Landing Nets
The landing net aids the angler by scooping up a large fish as it nears the shore or the boat. The sizes of landing nets differ greatly, with the species of fish influencing the type of net the angler will use. For example, a trout fisherman will use an 11 inch by 15 inch net, while someone who regularly targets northern pike will employ a much larger 32 inch by 42 inch net. Most landing nets have a teardrop-shaped design with a handle. The mesh that hangs from the net are most commonly made from rubber, noncoated nylon or nylon that has a coating. The rubber and coated nylon mesh nets will not injure a fish as readily as a noncoated net, which tends to scrape away scales and the slimy layer on a fish that protects the creature from infection and disease. The shorter the handle a net possesses the closer the angler must bring the fish before netting it. Some landing nets have a telescoping handle. Most landing net handles are made of aluminum or wood.
Baitwell Nets
The type of net used to scoop up fish from a holding tank or a bait bucket is a baitwell net. These nets come in handy when the weather is cold and the angler does not wish to stick her hand in a bucket to secure a shiner. Ice fishermen, in particular, enjoy the benefits of one of these nets. These nets are made from untreated micro-mesh, which is an inferior mesh to those that are on landing nets but sufficient to do the job of netting smaller baitfish. Some baitwell nets will float, which helps when an angler on a boat loses one over the side. The shape of a baitwell net can vary between a D-shaped hoop at the top of the net to a more traditional teardrop shape. The D-shaped baitwell net is excellent for catching small fish in a flat-sided tank, while the teardrop type works better in a round bucket.
Cast and Seine
Nets that trap bait in the open water come in two types---a cast net and a seine net. The angler holds onto the throw line and throws the cast net over the top of schooling baitfish and a weighted perimeter on the net drags the net down rapidly, trapping the fish under it. The angler then pulls the net in by the line, which closes up the net, keeping the fish inside it. The seine net is simply netting placed between a pair of poles. There are weights on the bottom and floats on top. It only takes one person to use a seine net, although multiple people can help in the process. The individual walks in the water with the poles apart and the net extended, trapping fish in the current before lifting the net and the catch out of the water.
