http://www.flyfishing-and-flytying.co.uk/
John Goddard explains why he's at an advantage by not taking a landing net to the riverside, and how he releases fish with the use of his rod-tip.I found this article on the Fly fishing & Flt tying UK site. John Goddard does not take a landing net with, and I see the merits. How many times have you got tangled up with a bush while getting to and from the river? Interesting view point from accross the pond.
One aspect or tradition adhered to by the vast majority of fly fishers is that one should always carry a landing net when fishing. Whilst I accept under some circumstances it may be prudent to conslder this - if your quarry are very large fish such as salmon, steelhead and even large sea trout, or when trout fishing in stillwater from a boat, where it can be dangerous to lean over the side - I do not agree, particularly when fishing rivers for trout or grayling and covering a lot of water, where it is sensible to travel as light as possible. Apart from the weight aspect, landing nets when clipped to bag, or belt, or even looped over one's shoulder seem to act like a magnet to any tree, bush, fence or post in the vicinity and have to be constantly untangled. In addition to this, I am sure that more fish are lost at the net by mishandling than for any other reason. It is a long, long time since I last carried a landing net on a river, as providing you know what to do it is a relatively simple matter to land any trout with your hand - even very large double-figure fish.....................
For more on this article have a look at the site here
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