sam vimes
Well-known member
My old (pre-alloy spreader block version) Drennan Specialist 22" landing net gave up the ghost last week. After many years of use, and abuse, the hollow alloy rim gave in and snapped.
Initially, I was just going to buy another new version of the same net. It generally goes on a Drennan Super Specialist landing net pole so my OCD wouldn't be agitated.
However, it's been a long time since the Drennan was bought, it had to be worth a scoot round the web to see if there was anything else worth looking at.
I found a few odds and sods that caught my attention. A Daiwa net, similar to their match nets but in green. Having seen and used Daiwa match nets, I knew it would be a decent buy, just not interesting enough to pass the Drennan.
I then started to think about a folding net as I seem to spend most of my time wandering round and round a gravel pit or up and down a river. However, I don't like triangular carp type folders, even if they are small. I found the Korum folding spoon net, good price, but mates have had the odd issue with Korum nets and I don't fancy the split spreader block.
I then found the Wychwood Specimen Quickfold. Folding, green, no split spreader, check. It also has a little magnet in the net to clip it up to the spreader, no more dragging the excess through a spreader or retro-fitting a good old fashioned laggy band. Only one snag here being that it was 25 or 30". I wanted a touch closer to the 22" of the Drennan. Despite there being no sign of smaller on the Wychwood website, Ted Carter were showing a 22" version in stock.
I took a punt and ordered the 22", it arrived this morning. No chance to test just yet, but it looks damned good. Spreader is solid, breaks down easily, but not too easily. The little magnet works a treat, making a relatively deep net a bit more manageable until you actually need the depth. Whilst I can only acknowledge that I haven't actually used it yet, I'm impressed enough to be thinking seriously about getting the 30" net for barbelling and my roving carp fishing.
Initially, I was just going to buy another new version of the same net. It generally goes on a Drennan Super Specialist landing net pole so my OCD wouldn't be agitated.
However, it's been a long time since the Drennan was bought, it had to be worth a scoot round the web to see if there was anything else worth looking at.
I found a few odds and sods that caught my attention. A Daiwa net, similar to their match nets but in green. Having seen and used Daiwa match nets, I knew it would be a decent buy, just not interesting enough to pass the Drennan.
I then started to think about a folding net as I seem to spend most of my time wandering round and round a gravel pit or up and down a river. However, I don't like triangular carp type folders, even if they are small. I found the Korum folding spoon net, good price, but mates have had the odd issue with Korum nets and I don't fancy the split spreader block.
I then found the Wychwood Specimen Quickfold. Folding, green, no split spreader, check. It also has a little magnet in the net to clip it up to the spreader, no more dragging the excess through a spreader or retro-fitting a good old fashioned laggy band. Only one snag here being that it was 25 or 30". I wanted a touch closer to the 22" of the Drennan. Despite there being no sign of smaller on the Wychwood website, Ted Carter were showing a 22" version in stock.
I took a punt and ordered the 22", it arrived this morning. No chance to test just yet, but it looks damned good. Spreader is solid, breaks down easily, but not too easily. The little magnet works a treat, making a relatively deep net a bit more manageable until you actually need the depth. Whilst I can only acknowledge that I haven't actually used it yet, I'm impressed enough to be thinking seriously about getting the 30" net for barbelling and my roving carp fishing.