Many fly-fishers seem to consider a beautifully crafted landing net an essential piece of equipment, but I don’t.

In fact, on a fishing trip a while back with some Brazilian fly-fishers, which incidentally are a rare breed, they subtly reprimanded me for landing trout with just a wet hand. They told me that best practices for catch and release fishing include using a landing net. However, after landing a fish, one handles it to remove the hook, so why not just handle it to begin with? Never mind that a landing net is just one more thing to catch on the brush while walking to or from that special spot. Obviously when fishing from a boat a landing net is advantageous. But while wading, if you’re just going to let them go anyway, why bother with a net to be sure they don’t get away before they are released? I would like to know your thoughts on this subject.

I suspect a landing net of appropriate netting material (silicone or rubber) is easier on fish than landing them by hand. They can be landed greener in a net than if you are going to try and get them to hand, which is probably the biggest factor in fish survival. I don't usually handle fish in the net, it just holds them securely enough to let me reach in and unhook without touching them. And tired fish can be readily revived in the net, whereas it is challenging to revive a tired fish by hand -- they tend to escape before they are really ready to release.

That said, I find nets a hassle to carry when I am stalking fish so I usually don't have one

There is a "third" option too which has not been mentioned -- a dehooker. Mine is one of the bar style with a T handle on one end and a pigtail on the other (it is an ARC 8 inch "panfish" model) and it works stupendously good with a little practice. Hook gape needs to be at least a size 12 or equivalent. I even use it on trout, all the time. Don't tell Trout Unlimited...

Jangles and I are obviously brothers from different mothers. We're both old and too heavy. We're both old Marine veterans. We both have back trouble. And although we both own nets, we seldom need them for lack of catching fish. But hey no problema. Most flyfishers are into catch and release, we just shortcut the process and go right to release. Saves a lot of time and effort.

Larry

I have found that I can land a fish earlier in the fight with a net than by hand. In a cold, aerated stream that's generally not a major issue, but on a shallow grass flat in a South Texas bay in summer it can be a major factor. The hotter the water, the less dissolved oxygen it holds. I generally carry a rubber net in the skiff or kayak, so I can minimize the stress to the fish. I don't get to wade those lovely trout streams very often.

Long neck,silicone net and barbless hooks. It's the only way to do it. Easy in ,easy off,easy out! Cheers,het