Every fisherman enjoys spending their cash or Christmas gift cards at Bass Pro Shops or the like. And the Bass Pros, Cabela’s and Tackle Warehouses of the world enjoy our spending just as much. Visions of the latest crankbaits, jerkbaits and the hottest new colors of soft plastics dance in our heads. But what about the less glamorous things, things that can be just as or more important than the “fun stuff?”

Yes, there comes a time to spend that hard earned money on items that are boring. One of those items is a good landing net. Depending on the fishing you do, you will need to choose from a net that fits your needs. If you are a catch and release fisherman, a flat bottom net with rubberized non-knotted netting is a great choice. It’s easier on the fish by not bending them in half, and hooks don’t tangle as bad in the mesh causing longer delays in getting the fish back in the water.

A big plus in landing nets is black mesh. It’s less visible in the water, and fish can easily be spooked by nets. I like telescopic handles for the convenience. My boat is packed from the front to back with fishing gear, and a non-retractable net would not meet the need.

Coated nylon nets are probably next on the list. Many of the bigger catfish and muskie size nets are made with this material. Larger mesh (size of the holes in the netting) cause for less drag and makes the net easier to push or pull through the water when netting a fish. Obviously a trout angler will need a small, compact, small mesh net that is easy to stow out of the way for use on hikes and small streams, and deploys easily with one hand.

The shape and size of the net should be considered. My net works great for bass up to 12 pounds, but trying to land a muskie in such a net is not a fun task. Be sure to get a net that will fit your space, such as walking, hiking, boat, or kayak, but that is big enough to land the biggest fish you may be after.

I may have some catch and release anglers up in arms for even mentioning a landing net. I guess there are two sides of the fence. While I am all in favor of touching or handling a fish as minimal as possible, sometimes it may be less harmful to use a net. I see countless bass anglers pull a fish in a carpeted boat, let it flop around removing a lot of its protective slime, and then when they can’t get control of it, they step on or pin the fish to the floor with their dry hands. I also see guys trying to be hero and lifting a large fish, say a five-pound bass, up out of the water into the boat with a swift pull of the rod. While it makes for a cool looking You Tube video, all that pressure put on the fish’s jaw can’t be very good.

Bank fishermen sometimes have to hoist fish up on the bank where they flop around and get “breaded” with dirt before they are chunked back. A long handled net would be better on the fish than the breading.

And lastly, it may be better on the angler. Reaching your hand into a feisty fish’s mouth boat side that is full of treble hooks can be a dangerous undertaking. It may seem best to play the fish until it calms down enough to remove the hooks, but the worst thing you can do in warmer water is play a fish to exhaustion. It may swim off, but that fish will be so stressed it probably won’t make it.