Just to see what you think is the maximum weight a person should keep in a keepnet ?

I think anything under 20 lbs anything after this and the fish could start to get hurt .

i had a 19lb weight in a match once, full of carp, and they all went back into the water fine. these fish were in between 1lb and 3lb.

Personally i wouldn't use a keep net unless fishing a match, witch i haven't done in years.But i think that keep nets should be emptied every 3hrs maximum,and no barbel at all or fish over the 4lb mark be put into a keep net,but that's just my own oppion.

[ 11. July 2005, 11:18 PM: Message edited by: chris mc ]

I've heard some say that it may be a good idea to keep roach in a keepnet - something to do with released fish nipping back to the shoal and spooking the rest.

Personally, my keepnet has been gathering dust in the garage for a few years. What's the point, unless you're fishing a match? At the end of a session you have a pretty good idea of what you caught. And when you haul a good net out at the end of the day those fish go ballistic. I'm sure much of any damage caused happens right there at the end.

IMO, don't bother with the keepnet LeedsU.

I have had over 60lb of bream in a keepnet in the past and not one casualty.

Depends on the net I'd say.

I always use a keepnet if I'm going to be fishing for any more than an hour.

Don't know what the problems with nets are.
Only on the odd rare occasion have I found a dead fish in my net and then it was pike attack.

One good thing about a net is you can keep an eye on a distressed fish so it doesn't go belly up on you and out of reach.

I don't see why any one who is not fishing a match needs to use a keep net.

So you can get a picture of your self next to a giant pile of crushed fish ?

Not sure what a safe limit would be, but I assume it would depend on what species,weather conditions, time of year and how long they will be left in the net. Surely 20lb of fish in a net on a hot sunny day would be put under greater stress then the same fish on a cold winters day.
Some times when I see those pictures in the magazines of some one with a 100lb haul of bream all caught in a few hours, I do wonder have they been in a keep net for a number of days ?

Maybe it's just me but I hate keep nets. No doubt some one else will post that they had 60lb of fish in a net before and they all swam away with out so much as a scratch on them.

I may not be a fan of keep nets but I would not like to see them banned, there are far to many bans in our sport as it is. However I would like to see people using them more for holding a specimen fish such as a big Bream, Roach or Tench while they sort out camera equipment etc rather then to hold a "weight of fish"

I dont think any Carp or Barbal should be put in keep nets even the small fish.

So what's the differance using a net in a match and using one for pleasure fishing???????

Chances are a match weight of fish will be greater than a pleasure session.

The argument between using on for matches and not for pleasure is bollox.

If used in consideration a net is safe to use in my opinion.

If you read the National Angling Alliance's code of conduct for coarse anglers (available on this site) you'll find it says this:-

Keepnets:

Keepnets are only suitable for small shoal fish. Never use for large carp, pike, zander, tench, perch, barbel, catfish or grayling. Large fish are not suited to keepnets because of their size, and others, regardless of size, such as carp and barbel, are unsuited because the serrated front rays of their dorsal fins can be caught and damaged by netting.

So carp approved nets wouldn't be suitable?

All MODERN nets have been designed to keep Carp.
If you fish a match today, the organisers usually insist on TWO nets which is one for Carp only and the other for "silver fish" and any fish thought to be over a certain weight (3lb?) to be weighed and returned. The new nets also have a minimum LENGTH so that the fish DO have room.
Would you rather have a fish in a net or have each fish out of the water while you admire, weigh and photograph the fish? I know which I prefer!!