fish net for sturgeon

[otis32]

I have seen a lot of guys using landing net for sturgeon. What size do you have and what is a good kind? thanks and good luck!

[2121 WARRIOR]

i would get a beckman musky net, with the smaller holes in the net so the fins dont get caught up and split the fin. i am no expert on these...got some last sunday...what a strong fish!!!

[otis32]

Give me a call z 85. I see u have some friends fishing this weekend. I have a tip 4 u.

[lakowoods]

Otis right on the beckmans I have some very nice and big ones here, the sturgies are biting pretty good right now, lots of fish over 55" reported! Steve

[upnorthozzy]

A muskie cradle works good as well.

[JimBuck]

If you don't need a large net outside of sturgeon fishing, I would just hand land your fish if your going with buddies. Once they are tired its pretty easy to land em' and they are quite docile out of water. Otherwise I like frabills big game series with the coated net. Good luck.

[GCLARK]

The easiest way we have found over the years is to grab them by the tail and hoist them into the boat. They are by then pretty tired out.

[Tim_Anderson]

We use a big Beckman musky net, but only for the really big sturgeon - say mid to upper 50 inch or more. Otherwise, we "wrangle" the fish beside the boat, bringing them in by holding their pectoral fins and their tail, or just popping the hook out when they are in the water beside the boat.

The large bag can be tough to use in the fast current. Putting the entire net into the river causes a huge amount of drag, and it's really tough to sweep it upstream toward a fish.

Timing is pretty important. We have the guy fighting the fish go to the front of the boat when the fish is tired. With the fish on the surface, the guy in the back of the boat comes in from behind the fish with the net. The guy in the front drops his rod tip and lets the fish turn and fall back into the net on it's own. Works pretty good, but those really long fat fish can be a challenge to net even in the really big musky nets.

The best you can hope for is to have the opportunity to try! Good luck.

Tim Anderson

[harvey lee]

Ditto what Tim said. I also only net land fish over 50. The rest by hand.

[DTro]

If the fish are "dog tired" by the time you are ready to land them, you are more than likely undersized with your gear you are using to catch them.

Yes, it might be a lot of fun to do the Chinese fire drill for 30 minutes or more, but you are not doing that fish any favors by battling them to the bitter end.

You can still land a "green" fish by hand, but it's a little tougher, and that is why I prefer a big net. Get the fish to the boat, in the net, up for a quick photo, and back in.

Sturgeon are tough customers, and can handle being out of water a lot longer than most fish, but I still like to get then in and back out asap.

[Random guy]

Great post Dtro!

I net every fish in a Beckman Big Kahuna with fin saver netting, works great.

[harvey lee]

It's good for the fish to use a net. One can unhook them in the water, pull them out when the camera is ready and one only has the fish out of water for maybe 1 minute at the most.

[topcat3820]

Isn't the Big Kahuna by Frabill, Jonny (for about $190 ) ??? Not real crazy on their mesh, though... cats are always getting their fins tangled & No-Rolls drop right through. Beckman makes the Pen Fin Saver nets... good choice, but still around $150-$160 (great mesh on fins, too ). Small mesh is the way to go for keeping fish safe, IMO.

[Random guy]

Oops got my nets mixed up Yes you are correct. I have a big Beckman Pen net along with two nails full of old nets. I knew it was big and made by Beckman...I was close. I had to go out to the garage and look.

I have also used a Big Stomaster with fin saver netting and the Fabrills although you are correct the mesh is a bit more course on the Fabrill.

Another reason I prefer netting the fish is the Rainy River is cold and fast. I do not need a reason to lean over the boat and try to wrestle a fish.

[Matt Breuer]

I prefer to hand-land them. Always have, probably always will. We tested a sturgeon lassoo once which we deemed roughly the same as hand-landing, without getting both hands wet... I think it's much faster and far less stressful on the fish if you hand land and know what you're doing. It's quick, it's easy, and no rubbing or tangles.

[Random guy]

I think the point that is being missed is to hand land a sturgeon it has to be worn out and docile, this is bad news for any fish...or any living critter for that matter. No need to fight the fish to near death so it may be man handled. Run heavy gear, bring the fish in and put it in a net; doing everybody a favor.

A good example would be if I quickly grabbed Matt by the ears and pulled him down before yanking a tooth. No big deal other then Matt would be a little upset. Now if I made him run in circles on a leash for an hour before grabbing him by the ears and pulling him down for that tooth it would be deemed inhumane. Matt most likely would not come out of the whole tooth pulling deal as well after being exhausted to the point of fainting...he is really going to be in trouble when I dump him in the heavy current and tell him to swim for it.

Ya know I'm surprised all those biologist and fisheries personnel don't hand land fish out of the tanks...hmmmm.

Use a net, respect the resource.

[gizmoguy]

I just got back and was very impressed with my new stowmaster. Its the biggest one they make. Very easy on the fish. Very deep net. Scooped up a 60" very easy. Once in the net the fish was very easy to handle. Folded up and was very friendly in the boat for such a big net. Could handle a much bigger fish. I feel it paid for itself already.

[Matt Breuer]

We play them quickly, get them to the side of the boat, grab them by the tail, cradle their underside, and bring 'em in. We don't wait 'til their dead. I've done it both ways, I feel that it's faster and less stressful for the fish to hand-land. Just my observation and opinion... then again, I'm no expert, or even a dentist for that matter...

[harvey lee]

I certainly am no expert but, when I land a fish in my net, it is only out of the water for maybe 30 seconds. It is unhooked in the net, pilled out for a pic and then returned.

I have watched people fish thenm with lighter gear and after a 20-30 minute fight, there cannot be much left in the fish at all. Aty times they pull the anchor and have to drift with the fish as their gear cannot handle these larger fish.

With a good pole and a net, these fish are caught, landed and photo'd with as little stress as there can be.

I totally agree Jonny.

[topcat3820]

OK, Matt... you've piqued my curiosity... how's this lasso work and what's it made of ???

For all the same reasons that Jonny gave and for the fact that it's a multi-species net for me (you ever try & hand land a Red river channel cat ???), I think a small mesh net is still the way to go. Having said that, I still hand grab the smaller sturgeon (under 50"), especially in the heavy current areas we fish up here.

[fiskyknut]

Terry.. A Salmon 'tailer', they work good on the Sturgeonfish.

AFTCO makes a couple models.

I just grab them slimey things by the peduncle.. Ishta!

Boating them is half the fun, or more.. Yawn.

[fishinfey8]

I know what you mean by tiring out the fish Johny. I caught my first sturgeon earlier today walleye fishing and it cannot be good for the fish. I don't know if you could grab them without them being super tired out. What lb. braid is needed in order to get these things in the boat quickly??

[Random guy]

I am running 40lb on my lightest rod and 80lb on the standard 10' rods.

[Northlander]

I just got back and was very impressed with my new stowmaster. Its the biggest one they make. Very easy on the fish. Very deep net. Scooped up a 60" very easy. Once in the net the fish was very easy to handle. Folded up and was very friendly in the boat for such a big net. Could handle a much bigger fish. I feel it paid for itself already.

I recomend the big Stowmaster as well. The new smaller Stowmaster mesh is very nice and fish friendly. For a BIG net it can be folded up and stowed away easily. Can handle any fish we get in these parts thats for sure. Spendy but worth every cent in my opinion.

[topcat3820]

OK, which model & how spendy... gonna' bring a new one home with me, anyway .

[Northlander]

Try looking at the TS116y its 36 by 38 hoop and 116" length is good for musky and sturgies. Depending on where you get them they can be found for $175 to about $200. I really like the fine hook free mesh that is very nice on fish. Well as good as any net can be. For a net so big its very easy to fold up and store. I suggest getting the extra zip up storage cover bag. Makes storing even neater.