Keepnets

Ron Clay · Mar 14, 2002

For myself, I don't use a keepnet anything like as much as I used to. I do use one when roach fishing as quite frankly a returned roach often kills your swim dead.

I certainly do not use keepnets on barbel. I do carry a tube howver to rest a barbel if it needs it.

5 hours in a net? Match anglers do it all the time.

Ethical or what?

Murray Rogers · Mar 14, 2002

I'm 100% for the use of nets. Of course like all things there are certain rules to follow but the use of nets is an integral part of the whole scene to a lot of anglers.

GrahamM · Mar 14, 2002

I agree with Murray. Keepnets do not cause damage if you follow the keepnet code as laid down by the NFA.

The truth is that there are not many items of tackle that are not dangerous in the wrong hands. The answer is to educate, not ban.

Of course there are situations where a keepnet is inappropriate, but the decision to use one or not in each situation should be the angler's decision, not anyone else's.

We've got enough restrictions as it is, most of them designed to cater for the idiots who will never learn anyway. So why should the rest of, the majority, have to suffer.

Matthew White · Mar 14, 2002

I think that, with todays modern nets and by following the guidelines on how to properly use them, very little damage or distress is actually caused to fish in the nets.

I do thimk we need to educate people a lot more on how to use them properly - especially emptying them - as it seems new and old anglers alike could learn a bit more about fish welfare.

Craig Smith · Mar 14, 2002

I use a 'carp safe' keepnet which is double skined as most new one's are. I think the only way forward it to abolish the old knoted type of net. They should all be collected up and destroyed. I think the main problem is ex anglers selling thetre old tackle for a quick buck at car boot sales.

GrahamM · Mar 14, 2002

Knotted keepnets WERE abolished years ago.

Frank Curtis · Mar 14, 2002

It's the way a net is used thats most important. I have 12ft carp safe net which opens at the bottom and so avoiding have to handle the fish when releasing them.
If you don't have one of these nets then, in matches, instead of sliding the fish down its full length pull the bottom ring up through the top ring and then tip into the weighing net.
One last piece of advice. If you have both large and small fish in the net then first tranfer the larger fish to the weighing net and then you can tip the smaller fish in as described above. This prevents the small fish being crushed or damaged.
Having said all this the best solution is don't use a keepnet except in matches and then have two, one for silver and small fish and one for bigger fish such as carp, tench and bream.

Phil Heaton · Mar 14, 2002

I don't match fish and have not had a keep net for years, any specimens are quickly photographed and returned to the water. But recently I have noticed while worm fishing for perch, after a few are returned where I am fishing the swim seems to die. If possible it seems that it may be better to release the perch a short distance away, or if that is not practical to net them. I am undecided therefore whether to purchase a net just for this purpose, to avoid scambling up and down often slippery riverbanks and risking falling in.

Steve Burke · Mar 14, 2002

As Graham said keepnets are fine if the NFA's advice is followed. Unfortunately some anglers don't do so, which is why I've banned keepnets at Wingham except in our annual match. Here I can keep an eye on things and ensure the fish aren't damaged. The main problem seems to occur when the net is lifted from the water and fish get crushed.

Phil, I haven't found myself that putting perch in a net stops a swim dying. I don't believe it's the returning of the perch that's the problem, provided that is the fish go back almost immediately. Rather it's the disturbance of actually hooking and playing the perch. Talking of disturbance, putting a keepnet in a small river swim can also kill it stone dead!

Rodney Wrestt · Mar 14, 2002

I always use a keepnet...when conditions dictate, the three worst things IMO someone could do with a keepnet is to put in shallow water followed very closely by not pegging it out at both ends (if it collapses on the fish it can be fatal, it takes little time to prevent it so why risk it)and the other is putting carp, bream or tench into the same net as small fish. If I am fishing somewhere I know I will catch larger fish than the roach or dace I am usualy fishing for I use two nets(both have carp safe mesh)or release them instead of putting them into the net, be responsible and use common sense and you shouldn't go far wrong.

Dave Feeney · Mar 14, 2002

Allways been a little confused with the keepnet bad-carp sack good theme,would it not be better for a fish to swim up and down a 12 ft net, than be totally enclosed in a sack, not being able to move or open it's gills properly,and what about putting Barbel in to "tubes"and not keepnets, isn't a keepnet a tube.
I'm not having a go at any particular section, just having never used a sack or a "tube" I'v allways wondered why one system is more acceptable than the other??
thanks

Ron Clay · Mar 14, 2002

The problem with barbel and keepnets is the serrated spine or first ray of the dorsal fin. At the least oppurtinity this will catch in the finest mesh nets.

In a tube, made out of carp sacking it is dark and the fish lays dead stll. Cover a fishes eyes and they stop swimming around this possibly hurting themselves

Dave Feeney · Mar 14, 2002

Thanks Ron. would a dark carp net do the trick, I'm not wanting to fill a keepnet full of Barbel ( he-he, I'd be so lucky ) just the odd tired fish, give it time to gets it's breath so to speak.
Also would a larger mesh help on rivers allowing "fresher" water to circulate better, I'm thinking more for chub and roach, dace etc,etc not on "spined" fish like carp, barbel, perch.
thanks

Murray Rogers · Mar 14, 2002

There was a piece of kit available from Bisceter Tackle called the Queenford retension sack. I use it for all my fish where I can. It is oblong in shape, made of very fine woven carp sacking type material (Nylon) and has knotless meshing at each end. Once stacked out the fish is able to sit in its natural position and is reachable via a full legnth top zipper to the sack. Brilliant piece of kit and I'm surprised it has never been more widely available.

Paul Williams · Mar 14, 2002

I rarely use a keepnet but when i fancy a session on the float,bagging up, it can definatly pay in terms of numbers of fish caught.......and how can we deny kids and newcommers the thrill of admiring their catch at the end of the day?
Like Murray i am surprised that the type of rertainer he mentions hasn't taken off more.

Peter Morton · Mar 14, 2002

As a club/matchman i don't have a lot of option,but allways use two nets,one for carp and one for silvers.
Both of these are 12ft carp fishery approved models with pull handles on the inside 2nd from bottom rings avoiding a lot of problems when releasing/weghing in fish.

Richard Barrell · Mar 14, 2002

I only use a keepnet when I am match/roach fishing,at all other time I perfer to return my Catches back straight away unless
I am taking a photo:when I will only keep the fish out of water for as short as possible.

Michael Hall · Mar 14, 2002

I think its down to common sense really!
If for example its a red hot day and you have your keepnet out with extremely warm water around the margins then it goes without saying to release them after say three hours or so.

David Will · Mar 14, 2002

Murray it has been available. Expanda Net do the same type of net/sack.
From experience Roach , big ones , do not fare well in sacks , keep nets , expanda nets or Carp Fishery safe type keepnets.
This summer try and spot the retained fish in the Anglers Mail and Angling Times, it is very easy.

ron lander · Mar 14, 2002

I decided many years ago not to use a keepnet, in fact I no longer even own one. Apart from the possible damage to fish the other main advantage of not using a keepnet is that its one less thing to carry! Of course if other people want to use nets its fine with me - provided the fish don't suffer.

Keepnets

Ron Clay

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Murray Rogers

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GrahamM

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Matthew White

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Craig Smith

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GrahamM

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Frank Curtis

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Phil Heaton

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Steve Burke

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Rodney Wrestt

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Dave Feeney

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Ron Clay

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Dave Feeney

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Murray Rogers

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Paul Williams

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Peter Morton

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Richard Barrell

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Michael Hall

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David Will

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ron lander

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