Thoughts on Fishing with a Net for Salmon
Having been a salmon guide since I was 17, I’ve never been far from a net, yet I often found myself fishing alone without one. Perhaps it was an ego thing. Being around salmon so much, I’d tell myself it didn’t matter if one came off at the bank. Or maybe I secretly enjoyed the challenge of tailing a salmon in waist-deep water.
Then again, it might just have been the freedom of fishing without all the clobber I carry on a day guiding for clients.
I’m not entirely sure what the reason was, but I often found myself thinking, “I wish I had a net right now,” usually while trying to control a 4lb grilse in the shallows that was doing backflips onto the rocks. No matter how good I thought I was, there was always a moment where I knew I could have handled the fish far better with a net on my back.
Now, nearly 40, and with Atlantic salmon in even further decline than I ever imagined as a 17-year-old in the Outer Hebrides, standing at Grimersta watching shoals of grilse running the tides, I find myself questioning my fishing far more.
I would never dream of taking a client out without a net. That’s a sackable offence. The thinking is simple: if a client loses a fish because I didn’t have a net, that’s just not good enough.
Or worse; forgetting the net in the car and having a 500m run back to the truck to get it, only to return and find the fish has come off. You arrive back purple in the face, met with an awkward silence, both of you wondering… was there a chance to net that fish before I came back?
These days, I find myself reaching for the net more and more especially when out for a few hours fishing on my own....and I’m really enjoying it. There’s a confidence in knowing I’ve got that extra bit of assistance when I need it. I’m not going to have to lie on my belly trying to tail a fish from a steep bank.
I used Maclean nets throughout all my ghillieing days, and I’m still a big fan. There is always one in the back of the truck. But I’ll admit, I do find them a bit cumbersome. Not just to carry, but the strap setup means once I’ve unclipped it, I end up laying it on the ground or awkwardly leaning it somewhere, ready to grab at the right moment.
What I really like about the Fastnet solution is the incredibly simple bungee system. I just undo the clip with one bungee still attached, the net drops to my feet, and I can focus entirely on playing the fish. If I need to move up or down the bank, I don’t have to think about bringing it with me, it’s already attached.
It’s light enough that I barely notice it, and with a deep net, there’s no need to lift the fish out of the water and risk bending the shaft.
Regarding the weigh scales I really don't miss them, too many times I have heard and asked the question if they are calibrated because this fish cant be only 12lb's.... Now I go for a realistic estimation on the weight and if I am unsure I simply measure the length. Each river will have a chart for length to weight ratio which will give you a good indication. Could it be a lb out either side.....yes... does it really matter that much..... for me not.
I usually carry a set of digital scales in the truck so if it is a fish of a life time that is going to be the most accurate.
There are plenty of nets on the market, and I think we all have our faithful friends.
If you’d like to know more, feel free to speak to one of our team.
https://twinpeakesflyfishing.com/collections/nets/Net
Tight Lines,
Will