One-handed net grip

Preparing to land a large fish to a kayak, I have found that getting the net gripped properly and braced can require splitting my attention between the fish and net, with kayak location/control/hazards often tossed into the mix.  The one-handed forearm grip nets at Yakattack caught my attention so I decided to try and create my own:

located and ordered one of these forearm crutches, planning to move the forearm grip to my net:

http://justwalkers.com/fdi-ergotech-forearm-crutches.html

I removed the lower crutch shaft and by total good fortune, the upper shaft, with the grip attached, fit perfectly into the shaft on my 'coho' net, I drilled a couple of holes for the adjustment/locking pin and the whole thing was ready to use.

with the hand grip up, easy to grab and control one handed- fishing alone from kayak or shore.

with the hand grip folded down, the net can be used two-handed- fishing with others on PB.

these sorts of projects almost never ended up being this easy  ...cheers, roger





 

And if the fish gets too close to the side of your kayak, here's what you can do:

1. Remove your hand and forearm from the crutch grip.

2. Place the shaft of the net in your armpit.

3. Grasp the shaft of the net with your hand in the area near the net.

4. Net the fish.

5. Lift the net into your kayak.

Awesome. I'm gonna do this.  Thanks for the idea.

I put my net in a rod holder now to keep it at the ready.How do you store that thing so that it is easily accessible but not in the way?

I put my net in a rod holder now to keep it at the ready.How do you store that thing so that it is easily accessible but not in the way?

I lay my net in the front of my Oasis, on top of a large kill bag that lays over the front drive well.   It keeps the net from acting like a sail in the wind. 

In landing large salmon, I find that it is common to pick up and put down the net several times during the landing process.  I think being able to grab it and have it oriented correctly without even a glance is going to be an advantage, especially in moving tidewater with lots of powerboats, pilings, and pinnipeds in the area...cheers, roger

thanks for the post, Roger.
That is a truly innovative idea and I like it.
After landing quite a few chinooks last year, I decided that a net with a giant hoop and shorter handle was better for me than a smaller hoop and longer handle. With the shorter handle, though, it was sometimes hard to get leverage to bring the fish in once netted. Maybe your innovation could solve my problem.
Thanks again.

thanks for the post, Roger.
That is a truly innovative idea and I like it.
After landing quite a few chinooks last year, I decided that a net with a giant hoop and shorter handle was better for me than a smaller hoop and longer handle. With the shorter handle, though, it was sometimes hard to get leverage to bring the fish in once netted. Maybe your innovation could solve my problem.
Thanks again.

thanks, once I test this 'coho' net on the water, I might shorten it a bit more, it still might be a little long in the 'one-handed' configuration...

my 'chinook' net has a much larger hoop and leverage is definitely an issue, I just adapted the one-handed grip to it using a PVC fitting to make 2 bushings.  I can now move the grip between nets.