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Hard core net

Started by Guest_killier_* , Apr 09 2009 10:32 PM

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8 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_killier_*

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Posted 09 April 2009 - 10:32 PM

Anyone who has fished with me in the last year will tell you I'm hard on my nets and well after going through 3 pool cleaners a cummings dip net and having broken my perfect dipnet (like at first I bent the pole and then after a few weeks of bending it back I snapped the head in two yesterday) I am looking for a net that can take abuse like a hockey players teeth and not break. any ideas?

thanks in advance,

Edited by killier, 09 April 2009 - 10:41 PM.

#2 Guest_rjmtx_*

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Posted 10 April 2009 - 12:53 AM

These nets are as close to indestructable as you can get. Electrofishing dipnets. I get mine from Forestry Suppliers.

http://www.forestry-...age.asp?mi=5055

#3 Guest_EdBihary_*

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Posted 10 April 2009 - 09:21 AM

These nets are as close to indestructable as you can get. Electrofishing dipnets. I get mine from Forestry Suppliers.

http://www.forestry-...age.asp?mi=5055

It looks an awful lot like a perfect dipnet to me.

#4 Guest_rjmtx_*

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Posted 10 April 2009 - 09:28 AM

The things we do to those nets... We electroshocked a beaver once (accident) and picked it up in that dipnet. They also handle huge buffalo, gar, carp, etc. We generally repair them with small zip ties, until it's time to switch the Franken-net out (which is rare).

#5 Guest_daveneely_*

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Posted 10 April 2009 - 10:26 AM

The things we do to those nets...

yeah, those are some decent nets, but if you want indestructable, try Duraframe Dipnets (google it, it should pop right up). They're made in Wisconsin and while they're not cheap, they're the best commercially available. If you're good at metal/fiberglass fabrication and have access to some basic tools, you could probably whip something similar up yourself for much less $, but what's your time worth...?

#6 Guest_rjmtx_*

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Posted 10 April 2009 - 02:31 PM

You know, I just realised that our bigger, older, heavy duty nets are Duraframes. That is a serious net. Lately, I've been shocking off the front a 12' Jon Boat, so we've been using the smaller Forestry Supply nets. The drivers don't get KOed as often when they get hit by the lighter nets in a frenzy.

#7 Guest_PhilipKukulski_*

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 07:58 AM

The things we do to those nets... We electroshocked a beaver once (accident) and picked it up in that dipnet. They also handle huge buffalo, gar, carp, etc. We generally repair them with small zip ties, until it's time to switch the Franken-net out (which is rare).

I repair nets with dental floss; the wax helps keep the string end straight for threading the holes in the net.

Take a 12 inch piece of dental floss, thread both sides of the hole in the net, tie an ordinary double granny knot, tighten leaving one end very short, then cut off the excess on both ends. Reuse the long piece for the next knot. Repeat many times.

#8 Guest_PhilipKukulski_*

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 08:02 AM

Anyone who has fished with me in the last year will tell you I'm hard on my nets and well after going through 3 pool cleaners a cummings dip net and having broken my perfect dipnet (like at first I bent the pole and then after a few weeks of bending it back I snapped the head in two yesterday) I am looking for a net that can take abuse like a hockey players teeth and not break. any ideas?

thanks in advance,

I inserted a hardwood dowel into the handle of my Perfect Dipnet (after I bent it once and partially straightened it.)

I have broken one netting yoke. All I can say is avoid bending the yolk, and also avoid straightening the yoke.

After 200 collecting sites, the Perfect Dipnet passes the test.

#9 Guest_Doug_Dame_*

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 10:16 AM

... I'm hard on my nets and well after going through 3 pool cleaners a cummings dip net and having broken my perfect dipnet .... I am looking for a net that can take abuse like a hockey players teeth and not break. any ideas?

I'm apparently brutal on nets too, working heavy vegetation (see Normadin, Ken) and pulling up bottom muck as I sometimes do put serious stress on the working end.

I really like the Perfect Dipnet, but I've broken the yoke on 3 of them, getting about two seasons of use from each one. Looked at as part of the annual cost of engaging in the hobby, that's about $25 per year, or $0.xx per hour, which really is not bad at all, and less than I pay for fishing licenses in 3/4/5 states, which also "break" after no more than a year of use and have to be replaced.

However, I now have a Duraframe, which is way more expensive but seems to be indestructible even to my style of collecting, and I don't worry that I'll be 500 miles from home on a expedition and break my net. But I will be HIGHLY miffed if I ever leave it creekside somewhere.

An alternative that might be cheaper would be to just buy 2 Perfect or Cummings dipnets, and always keep an extra on hand as a backup. (This has the additional benefit of having some extra gear pm hand to use for NANFA missionary work, when a friend or newb wants to go out and see what this native fish thing is all about.)

Doug

Edited by Doug_Dame, 11 April 2009 - 10:17 AM.