Most Recent Review

It's a landing net so there can't be anything new can there?  Well, the 5cl sampler of 10-year-old Glengoyne malt in the parcel seemed like a nice touch.  No, not a bribe, FastNet has a promotion running with Glengoyne, so anyone buying a net from them gets a rather generous dram, too!

The net looks familiar - the same strong diamond-shaped aluminium rim.  This is a big net (21") rim with a glass-reinforced nylon hinge and long aluminium telescopic handle.  Extend the telescopic handle and the reach is prodigious.  Just as well I checked the bubble wrap and found the spike that screws into the back end of the grip.  Yep, long time since I've seen a net with a spike in the butt (this used to be a favourite of old reservoir bank anglers and some sea trout guys).

Elastic bungee cord from the butt, clips to a ring at the hinge so I can wear this on my back.  The net opens easily, just hold it out and turn it over.  To close just pull down on the button thing and it swings closed - or not - odd, this stops about half way.  I didn't expect that.  Is that deliberate? OK, time to go online and see what this is about.

As I flicked through the site I realised it's not one of FastNets standard nets.  Then I saw a picture of Hywel with a half-open net stuck in the bank next to him.  At this point there was a minor head-slapping flash of understanding.  Stick the spiked handle into the bank and, because the net stops at that half open position, use it as a sort of basket or line tray.  How very ingenious! (Hywel thought this up, did he?)

Kidding aside, this is a neat and practical idea.  With the net spiked into the bank next to me, the wide rim makes it dead easy to drop line into the bag as I retrieve.  Nothing gets blown about and the line can't find any snags.  If the water or bank is muddy I can shorten the net with a band or by trapping the bag in the ring at the hinge so my line never picks up grit - and the net is right there when needed for normal landing net duties.

Fly-Fishing & Fly-Tying Magazine - June 2010