What to Look for in a Pike Fishing Net

If you're going chasing after some trophy size normal high it is very important to make sure you have all the necessary equipment to lure that trophy fish in. One piece of fishing equipment that too often gets overlooked is the fishing net. While having the right piece of fishing tackle, strong enough fishing line, and strong enough fishing rod is extremely important, if you don't have the perfect fishing net to finish off the job then you're just setting yourself up for heartbreak.

Finding the perfect northern pike fishing gear can be a challenge, but if you're going to be chasing after true trophy northern pike then it is very important for you to be completely prepared. In many ways it would be even worse to hook the fish and get it to the boat only to find that you don't have a strong enough fishing net to get it in - because you don't know when your next second chance will be.

When you're talking about smaller fish like sunfish for walleye, having a cheaper fishing net is not nearly so big a deal.  However, trophy northern pike gets over 30 pounds or on other continents they have even been known to get as large as 50 or 60 pounds.  When you're talking about a fish this size, which also has a good deal of length to it, having a strong and lengthy fishing net becomes all the more important. One of the first things you are looking for is a net that strong enough to hold 40 pounds of fish.

It's important to remember that even a 20 pound northern pike is going to thrash around with a lot of extra power and strength and thus having a stronger net is better than having a weaker one. The next thing to look for is the strength of the material the netting is attached to. While many strong fishing nets have the non-netting sections made from steel, I have heard more than one story of a giant fish that got away is achieved net with an aluminum base rent or gave out at just the wrong time.  With pike, it's just better not to take the chance.

Finally one of the most important things to look at is the depth of the nets. Giant northern pike tend to be long and so you still need long nets good enought to scoop up 40 or 50 inches of fish. If you have a smaller net is often used for pan fish or smaller species like walleye, the sheer size of the northern pike might make netting awkward, which could be enough for to slip away at the last minute. If you're not going to go cheap on anything else, and if you truly want to capture a trophy size northern pike you can't go cheap, then don't skimp out on the net. Getting it to the boat is only half the battle. Getting it all the way in and finishing it requires a nets as good as any other piece of equipment you have for your fishing outing