fin clips are right, left and both belley fins, and the small top lower back fin. if you see split tails, thats a net scar in sebago, almost no one has a rubber net. on many fish you can see were they reattach in time. seems to be more males right now than earlier in the year
There was a thread on split tails from "killer" nets (as one of the Winni guides said) a month or so ago. That thread caused me to put aside my 'killer' net and use a rubber net...but boy are they hard to use alone and one-handed...Eric H.
A good reliable fishing partner is worth his weight on gold for that reason alone. I shudder at the thought of catching a huge fish when fishing alone.
I lost allot of fish trying to net by myself when I used my 9'trolling rods and shorter net, now with my 96' telescope net and my 7' trolling rods I manage allot better, but your right they are heavyyyyyyy to "one hand". I rest it on the side of the boat with 1 hand and try to get the fish in the net with the other, then put the rod in the holder (or just drop it) and use both hands to get the net back in the boat. It aint easy, but we manage OK, the fact that they are easier on the fish and nearly tangle free, are worth the battle. I spent more valuable fishin time trying to get spoons, etc. untangled on the old style nets than I care to remember, can't catch fish unless the lines in the water. The rubber nets are the only tangle free nets that I know of, others make that claim, but they are not a tangle free as the rubber.
LOL! John - I learned to do the same thing. I use the stern end of the gunwale like a fulcrum and just try and hold the net in the water steady and guide the fish to it...Did this with a 23" plus laker (hard) and a 21" frisky salmon (harder) and whole bunch of other fish in the 17-22 in range...Frankly, this was very, VERY hard even with the side-of-boat-as-fulcrum method, but believe it or not I have not donkeyed a fish since going strictly with the rubber net. Maybe thats good "karma" for making up for the extra effort to reduce injury to the fish? On the flip side, I find it MUCH easier to dehook and release AFTER the fish is in the rubber net...
Hey John - maybe we're on to something for using rubber nets alone? What about mounting a short "guide" on a swivel on the stern to put the handle of the net in so you could better maneuver and hold the net with one hand....hmmm
Let me know what you come up with, my Frabil Rubber net net is really too heavy to one hand, but I suppose it's not really designed for using it (one hand) that way.
You come up with the idea and I'll help field test it.
Quick Question where the heck did you find a 96' telecoping net??????? That's gotta be the longest net i have ever heard of LMAO Take Care God Bless and Tight Lines LOL Dave From up North
96" I think? Mine is probably almost that long...and yeah I was one arming it...tough. My idea brought on by our posts is something like an old style oarlock, you know not the "modern" plug-in / pin style but the old "C" ring / swivel type you'd just lay the barrel of the oar in. This would take a lot of the weight and allow you still to push in / pull out and turn side to side...I'll make a sketch...Any of you guys good on the fabrication side? At work I'm normally the 'idea guy' and others with more real skills build my weird ideas...
Oh 96" inches LMAO on your post you wrote 96Feet LMAO I was just kidding with ya Yes i saw your net and will be ordering one this winter Take Care God Bless and Tight Lines LOL Dave From up North
