Any Springer Wannabe's Around?

Some to check out would be Milo Mciver state park and barton county park, barton for sure should have some sites.

Just a head's up that the campground is closed a Barton right now, I think due to tree damage from the ice storm.

Here's a picture of one of our members on his 1st Springer hunt with me, a couple of years ago.


Let's get bloody!
-Mark-

This day and photo started my addiction lol

Netting Advice Please

I'm very new to kayak fishing and was able to hook my first springer this past Monday...only to lose it while trying to net it. I reeled it in all the way to weight swivel but with a 5-6 ft leader I wasn't able to get it super close to the kayak and every time I attempted to net the beast, it would take off. Maybe I didn't get the fish tired enough and/or maybe my netting technique is amateur at best. Is this a common issue for other kayak anglers?
Anyone have advice on netting technique?

Cheers!

As hard as it is to hook one in a kayak, it’s even harder to net it cleanly.
Guys (crews of >1) in powerboats have a dedicated “netter”, whose only job is to net the fish.  It’s really difficult in a kayak, by yourself, to manage a salmon, and manipulate it into a net held by a single, overextended arm, without netting either your weight, flasher, or some other part of your rigging. 
I’ve had the best success when I didn’t try to rush things, and let the salmon play itself out with multiple runs. 
Of course, their are lots of confounding variables, such as seals, sea lions, and the ethics of exhausting a potential native fish (when applicable) that you want to release with the greatest probability of survival. 
I would try to take some solace in the fact that you actually hooked up; it means you’re doing a lot right (or just got lucky😜).
Sometimes they just get away,  despite you doing everything right.

Netting Advice Please

I'm very new to kayak fishing and was able to hook my first springer this past Monday...only to lose it while trying to net it. I reeled it in all the way to weight swivel but with a 5-6 ft leader I wasn't able to get it super close to the kayak and every time I attempted to net the beast, it would take off. Maybe I didn't get the fish tired enough and/or maybe my netting technique is amateur at best. Is this a common issue for other kayak anglers?
Anyone have advice on netting technique?

Cheers!

Here's a little tutorial I put together a couple of years ago.  It's specifically for paddle kayaks but most of the advice holds true for peddle kayaks as well.  The one difference is that with a peddle kayak, you can use your drive to tire the fish out and direct the fish to present itself for netting.  Hope it's useful!

I'm pretty ardent about how I have things setup specifically to make netting fish easier, because lets be real, given the leaders we're working with and the fact that we're doing this solo, it's hard.

I always have my net over the shoulder of the arm that I reel with and I always try to keep the fish on that side of the kayak (it's a helluva lot easier with a pedal kayak). Since I'm left handed, I hold the rod with my left hand and reel with my right hand, so the right is my fighting side.


When fighting a fish, I'm always working towards taking the fish for a walk. I point into whatever current exists and try to keep going that direction until the fight is over. This way, I can keep tension on the line and wear the fish out. When the fish starts showing its belly enough, I can let off the pedals to let the fish go ahead of me just a bit, then swing its head back around, and drop my net for it to float right into. Doesn't always work that way, but it's very nice and easy when it does. Here's an example from my channel:

My salmon netting approach mirrors what Rawkfish described. Only difference is I'm right-handed, so I have the net ready on my left side and aim to always keep the fish on my left. When I think I'm getting close to "net time", I'll often lay the net on the bow of my Revo, with the bag draped over the port side. If you do this, be sure to lay the bag in a way so that there's no risk of it snagging anything on your kayak.

A pedal-driven kayak makes things much easier for smooth netting. Like Rawkfish says, you can "walk" with your fish while slowly pedaling forward until the fish is tired. Don't rush the net job--while there are some situations where you can make a quick scoop, such as when the fish refuses to run after hookup and just comes right at you shaking its head, you usually want to take your time and let the fish tire itself out.

Not sure what size net you're using, but make sure it's big and long enough to get the job done. Minimum six foot length when extended, and 25-30" hoop with a deep bag. I can't count how many times I've seen guys go out with undersized nets, then struggle to net and eventually lose a good salmon. Also, measure your "gear train" to ensure the entire thing is less than 6 feet long. I prepare for every salmon outing as if I'm going to hook a 30 pound Chinook, and that approach has left me with very few netting snafus.

Thanks for the awesome pointers everyone, much appreciated! @Spot & rawkfish: I'm a visual learner and your videos helps bring it all together, nicely done.

It seems like I was rushing things a bit as I didn't wait til the fish was tired enough before attempting to net it. Hopefully I can land the next one with my newly found wisdom.

Cheers & Tight Lines To All!

Im less of a pro than these guys, but I would echo a lot of the same technique for netting.  I am right handed, but I like to use left hand retrieve reels.  I keep the net on the left side of the boat and use my left hand to do the net job. 

One trick I use  that I am pretty sure I learned from Rawkfish's Next Adventure presentation (cant wait for those to return!) was to loosely secure your net bag to the shaft of the net.  I think he used a wire tie, but there are multiple ways to do it.  That way your net bag doesnt get in the way of trying to net the fish