

Not to hi-jack the thread and it might sound a little wacky but spraying the inside of the bag with a light coating of Black Flex Seal really seems to reduce treble hook penetration.

It will add a little 'weight', but you honestly don't need a whole lot.

 

A-Jay

Next thing you're going to tell me is you removed the bottom of the Lund and replaced it with a screen door coated with flexseal

3 minutes ago, slonezp said:

The coated nets are better than the uncoated ones but hooks still get tangled. All rubber nets are tangle free but they are shallow and small

Slow, I have one and it works great. No hooks get hung up or hooked in the netting.

 

Best one I had fell out of the boat this year on Buggs Island. It was a great net. I really miss her.

Just now, Scott F said:

My solution was to buy a second, rubber net.

I hear ya - I did the same thing sort of.

I purchased a Frabill replacement rubber net bag - HATED IT ! 

 The bag by itself literally weighs 5 times more than net frame. 

I'd guess I possess at least average strength and the added weight made one handed solo fish netting extremely difficult.

Went back to the original bag & just gave it a little spray - works OK.

A-Jay

My friend has an Ego Slider, and I have an Ego Kryptek.

 

Mine is a medium clear and so is his I believe. We both prefer the slider, it is easier to store and has more leverage/reach when netting fish. I like the mesh because it gets tangled less often. I recently had a pike bite through my net though. luckily it fell onto my deck. The fish came of the lure when I boat flipped it into the net and landed head first with its mouth open and shredded the net. it was only 18". That is what I think happened.

 

I always carry zip ties to fix the holes if it happens again.

 

I also reccomend clear mesh, because if you use the proper technique, the fish will be more likely to swim right into the net, as compared to if it were black.

 

Mesh

extra zipties

clear

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Ego_S2_Slider_Net_With_Compact_18_Handle/descpage-ESNC.html

Thanks for the feedback I will check all of these options out. I've used nets with rubber in the past and really liked it and that's probably the way I will go, but I will keep an eye out for the depth of the net!

Another vote for Frabill.