Blown net jobs

[Gone Fishing]

This is not something I would normally post but if you fish enough, it’s bound to happen. First off, it’s been over 3 years since I last missed a fish with the net and that one was a 10 lb Steelhead that I had in a small rubber net but it jumped out. So now for the embarrassing part, fishing up in Erieau last Thursday, a novice was bringing in a Steelhead on a dipsie rod. I was just slipping the net under the fish when he pulled forward on the rod and the fish slipped over the front of the hoop and was gone. I shrugged it off figuring it really wasn’t my fault. We were back out Friday and my son had a very nice fish on. He really took his time with it to make sure this one didn’t get away. He is normally a dream to net fish for as he slides them on top of the water right into the net. He had a 3 way set up with the fish on the longer spoon lead and the crank a couple feet on front of it. Just as I was dipping the net, the crank popped out of the water and onto the side of the net. The fish turned and with the increased pressure, the hook popped out. My jaw was hanging open and Jr wasn’t about to let that one go by without giving an earful to his dad. Man, 2 in 2 days and my confidence is fading. Now day 3, out Muskie fishing on the south shore with my wife. First fish goes into the net no problem. Next fish is a good fish that I bring close to the boat and hand the rod to my wife. It’s barely hooked but she gets it close enough to the boat for the net job. I go down with the net and as I'm lifting, the fish is sliding over the back end of the hoop. The lure catches on the net and the fish is gone. Even though she took pressure off the fish just as I was going for it, I can’t believe I didn’t get that fish. And to the Muskie boat next to us with all the guys starring through binoculars (might have been an Albin), thank you for not laughing out loud! 3 in 3 days, talk about wanting to crawl into a hole and hide! I think the next time I go to net a fish I’m going to be shaking like a leaf! :help:
I guess I can’t give Matt (expodingvarmits) any more crap about his netting skills. Anybody else want to share their embarrassing tales?

[Neal]

Krause?

[sfw1960]

Anybody else want to share their embarrassing tales?

NOPE!!

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Percha Man]

Hell no that aint ever happened to any one else...

Especially me :lol::lol:

I had a small net once in a rental boat and had a huge pike fold down in it and with a quick "spring he rocketed out and right back into the water.

Had a double hook set up and went to net a catfish from shore and the top hook caught the net and every time I would move the net the fish would move due to the caught hook. I go right he went right I up he went up had to do a quick swoosh to get him in and then fling him to shore...


I am pretty sure that is it EVER ;)

[Joeker51]

The Fish Gods are telling you something.:16suspect Might as well just give the keys to Jr. and enjoy the ride. 3 strikes..................:nono:

[tgafish]

:lol:
The worst ones are when you do it in front of a guy you've razzed before. I've had a good number of money fish go bye bye form lures in the net. never stops hurting:D

[ggoblue]

first we take turns batting each others walleyes back into the river...then we decide to net our own...so i pull off the trick of dipping deep and catching a walleye that came off on his own [in the dark mind you]...and while we are admiring my skills we forget the boat and crash right into the marine city powerhouse seawall...:lol:...the other night my wife actually pulled wire, and hooked into walter...talk about a pressure net situation...and she does nothing but haul ass full speed on that fish so you got one shot before she pulls him into the backwash under the platform....i got that sucker i did!!!

[STEINFISHSKI]

Got one better from St Joseph this year. Boated this nice steelhead during the Brown Blast, took some pix, and boxed the fish.

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/530/astjoe2.JPG

While resetting the line back out I witnessed the fish kick the cooler lid up and slipped out of the cooler in one quick move.:tdo12::lol:

[explodingvarmints]

Those who live in glass houses John..........:lol:

Nearly lost Scott's 7 1/2 lb eye a couple weekends ago. Took a wave from the opposite side of the boat just as I went for the scoop:yikes::rant:. It took him a good 15 minutes to get that fish back to the boat..... I made good on the 2nd try thank God.
Those steelhead are a pain with a little rubber net...... at least that's my story... and I'm sticking to it;). I cringed when I saw this post:help:.

[Neal]

Those who live in glass houses John..........:lol:

Nearly lost Scott's 7 1/2 lb eye a couple weekends ago. Took a wave from the opposite side of the boat just as I went for the scoop:yikes::rant:. It took him a good 15 minutes to get that fish back to the boat..... I made good on the 2nd try thank God.
Those steelhead are a pain with a little rubber net...... at least that's my story... and I'm sticking to it;). I cringed when I saw this post:help:.

I seem to recall you being "grounded" from the net before.

[Nascar31Fan]

Muffed 3 this year myself. Not good!:help:

[kbkrause]

A few Muskie openers ago, I was out with the Tin Navy in my boat. We caught a few fish but then we had on the big one. My FIL's first muskie. After an extended battle, I reached a little too far, and ding, I barely touched the side and the lure popped out. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.:bonk:

The next year with the Tin Navy again, I have the big fish on and Melon repeats what happened the year before. :bash: He felt worse than I did.

Notice it's always the big ones that get away... ;)

[DOUBLE DOWN]

Several years ago, my wife and I took her nephew and girlfriend salmon fishing out of Sanilac (YEAR OF THE COHO). We were into the fish good and I felt confident enough to let the kid net a nice coho for some practice. (I usually do all the netting on my boat). In short, to let him have a good whack at it, I turned the downrigger at an angle to give him some room---he used it as a chair-back rest---and pushed the rigger right off the back of the boat!:yikes:

I can't blame the kid. I was the Nincompoop that did not screw down the mount to the base. (The day before I had taken them off to cruise the river for Boat Night). Lessons learned: Never take down riggers off your fishing boat just to go joy riding. Be proud to display your heritage!:lol:

[mfs686]

Net ????

What's a net ????

Flip.....

Though I have to admit I have bounced a walleye or two off the side of the boat flipping them in this year. Bounced one off the reel too....:dizzy:

[j1musser]

Was bassin last year and my buddy hooked a 35" 10 pound musky on 8lb mono. Chased it down got in the net and in the boat, all of a sudden the muskie was sliding around the boat and flipping. That toothy SOB bit through the mesh on my net!:yikes:

[explodingvarmints]

I seem to recall you being "grounded" from the net before.

I used the wrong end of the net for your fish on purpose:p!

[Kevin]

Maybe worse is breaking the net by holding it too horizontally. Done that. Did not lose the fish, but that was an expensive fish.

[Canuck136]

You'll regain your confidence back John with most likely a wall hanger knowing you. ;)

[sfw1960]

:lol:
The worst ones are when you do it in front of a guy you've razzed before. I've had a good number of money fish go bye bye form lures in the net. never stops hurting:D
Don't brag & don't raZZ & the fEEsH g0dz will always treat you better...
;)

I remember a trip to the Kawkalin with Mark , one of our Maint. guys - he had a 30"+ class walleye right up to the boat & I took a fateful swat at 'er....
Kind of a small net - but she could have teetered or tottered and well , just my luck she teetered OUT and the #9 Crawbug Shad Rap went GHERK!!! on the rim of the net , and her mouth tore in the corner where the ONLY hook was.....

I said "Mark if you want to throw me over the side , I deserve it!"
:evilsmile
Good thing he's a great sportsman ....

I have NOT botched a net job in several years - and I'm not going to say if I'm due or NOT!!
:yikes: :yikes: :yikes:

R

[ESOX]

I had a couple muskie rookies out the other evening. Went 0-4. If you name it, they did it wrong. Worst was the guy who wouldn't let the drag work, he kept thumbing the spool and pulling the hooks. I kept telling him to let the drag do it's job......"OMG it's getting away!!!!" :rolleyes::lol::rant:

[Gone Fishing]

I pretty much use a smaller rubber net for everything but Muskie but here's the one I'll be pulling out of retirement till I regain my composure: :lol: :p :lol:
BTW, I hope one of the guys that was next to me Muskie fishing sees this thread. They must have been snickering or flat out laughing their butts off! :p



http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3197/2650972938_f12eda722b_b.jpg

[explodingvarmints]

That's a great perch net John:lol:. Check out the new BPS net. Scott nearly had me sold on that bad boy last Saturday. No more heavy bouncy bouncy nets for me...... And it's less then $100.00 :yikes:. i think I need to stop going there with him:lol:.

[Bruce William]

It's one of the things I remember about my dad's trips on the lower Detroit River in the 70's is that he regularly missed the walleye at the net remember we were bringing in 2-3 of these a trip so missing one caused a great deal of concern. I don't know if it was his eye/hand cooridination but he just did not get the job done maybe 50/50 and a 15 year old was pissed but I could not be too mad after all he was the reason I was out there in the first place.

Gone fishing, don't worry about this your kid will remember this for ever and forget all the ones that got away.

Just make sure you start sighting in your gun early, you don't want to make that type of mistake.. LOL.

[wannabapro]

Lost the biggest Northern I have ever seen for my brother 15 years ago when I was a kid. That was back when the cradle fad came into existence and we had one and as I tried to cradle a fish that was 42 inches plus, it shook it's head getting the lure caught in the mesh and pulling the hook off of the split ring b/c I panicked and tried to yank it towards me instead of easing to me and grabbing the fish. He caught a 40.5 the next year so I felt better, but the fish we lost was bigger.

He got me back a few years ago by missing cleanly a walleye that was over 30". That was the biggest walleye I have ever hooked that I know of. I have caught 10 or more 28s but never landed a 30" fish.

[bounty hunter]

With becoming more "seasoned" your hand-eye coordination is first to go:lol:
Maybe a bigger net is in order?

[Topshelf]

Several years ago, my wife and I took her nephew and girlfriend salmon fishing out of Sanilac (YEAR OF THE COHO). We were into the fish good and I felt confident enough to let the kid net a nice coho for some practice. (I usually do all the netting on my boat). In short, to let him have a good whack at it, I turned the downrigger at an angle to give him some room---he used it as a chair-back rest---and pushed the rigger right off the back of the boat!:yikes:

I can't blame the kid. I was the Nincompoop that did not screw down the mount to the base. (The day before I had taken them off to cruise the river for Boat Night). Lessons learned: Never take down riggers off your fishing boat just to go joy riding. Be proud to display your heritage!:lol:

Jimmy, I seem to remember that same Captain in like March a couple of seasons ago, screaming at me and threatening me with instant death if I didnt get the planer board line pulled in before it snagged on a bouy in the river. :) All I remember is we are going between the bouy and the docks with both boards out. Then at the last second we realized we wernt going to make it through the opening. Now its like 20 degree's out,I have wool gloves on and the line is sliding through my hands while your :rant: at me to "pull the D%$* line in". I get about two arm lengths in when we hear "Dong" as the board clangs off the inside of the bouy. :lol:
Up side I think we even boated a few fish that day.

[Royal Whaler]

These stories bring back the memory of a sturgeon trip I had a couple of years ago. The biggest fish of my life, 62 1/2 inches, was along side the boat after a half hour fight. Alone in the boat and not having the experience with a fish like this, I put his head in the net and made the mistake of trying to lift him straight up. The attached picture shows what was left of my net. I since then lift big fish vertically with the net handle. Through a slight miracle, the sturgeon didn't get off and I brought him in once more, untied one of my mooring lines, made a noose out of one end, ran the slip knot up the pole and down the line and over the fishes head. Now it was rather easy to haul him over the side and into the boat. After measuring him and a quick picture, he was returned to the water --- I was exhausted. :)
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/533/102_0282.jpg

[MiketheElder]

My son caught his first ever walleye handlining a couple of years ago. We high-fived and all that stuff. The second one he hooked was HUGE! Guess who hooked the lure with the net and lost the fish. It was definitely way too big to flip into the boat. I almost dove in after it. I felt so bad I damn near cried.

He flips his fish now.

Ever fly-in to Canada and try to use a rotten net to scoop the biggest pike you ever saw? We were at Kaby Lake at Pine Portage Lodge. My son was fishing with my uncle when my uncle cast a Daredevle and hooked a huge pike. He fought it for a while and then my son scooped it up in the net. The fish went right through! The kid really felt bad about that one. Wasn't his fault though. Who would have expected the bottom to rip right out of the net.

[adjusted3]

Tim,

That Steelhead cost you about 300 bucks if I recall....

my best net job, I was bringing a nice king to the back of the boat and Steven Arends,,,,,I wont mention actaul names just using screen names, stabbed at it and caught the lure and away the king went.....dang it....

30 mins later, he hooked a great steelhead and I extended the net out the whole 12 foot, Said are you ready? Yep!

I tomahawk that net on top of that fishes head. Knocked it clean off the lure.

Steve was flabergashsted....what was that? Aaaahhh, Just getting even.......He has yet to miss a fish on the net.

Stillwaiting was fishing with me this last weeking and completly screwed up a net job, but in the end got the fish....His only comment was "don't get any ideas! I netted that fish......" Almost another tomahawk headed his way!~!! dang that is great learning tool...

Mark

[Slick fishing]

:lol::lol: John you still have to give Matt a hard time, you just have to:lol::lol:..Cya Slick

[greelhappy]

I flip walleye now, but years ago I would net while pulling wire. Was good at it too. We would put the net in back of the fish and sort of release the tension and he would back right into the net. Problem was it took forever somtimes to get him out of the net, think pencil plug. Went out a bought a rubber net. Has anyone tried dipping a RUBBER net into the water against the current of a moving boat, it cannot be done, sort of like trying to push a balloon under water. That's why I flip. Also, I know you can't do this to all lures, but the single hook on lures, spoons mostly, really eliminate the hook caught on net problem. Many fishmen swear and fishing books seem to agree that the single hook makes for a much better hook up. The books say the fish ,when inhaling the lure, takes the whole lure with no extra extra hooks (trebble) to interfere with the take.

[SuperHunter18]

Have had plenty of net mishaps over the years but the one I will never forget we actually got in the boat!

My father goes to net a nice king and basically stabs it right in the mouth exactly where the sppon is and of course it gets caught in the net right at the loop so there is no way to get the net under the fish now.

Instead of just lifting the net slightly out of the water and trying to slide the fish in he panics ans flips the net completely over his head (picture digging a hole and throwing the dirt over your shoulder). I have to guess the net handle was probably 8 ft long and exactly when that net was straight up and down over him the fish comes off and drops right on to his head and right into the bottom of the boat, it almost knocked him over.

Nothing like taking a 11lb King to the Melon :lol:

[versca1]

Dad grabbed the net last Saturday to net a fish I had on, and plop there went his rod and reel in Anchor Bay...we dragged the bottom with some jig heads but were not able to retieve it...expensive fishing day...Sorry Dad, couldn't reist on telling the story...:smile-mad

[sweatyspartan]

Have had plenty of net mishaps over the years but the one I will never forget we actually got in the boat!

My father goes to net a nice king and basically stabs it right in the mouth exactly where the sppon is and of course it gets caught in the net right at the loop so there is no way to get the net under the fish now.

Instead of just lifting the net slightly out of the water and trying to slide the fish in he panics ans flips the net completely over his head (picture digging a hole and throwing the dirt over your shoulder). I have to guess the net handle was probably 8 ft long and exactly when that net was straight up and down over him the fish comes off and drops right on to his head and right into the bottom of the boat, it almost knocked him over.

Nothing like taking a 11lb King to the Melon :lol:

What about my brother slapping a laker in the beak, it comes off the hook but is dazed floating in the prop wash and before it gets too far away he scoops it up and gets it in the boat!

Your dad had some netting "oopsies" trolling for harnesses last year as I remember....

I also netted a fish for superhunter that threw the hook just as I got the net under it. The rod was doubled over and the 3/4 oz jig smashed me in the forehead, but the fish got into the boat!

[SuperHunter18]

What about my brother slapping a laker in the beak, it comes off the hook but is dazed floating in the prop wash and before it gets too far away he scoops it up and gets it in the boat!

Your dad had some netting "oopsies" trolling for harnesses last year as I remember....

I also netted a fish for superhunter that threw the hook just as I got the net under it. The rod was doubled over and the 3/4 oz jig smashed me in the forehead, but the fish got into the boat!

Yeah we have had some pretty good ones recently, especially my dad!