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The best crappie net is one that is adjustable, affordable, lightweight, and has a rubber mesh material for the netting.
The adjustable length should ideally extend a great distance to accommodate commonly used lengthy jigging or trolling poles. The rubber mesh is important so that small hooks aren’t constantly hanging in the netting material. A net should also be lightweight because you’ll be using it with one hand, while controlling a flopping crappie with the other.
All things considered, I chose to go with the EGO Reach Net because it hits a sweet spot with all the factors mentioned above
. Below I’ll further discuss the Ego Reach, as well as a couple other great options.
Additionally, I’ll break down the factors you should consider when choosing your own net, if you decide to go a different route.
What Makes A Good Crappie Net?
Below are the factors I consider to be most important when considering which net to purchase.
- Length – needs to work with your chosen rod length
- Rubber Mesh – (or rubber-coated mesh) eliminates hook snags
- Weight – should be lightweight for one handed use
- Durable yet Affordable
1. Long Landing Nets Are Best For Crappie
The length of a net is more important to crappie fishermen than perhaps most other anglers. This is mainly because of a combination of 2 things – the length of rods commonly used, and the fact that crappie have thin mouths. Adjustable nets are preferred, as you may not always need the full length. Below are the reasons I choose to use a long adjustable net.
4 Reasons Crappie Fishermen Should Use Long Nets
- Long Jigging or Trolling Rods – long rods beg for long nets
- Papermouth – without a net you’ll lose fish to hooks tearing free
- Structure – ability to reach out far to retrieve fish tangled in structure
- Safety – extra length keeps your body away from hooks and away from the edge of the boat
Long Rods (Jigging or Trolling) Require Long Nets
For many crappie anglers, spider rigging or trolling are common tactics. Those tactics call for long fishing rods. You need the long reach of a true crappie net so that you don’t have to put too much pressure on the crappie’s mouth, or on your rod tip. I have broken a 14′ crappie pole tip by trying to lift a large fish instead of just using my net.
Crappie Have Soft Mouths And Hooks Will Tear Free
Because a crappie’s mouth is so paper thin, you want to scoop them up as soon as possible, rather than fighting them to the side of the boat. The longer they flop along the top of the water, the more likely they will tear free of a hook.
You’ll Sometimes Need To Reach Into Heavy Cover
Whether you call it structure, cover or something else, many crappie anglers find themselves fishing around heavy timber, lilly pads, or some other type of thick cover. With a long net, you’re able to reach out and scoop up a crappie that might otherwise escape while he has you wrapped up.
Long Nets Are A Little Safer
While not often cited as a reason for a long handled net, there is a safety aspect to using one. With a long net, you you don’t have to reach out and move towards a hooked fish. Instead, you can keep your butt firmly seated while netting a fish. This is especially important when fishing alone, in rough water, or in cold weather. Additionally, the closer your face is to a hook under stress, the more likely a suddenly freed hook can make it’s way into your body.
2. Rubber or Rubber Coated Mesh Is Best
If you’ve never had one, rubber mesh nets are amazing. No more tangled jigs or crankbaits to deal with. Hooks just don’t get hung up in rubber nets like they do in a nylon mesh. If you fish with double minnow rigs or crankbaits, a rubber net is a godsend.
Additionally, a rubber mesh with large gaps, like the one pictured above, helps offset some of the added weight of the rubber. Large gaps in the mesh also result in less drag in the water when you are scooping a fish.
3. Crappie Landing Nets Should Be Lightweight
With such long nets that have extendable parts and rubber mesh, weight is going to be a big concern. All that mass can add up to an unmanageable tool. If you have a partner that will be netting your fish, this isn’t too much of an issue. Otherwise, you’ll want a net that is as light as possible, because you’ll be holding the net with one hand, while wrestling a crappie pole with the other. That’s why my preference was the lightweight EGO Reach.
4. Durable Yet Affordable
Crappie are not a heavy fish, and thus don’t require a net with the same level of construction as one you’d choose for hauling in heavy saltwater fish. Instead, you should seek a balance of durability and affordability to best suit the task at hand. This will typically be a lightweight aluminum extension pole with a small head.
3 Best Nets For Crappie
Below are the 3 best nets I ran across during my research. I don’t think you could go wrong with any of these options
- EGO Reach With Rubber Head (what I have)
- EGO S2 Slider – 108″
- Jenko Fishing Big T Duralite With Rubber Head
1. EGO Reach With Rubber Head
* Click image above to view prices on Amazon
The EGO Reach is what I purchased after a lot of research. It’s affordable, but still of high quality. It extends to 8.5 feet. Although it might seem that you’d prefer an even longer net when using long crappie poles, too long of a net gets to be cumbersome to operate.
A nice feature of an adjustable net like this is that you can change the length to match the length of rod you are using. I frequently use different length crappie rods, some of which are 14 feet long, so this feature was important to me. With the infinite adjust, you can vary the length from 54″ to 102″ to suit your needs.
The Ego is about as light as you could expect for such a long net with a rubber mesh. I don’t personally think I’d want to go any longer than the maximum 8.5 foot reach, as it does start to become difficult to maneuver when fully extended.
I use this net frequently when spider rigging by myself. I use mostly 12-14 foot rods, and this net works great for that. The telescoping ability, the reasonable weight, and the rubber mesh combine to make this an awesome crappie net for long pole fishing.
Negatives Of The Ego Reach
Obviously nothing is perfect, and there are tradeoffs with any design.
Rubber Is Heavier
The primary downside of a very long net with a rubber mesh is always going to be the weight. When fully extended, the Ego Reach can be a challenge to control if you don’t have a strong grip.
The Ego Reach Doesn’t Float
The Ego also doesn’t float, so it’s worth considering attaching some floatation to the end of the net if that concerns you. I’ve never had an issue with losing my net. If I do lose it, I’m not out that much money because the Ego Reach is pretty affordable.
2. EGO S2 Slider Telescoping Rubber Net
* Click image above to view prices on Amazon
The EGO S2 Slider Telescoping Landing Net extends with the push of a button. It’s sort of like a painters extension handle, except that it extends outward from the middle in both directions at once. It’s a pretty cool design.
The largest EGO S2, linked above, extends up to 108″, which is a great size for trolling or spider rigging with long rods. The S2 comes in all sorts of configurations. Clear rubber, deep rubber, rubber coated nylon, small hoops, large hoops and different lengths, just to name a few. Because of the many configurations, you’ll need to be very careful when purchasing, so that you actually get something suitable for crappie fishing. When viewing or ordering from the Ego site, the one you want is the “S2 Slider – Reach Medium Rubber Net”.
The S2 nets are very nice, but they’re also much pricier than the EGO Reach. That’s why they weren’t my 1st option. S2’s are also heavier than the Reach, but the upside is that the beefier construction makes them stronger.
3. Big T Duralite Crappie Net With Rubber Head
Although I don’t have any personal experience with the Big T, it does look promising. This crappie net, put out by Jenko Fishing, is a twist lock design that’s adjustable to 12 feet. It also has an option for a rubber head, which is a must for me.
The Big T Duralite is extremely long, yet extremely lightweight. Supposedly it has a 6 pound capacity. The great weight to strength ratio is accomplished by using a carbon handle. I’m not entirely sure how well a narrow carbon handle will hold up over time as compared to an aluminum handle, but to be honest, this net is pretty intriguing. I’d probably give it a strong look the next time I purchase a crappie net.
If interested, you can check this net out at JenkoFishing.com.
Hacks For Your Crappie Net
Pool Noodle
Unless your net is definitely of the floating variety, it’s not a bad idea to attach a short piece of pool noodle around the neck of the handle just above the head.
Quick Access
I mounted a vertical rod holder in my boat just behind the bow seat. That way, my net stays mostly out of the way when fully extended, and it’s within easy reach for quick access when needed.
Conclusion
There are many good nets on the market, and some are specifically marketed towards crappie fishing. However, most of those nets, even the crappie ones, don’t have rubber or rubber-coated mesh. I really think you’ll appreciate rubberized mesh when fishing with tiny crappie hooks or with crankbaits. Otherwise, you’ll be constantly battling tangles.
As discussed, I think the best nets for a crappie fisherman are going to be affordable, lightweight, extendable, and have a rubber mesh to prevent hook tangles. For my money, the Ego Reach is the best option.
For a closer look at the net that I own, check out my short YouTube clip about the EGO Reach Landing Net below.
Happy Fishing,
Augustus Clay
If you like this article, you might also enjoy one of these. Best Brands Of Crappie Jigs And Tubes or The 3 Best Baits For Crappie
