Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and those of you single and searching are envisioning the perfect person to enter your life and sweep you off your feet. They are handsome or beautiful, kind, smart, witty, playful, love the same music and food as you, and enjoy similar hobbies. Somewhere out there is that perfect person, that one-in-8-billion fish in the giant dating sea.
As for me, I’m also searching. Not for a lifetime partner, rather I’m looking for the perfect net man. Having the services of a top-notch net man for an angler is like being a baseball manager and running out a dominant closer in the 9th inning. Elite net men come in, finish the job, and they don’t make mistakes.
A good net man operates stealthily. He won’t put the net in the water until the time is right, or he may put the net in the water ahead of a fish moving into the vicinity of the angler’s position so the fish is not alarmed at the sight of the net. If the net spooks the fish, you’ve made the angler’s job harder.
It may sound obvious, but a great net man always dips fish from head to tail. I have never seen a fish swim backwards out of a net but I’ve seen plenty of fish make a beeline for the bottom when a careless netter chased the fish from behind. Dipping head to tail gives a netter the chance to react and adjust and it also serves to load the heaviest portion of the fish first, allowing the netter control over most of the body mass.
Great net men are patient. They try to work smoothly to lead the fish into the net, but they don’t overextend themselves by stabbing, plunging or swatting at the fish. It takes a cool mind to process everything and a reserved and steady hand to execute the job. Like John Wooden reminded his UCLA basketball players, a net man must “be quick but don’t hurry.” If you stab, plunge or swat with the net, you’re likely to incite a startled reaction from the fish and send it jumping or diving, breaking the line, jarring a hook free or straightening the hook. You could also catch a treble hook on the netting or the net ring without the fish in the bag and be the reason the fish is lost. No human feels smaller than a net man who costs his fishing buddy the chance at a fish of a lifetime.
Anglers and net men must work as a team. Whether sharing a bank or the side of a boat, the pair must communicate on where the fish should be coaxed into position and talk as the moment arrives. The angler should announce when they plan to turn the fish and the netter should be in position and ready. Successfully dipping a fish is no accident; it’s a well-played dance between partners.
A great net man knows the quarry. They anticipate the heavy, drag-stripping run of a pike, or the whirling dervish of a dinner plate bluegill, or the frenzied change of direction of a smallmouth bass. They know when a fish is coming in green or played out and how to react accordingly; one of the great skills of a talented net man is being adaptive. They manage risk and leave playing the fish in the angler’s hands without leaving the angler wanting more assistance. They know when to push hard to net the fish and when to hang back and leave the angler to play out the fish.
The best net men are observant. They pay attention to boat control and wind so the angler isn’t fighting with more than the fish. They are aware of flow or forward momentum and the impact that will have on fish positioning and net positioning. Great Lakes charter mates have to dip trout and salmon coming in while trolling and the captain isn’t stopping the fishing trip just to dip a single fish. These netters know they have to get that fish bagged while the boat is in gear and do it without blowing the opportunity. Net men know the limits of the landing net handle, extend the handle when it’s the right time, and they use two hands to control the bag and the handle. They work the net deftly and adroitly, caging their quarry with experience and expertise.
Long arms help. If the net handle is a little short, having a guy with long arms can make all the difference. The former New York Knickerbocker and National Basketball Association coaching legend Phil Jackson was famous for being able to sit in the back of a Volkswagen Beetle and being able to open all 4 doors of the car with his lengthy arms. Jackson made his mark in basketball but maybe he missed his calling as the greatest net man in fishing history.
Great net men land fish, administer high fives, and pump up their successful angler. While they all wish they were the ones reeling in the fish, they devote themselves to cheerfully executing their duties to the best of their ability.
Maybe this winter will be your chance to play the field. If your prospective net man can grab fish on the edges of an ice hole and move your flasher out of the way to make room for playing a fish, I’d bet they are handy with a landing net. If you have a great net man, let him know but don’t fish and tell. If you’re searching for the one, keep your options open and play the field before you commit to a long-term angling relationship.