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Whether you’re fishing for pike, carp or pollock – or indeed any other fish – you’re going to need a fishing net. Not only do fishing nets help you catch the fish (an important factor when fishing), but they mitigate injuries that can occur when a fish is thrashing around or if you are dragging the fish to shore. Not recommended.
From personal experience – particularly when lure fishing – a foldable, telescopic net made from high-quality metal and rubber mesh is the best type of all-around net. If you’re fishing for larger freshwater fish like carp, then you’ll need a longer-handled, wider net than if you’re fishing for pike or – obviously – trout.
Below you’ll find a roundup of the best fishing nets on the market including nets for catch-and-release fishermen, predator anglers and carp lovers. If you’re after a good coarse fishing reel or one of the best fishing chairs on the market, then we’ve got you covered too.
Table of contents
What is our current fishing net setup?
The type of fishing you’re doing absolutely influences the type of fishing net you need. If you’re out on a river fishing for pike and trout with relatively light gear, then nets like the above our our favourites. Super easy to transport and more than do the job.
If you’re fishing for big carp is larger lakes or out fishing on a boat for some serious saltwater beasts, you’ll need some more all-consuming nets. When you’re out lure fishing, keeping everything as light as possible is a real benefit.
What is the best fishing net?
The all-around best fishing net is Savage Gear’s Pro Tele Folding Net. It’s capable of handling predators well into double figures, is both salt and freshwater compatible (although saltwater use will see some level of degradation) and folds for easy transportation.
If you’re looking for one net that caters to all your fresh and saltwater needs, then this meshed marvel is the one for you.
What makes a good fishing net?
A good fishing net must be made out of high-quality netting material – rubber or coated / non-coated nylon – have suitably sized mesh holes, hoop size and handle length for the type of fishing you’re doing. Lighter fishing in smaller rivers and streams requires a smaller hooped net with smaller mesh holes.
Ultimately a good fishing net has to be one that is best suited to your style of fishing. If, like us, you’re lure fishing fanatics that walk for miles, you’ll need a folding, ideal telescopic or dual-armed durable net. If you’re more of a carp or bank angler, you’ll need a longer, more powerful net that is wider and able to handle heavier loads.
If you’re practising catch-and-release fishing you should opt for a rubber or coated nylon fishing net so as not to damage the fish. An uncoated nylon net can damage the fish’s scales as it is more abrasive.
At a glance
The 8 best fishing nets
Savage Gear Pro Tele Folding NetBest predator fishing net
eBay
Amazon.co.uk
Fishing, Tackle & Bait
Go Outdoors
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- Two size options: 65 x 50cm or 70 x 85cm
- The folding mechanism and telescopic handle are excellent for transportation and the telescopic handle is stronger than traditional fold-out net handles
- Perfectly suited to covering distance when angling
- Aesthetically a superb net
Savage Gear’s Pro Tele Folding Net is a personal favourite and one of the very best nets on the market. Particularly when it comes to pike or predator fishing. The aluminium, telescopic frame is surprisingly sturdy and makes fishing from the bank and wading downstream straightforward.
The larger mesh hole net construction is designed for catch-and-release fishing. Whilst they are unsuitable for smaller fish, the rubberised materials and reduction in contact points ensure the fish is kept in perfect condition. If you’re out and about lure fishing for pike, this net is perfect and it can handle itself in saltwater too.
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Snowbee Ranger Folding Fishing NetBest value all-around fishing net
Sportfish
- Telescopic handle, folding net complete with knotless, rubber-coated mesh bag
- Tubular aluminium handle and hinges
- Spring-loaded, sliding nylon collar
- Comes in three sizes: small, medium and large
The Snowbee Ranger Folding Fishing Net is a range of folding fishing nets with rubberised mesh netting designed to mitigate any surface damage to fish when caught. The solid aluminium hinges are sturdy and make attaching the folded net to your waist with the belt clip a breeze. Supremely simple, convenient and durable for this price.
The net comes in three sizes (small, medium and large), with each net serving a slightly different purpose. The small net is great for trout and coarse fishing in smaller rivers and streams where you don’t need extended reach. The medium net has simple ‘twist-lock’ telescopic handles and is ideal for general coarse and stillwater fishing. The large net can cope with almost any stillwater and river fish, doubling up as a bank or boat net, complete with an extra-long telescopic handle.
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Mclean Telescopic Hinged Tri Rubber Weigh NetBest fishing net with a weighing scale included
- Telescopic handle folding arm (reach of 49″) net that is surprisingly easy to transport
- Weighing scale up to 14lb included in the handle
- Durable aluminium construction
- High-quality rubberised mesh netting
Mclean’s Telescopic Hinged Tri Rubber Weigh Net is Fantastic for big fish and surprisingly easy to transport thanks to the folding arm and telescopic handle. The bronze aluminium construction is very sturdy and the overall reach of 49 inches is more than suitable for most scenarios.
This compact, foldable fishing net hides a disguised weighing scale within its telescopic handle. A really innovative idea that negates the need for you to have a weighing scale and net as separate products. Incredibly easy to carry thanks to the folding handle, net and belt attachment and capable of landing some pretty serious fish (although the scale only goes up to 14lb).
As fishermen who never remember to buy or bring a weighing scale, we love this net.
Solar P1 Bow-Loc Landing NetBest carp fishing net
- Folding landing net suitable for the world’s largest carp
- Complete with a one-touch, quick-release net to handle components and a carry-bag
- 106cm stainless steel arms made from carbon weave
- Rust and discolouration-free
Solar’s P1 Bow-Loc Landing Net is both the priciest and the best quality net on the list. Hardly surprising. It is arguably the best quality net we’ve ever seen. The carbon fibre body and laser-etched finish make you feel like you’re holding a piece of art rather than a fishing net. The body is the strongest you’re likely to find – particularly when it comes to carp fishing. So if you’re after some serious monsters, you can’t go wrong with this net.
We love the one-touch, quick-release handle as it makes transporting and packing it almost seamless. And the rust and discolouration-free finish is a nice touch. You don’t want to spend over £200 on a net only for it to fade away into infuriating obscurity.
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Trakker Sanctuary T3 Landing NetBest fishing net for large freshwater fish
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- 180cm carbon two-piece handle
- Free-flow olive-coloured net mesh designed to mitigate any damage to fish
- Handle complete with a Japanese Shrink Wrap Grip – ultra-grippy
- Comes with a bespoke stainless steel spreader block and a drawstring bag
Trakker’s Sanctuary T3 Landing Net is suitable for the largest freshwater fish. Its high-quality carbon-made handle and stainless steel spreader block are unbreakable – particularly in UK waters. The fish, unfortunately, just aren’t quite powerful enough.
The two-piece handle is a nice touch. Its six feet reach makes the net particularly useful when fishing from higher up on the bank. The matte black handle and olive green mesh are unnecessarily camouflaged, but aesthetically pleasing. Whether this makes it harder for the fish to pick up on a net is up for debate, but it’s a nice touch.
Savage Gear Easy Fold Street Fishing NetBest urban fishing net
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- Dimensions: 50×45×40cm
- Handle length: 71-250cm
- Adjustable shoulder strap, belt clip and folding nature make for superb transportation
- Twist lock telescopic, composite handle
Savage Gear’s Easy Fold Street Fishing Net is arguably the best net for urban fishing on the market. Ultra-lightweight, easy to carry and foldable, its telescopic reach is ideal for reaching otherwise hard-to-land fish from canal walls or higher-up dockland walkways. Capable of landing jack pike, huge perch, zander and other typical urban predators, this net is our favourite for fishing in London.
The telescopic handle length is superb (71cm – 250cm) and means there’s almost nowhere you can’t safely land a big pike, zander or carp from. The adjustable shoulder strap, belt clip and foldable frame make carrying it incredibly easy. Perfect for long trips down canals and urban waterways. This street fishing net does exactly what is promised.
Orvis Wide Mouth Fishing NetBest fly fishing net
Orvis
Orvis UK
- Dimensions: 37 ½” x 12 ¾”
- Handle length: 19 ½”
- Large hoop sizing reduces fish abrasions and mitigates knots and tangles
- Larger hoops make unhooking tangled flies easy
- Lightweight durable composite construction
The Orvis Wide Mouth Guide Net features an extra large hoop to aid in more productive fishing trips. Not only does it make catching a fish easier, but the larger net hoops reduce the amount of material in contact with the fish. This means the fish will be much safer when caught and the number of hook tangles is greatly reduced and easier to remove. Perfect for the fly fishermen who is sick and tired of untangling flies from netting.
The durable composite material is designed to last and won’t age in the same way as wood. A top-of-the-range fly fishing and wading net that will last a lifetime. With an almost 20″ handle reach and lightweight construction, this easy-to-carry net is surprisingly sturdy, even doubling up as a boat fishing net.
Abu Garcia Beast Landing NetBest pike fishing net
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- 70cm x 60cm (90cm depth) or 80cm x 70cm (100cm depth)
- Telescopic net with a folding and non-folding option
- Extra-strong rubberised mesh netting
- Strong, durable metal frame
Abu Garcia’s Beast Landing Net is a superb landing net for targeting large predatory fish – particularly pike. The netting is designed to withstand serious-sized fish and any abrasions that could occur from a thrashing predator. The special rubber lifting grip above the spreader block makes hefting a large urban pike from canals or quays onto the bank much easier. If you’re in the market for a good value, very strong net capable of handling 20lb + pike, the Beast Net is an excellent option.
Whilst it isn’t the easiest net to transport (as you’d expect from a net named Beast), there is a folding and non-folding option available. Of course, the non-folding option is slightly more adept at handling huge fish, but the foldable option is still arguably the strongest folding option on the market.
Best of the rest
Savage Gear Pro Folding DLX Landing Net
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The Savage Gear Pro Folding DLX Fishing Landing Net is a folding landing net designed for predatory fish. It folds in half width-wise, which makes storing and transporting it incredibly easy. Just attach it to your belt or backpack and off you go. truly one of the best value nets on the market and like most products Savage Gear related, the quality belies the price.
Guru Barb Safe Landing Nets
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Guru’s Barb-Safe Landing Net is an excellent option for both beginners and trout fishermen who don’t practice catch and release. Tremendous value and excellent for both fly fishing and fishing in smaller streams, the open-mesh net is designed so that barbs slide right out.
Aesthetically the net looks great for something that costs under £15. Its lightweight nature and detachable handle/net are perfect for great smaller streams and packing light. A great little net for the price.
Snowbee 3-in-1 Hand Trout Fishing Net
Decathlon UK
Snowbee’s 3-in-1 Hand Trout Landing Net is another excellent fishing net designed for trout and smaller fish. Complete with two handles – a shorter length competition standard one and a longer one designed for bank fishing – make this net a must-have for smaller stream fishermen. But not for those who use barbs.
Whilst it isn’t suitable for larger predatory fish or stronger currents, Snowbee’s dual-handled rod is excellent for fly fishing and lightweight coarse fishing. Both from the bank and in-stream. The flat bottom panel is designed so fish can recover quickly and quietly, perfect for catch-and-release fishing.
Mclean Folding Telescopic Fishing Net
As one of the best net manufacturers around, Mclean is an award-winning brand synonymous with making superb fishing nets. And Mclean’s Folding Telescopic Fishing Net. Complete with a range telescopic handle and excellent reach, secure fastenings, a locking head mechanism and a folding handle, it’s as adept at handling fish with care in all manner of locations as it is transporting and storing. The rubber net mesh is durable and – most importantly – easy on the fish.
Advanta PS Folding Rubber Landing Net
Advanta PS Folding Rubber Landing Net is designed for both predator and boat fishing. Strong, but lightweight it’s a really excellent option for travelling light downriver in autumn or spring and – for the cost-cutters amongst us – can handle large fish in saltwater conditions. A genuine 2-in-1.
Advanta is Angling Direct’s own brand that is synonymous with reasonable quality products at excellent prices. The only contentious point is that Advanta was originally set up as a carp fishing brand and its expertise is not in predator or pike fishing.
FAQs
This depends on the type of fishing you’re doing. Rubber or coated nylon nets are best for catch-and-release fishing. Whereas traditional nylon nets work fine for non-catch and release. If you’re lure fishing on smaller streams or rivers you should opt for a smaller hooped net with smaller mesh holes. Larger, more powerful fish require a larger hooped net with larger mesh holes.
Hi, I'm Harry. A keen, albeit exceedingly average fisherman. I've spent the last few years trawling London's waterways with - if I'm being kind - varied success and would love to help you avoid the mistakes I have made.
