The consortium that runs some of the water my club membership gives access to have reminded lure anglers that they need to carry a 40" landing net; failure to comply means you'll be turfed off. I can't help thinking the people making these rules are not lure anglers. Do any of you lure anglers on here ever carry a 40" net?
40" landing net for lure fishing
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Another Dave
Well-known member
Yeah it's daft. If you want to fish their waters then get a 40" net that folds up really well, strap it to the back of your pack, and then use your normal net. At least until someone tells you this is unacceptable.
steve2
Well-known member
Rules are rules but carp catchers now put most rules together without any thought to other anglers.
I was told by a jobs worth bailiff on one of my club waters that my nets were too small, these nets were 30" and 36" round nets. I told him to measure his 42” against my 36” and he agreed mine was bigger but I would still need a smaller 42” net to meet the rules.
In my eyes 40” or bigger have no place in mobile lure fishing. Another thing is that those triangle shaped nets are rubbish when compared to solid frame round nets.
Go and fish elsewhere
I was told by a jobs worth bailiff on one of my club waters that my nets were too small, these nets were 30" and 36" round nets. I told him to measure his 42” against my 36” and he agreed mine was bigger but I would still need a smaller 42” net to meet the rules.
In my eyes 40” or bigger have no place in mobile lure fishing. Another thing is that those triangle shaped nets are rubbish when compared to solid frame round nets.
Go and fish elsewhere
Keith M
Well-known member
Back in the day when Barry Rickards and Ray Webb wrote their classic Pike book, Barry Rickards used to use an old bicycle wheel as one of his Pike net frames and he probably caught more Pike over the years than any of these rule makers.
My ‘Pike landing net’ (designed specifically for Pike) is round in shape, has a rubberised deep mesh and measures 30” by 32” in size (see pic), and is easily large enough to fit a large Pike in. Unlike a triangular 30” net which would be far too small.
I do own a 42inch triangular landing net for piking; which I made from two boat rod tips, a spreader block and some largish gauge soft netting, which I bought separately, but I haven’t used it for a long time as my 30/32 inch circular net (pictured above) is a lot easier to use and decievingly large enough for any UK Pike that I’m liable to catch.
Keith
My ‘Pike landing net’ (designed specifically for Pike) is round in shape, has a rubberised deep mesh and measures 30” by 32” in size (see pic), and is easily large enough to fit a large Pike in. Unlike a triangular 30” net which would be far too small.
I do own a 42inch triangular landing net for piking; which I made from two boat rod tips, a spreader block and some largish gauge soft netting, which I bought separately, but I haven’t used it for a long time as my 30/32 inch circular net (pictured above) is a lot easier to use and decievingly large enough for any UK Pike that I’m liable to catch.
Keith
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Thanks for all the comments guys. As Steve says, "rules is rules", so will have to find some way of complying conveniently. But as most have you have confirmed by your own experience, you can provide a safe and practical landing net option without going to the 40" extremes.
Jimk2
Member
One thing for sure is you need a net big enough to land a specimen sized pike if they are in the water. For lure fishing I have the old fox 36" pan net, It is a perfect size not to compromise any situations as the mesh is very very deep.
For my bank fishing I have a 42" net, this has been modified and has the rubberised (a must for pike fishing IMO) fox rage XL mesh. I would have no hesitation taking this lure fishing if it was to abide by club rules as it is very light.
For my bank fishing I have a 42" net, this has been modified and has the rubberised (a must for pike fishing IMO) fox rage XL mesh. I would have no hesitation taking this lure fishing if it was to abide by club rules as it is very light.
David Gane
Well-known member
Well, I for one only use a 30" pan net when lure angling and I've never had any trouble landing big fish in them. Actually, if we're discussing fish welfare I think that unhooking mats are a bigger problem. Carrying a decent sized unhooking mat when you are mobile is very difficult indeed and the temptation is not to take one with you at all, and to unhook on grass or something similar. If I were making club rules I'd be much more concerned to require that lure anglers carry a mat.
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Thanks for the further comments. What got me about the rules is that they seemed to have been made by people who had no experience of lure fishing and no interest in whether they were appropriate or not. When we join an angling club its to enjoy our fishing. The rules should be there to aid that end, not to require unquestioning obedience as if we were in the army. They should protect the fish stocks, the environment and the angler, but allow anglers to pursue their sport with the minimum of intervention.