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When you go fishing for carp, or for any fish for that matter, you need a good way to get the fish out of the water and onto the shore, the wharf, or onto the boat. Yes, some people don’t use nets to land their fish, which is pretty amazing to be quite honest and not something we recommend.
So what size landing net for Carp should you get? the short answer is 42 – 50 inches is generally the best size net for carp fishing with a mesh size of between 1.5 to 2 inches. Aside from that you should look for a net that is made from rubber or coated nylon with a strong and/or extendable handle.
Below is a summary of the essentials you need to lookout for when buying a new landing net;
Contents
What Is A Landing Net?
If you don’t already know, a landing net is simply a net used to get fish out of the water after you have reeled them in on your hook.
There are also casting nets, which are used to capture bait fish in shallow water, as well as baitwell nets used for catching bait fish in a holding tank, but those are not what we are talking about here.
Just imagine something like a large butterfly net, but one that is modified in size and strength to lift fish out of the water.
A Word On Carp – Size
Before we start talking about nets for carp, it is important to actually know how big carp are, as this will determine the size of net you will need to get them back into your boat. Well, there is the common carp.
These guys can grow up to 80 centimeters in length and weigh as much as 14 kilograms, or roughly 30 pounds. These are the smaller ones, as there are also bigger ones. You can grass carp as well, which are not quite as common.
These fish can grow to 120 centimeters in length and sometimes weigh as much as 40 pounds or more. Although you won’t find any of these in North America, at least not naturally, there are also bighead carp, which tend to be the largest of all.
Although bighead carp are usually only found in the Eastern floodplains of Asia, they can in some cases grow to 146 centimeters long and weigh as much as 40 kilograms, or about 88 pounds.
For the purposes of this article, we will be leaving out the massive bighead Asian carps, as you probably won’t be fishing for those, but grass carp, common carp, and other moderately sized species are all fair game.
Landing Net Size For Carp
The size of the net refers to the overall length of the arms or the hoop. It’s how long the hoop is in terms of its circumference.
Generally speaking, for carp, you will need a fairly big net. For carp, you will want to go with a landing net that is 42 inches in size at the very least. For the larger specimen, you will need a landing net of 50 inches, or maybe even bigger.
However, a 50 inch net should suffice for most purposes. The landing net you get for carp does need to be fairly large and tough as well, which is necessary to lift a heavy carp out of the water, especially seeing as it probably won’t be too cooperative.
Other Important Points To Keep In Mind
When you go to buy a landing net for carp, there are some other important things to keep in mind, such as the material which the net is made of, the mesh size, and the handle too.
Let’s talk about these various aspects right now.
The Mesh Size
One thing to keep in mind is how large the mesh is. If you are going for small fish like stream trout, micro-netting will do just fine. In other words, for smaller fish, you want a really fine netting so you don’t hurt the fish while lifting it out of the water.
However, for larger fish, such as carp, you want a larger mesh size. Something like 1.5 or 2 inch mesh will work just fine for carp.
The larger the mesh size is, the faster you can move the net throughout the water due to a lower level of water resistance.
The Material
Another important aspect to keep in mind when looking for a landing net for carp is what material the netting is made of. Generally speaking, there are rubber, coated nylon, and non-coated nylon nets.
Without a doubt, the best options to go for here are rubber or coated nylon, as they tend to be very smooth and friendly to fish. They should not be very abrasive and won’t harm the fish as you lift it out of the water.
The non-coated nylon nets tend to be quite rough and abrasive, which is alright for very small fish that won’t put much weight on the net, but this will not do for large and heavy fish like carp.
Another great aspect of using a rubber or coated nylon net is that they tend to be somewhat rigid, which helps to reduce tangling. Lots of nets tangle, which is a problem, one that rubber nets usually don’t suffer from.
A good coating will also help to stop your fishing hooks from poking through and ruining the netting. Yeah, a coated net is going to cost more, but at the end of the day, they also work much better.
The Mesh Shape
Yet another factor to look out for when buying landing nets for carp is what the shape of the mesh is like. There are triangular mesh nets, square mesh nets, and hexagonal mesh nets too. For the best results, especially for heavier fish like carp, a hex shaped net is the best.
Hex shaped nets tend to have the most tensile strength and lifting power out of all mesh shapes. On that same note, some nets actually have wider netting near the top for increased maneuverability, with a finer mesh at the bottom to support the fish you are lifting out of the water. This is a good thing to look out for.
Hoop Shape
The hoop of the net is the top, the arms. It’s what we are referring to when we talk about the size of the net. However, the shape of the net is also fairly important. The most common and versatile style of hoop is the teardrop hoop.
These tend to be the easiest to maneuver, they have good strength, and they do work well for carp. There are also nets with raised fronts, usually triangular in shape. These are good if you need to net a fish from a distance, or if you are trolling in deep waters or by steep shorelines.
Generally speaking, a good old teardrop shaped hoop is a good way to go. With that said, there are also D-shaped hoops. These work well for shallow waters where you might want to rest the flat part of the D on the bottom of the water for a good landing angle. It all depends on where you are fishing for your carp.
Handle Length, Style, & Material
The final aspect of any landing net that you need to keep in mind before making a purchase is the handle. Perhaps the most important thing to think about here is the length of the handle. If you are fishing in shallow water for small fish, a handle between 5 and 15 inches is fine.
If you are fishing out of a low profile boat, a handle length of 10 to 36 inches will do just fine. If you are going for big fish, need to land a fish at a distance, or are fishing in deep waters or from a high vantage point, a handle of 48 inches or more is going to do the trick.
Telescopic Nets Are Great In Most Cases
Perhaps the best feature a handle can have is to be telescopic. This means that you can make the handle shorter or longer depending on your needs. This also helps make it easy to transport and store in tight spaces, as you can collapse the handle to make it a small little package.
You do also need to pay attention to the handle material. Handles can be made of carbon fiber, aluminum, wood, or fiberglass. Aluminum and fiberglass handles are usually fairly strong and lightweight, which is also true for carbon fiber nets.
Now, wooden handles tend to be a bit heavier, but also a bit stronger, not to mention that they look much nicer than the others too.
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Conclusion
At the end of the day, there are a few important things to pay attention to when buying a landing net for carp. You want one that is made of rubber or coated nylon, with a fairly large mesh size, and a hex mesh shape. You want the net to be 42 or 50 inches at the least, with a strong and lightweight handle, preferably a telescopic one. If you follow these tips, you should have no problem finding a landing net that works for your carp fishing purposes.
