I had a few hours spare on Wednesday afternoon, so off I went to Bolton Abbey to have a bash ion the Wharfe. I got all togged up, trundled to the waters edge, and tackled up. As I started to clamber over the boulders something began to niggle me, then I realised that I had forgotten my landing net. Now, if I could be certain that the fish were all small I might have continued, but last time I fished the Wharfe I got some some good sized fish out. I was not at all confident that I could bring the big ones to hand without a net and I always fish catch and release, so I reeled in and ended up nattering with the keeper.

Do any of you NOT use a net?

I try to use a net wherever possible but I have fogotten it on the odd occassion and had to release fish whilst still in the water. I wouldn't have gone home without fishing.

BK

I'd have fished. I used to fish sans net all the time with no problems. I prefer a net because you don't play a fish as long, but considering the temps are still very low (compared to the US) and the fish are in good shape, I'd fish without a net. Wading makes it a bit easier as do long nosed, curved forcepts. You can expect to loose a fly or two when releasing a fish as inevitably you'll grab the tippet once instead of the fly. Most often in my case that means the leader snaps and the fly pops out from lack of line pressure. You'll see it start to fall in the water and get washed away.

For bigger fish, just back them into the shallows and beach them when they are tired.

Thanks
Rick

I'd have fished,without giving it too much thought(seconds)I've C&R large Salmon without a net with no problems,apart from taking a bit more time.

Jim

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The Fishermans Friend is the Flirty Fly,Fickle Food for Fleeting Fish.

I'd have fished without giving it any thought. Most places I fish require the fish being released to be unhooked without netting. It's fairly easy to grab the leader, slide the hand down to the hook, wee twist and the fish is released. If it doesn't swim straight off, I'll gently hold it under clear water till it does.

First trip out early this season, all set up on the bank and then realised all 3 of my fly boxes were safely stored at home in my tying cabinet reckon I could manage without a net, but you try fly fishing without flies

Plumpy

As with Jim, and the next poster, it's actually quite unusual to see any one with a net here in the PNW. Two exceptions would be fishing out of a drift boat, or where the beach config just doesn't allow you to actually get into the water (safely) when fishing off the beach.

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"The problems we face today are there because the people who work for a
living are now outnumbered by those who vote for a living." -- Anonymous

Nets are good if you have high banks.

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[COLOR="Blue"]"A fish seen is a fish nearly caught"[/COLOR]

Oh I don't know.

If it's a popular spot, there's usually a few flies to be found dropped on the platforms, hanging in the trees etc, and if your eyesight is really good, in the grass and undergrowth behind the back-cast.

Press on.

I mean, unless you're some kind of crazed, conk-o-maniac, meat fisherman and would suffer horrible nightmares and and PTSD when thinking about all the "meat" you "lost" by having a fish or two flop of on a long distance release, what would it matter? I mean, sure, there are guys out there who practice thier technique with the priest as much as they practice casting, and I'm sure having a trout or two flop off would kill many of these iron mongering, meat flinging, hardware hocking, freezer fillers. But hey, there but for the grace of God go we fly anglers, eh?

I did something similar about 8-10 years ago, I forgot to clip my net to the back of my vest before I left the truck. It was probably one of only a handful of times in a decade when I fished without one.

Of course, there could be but one outcome. I hooked what was easily the biggest brown of my life. Played him, got him close, and. . . predictably. . . reached for the net. . . Yeah.

He flopped off as I tried to land him by hand. I maintain it counts as a "catch", hey, I touched him so by international rules. . . But of course I didn't get a measurement or a picture, which was too bad, but one way or another he was going back anyway so oh well.

Grouse.