[j.edwards]

In early May, my buddy and I put the boat in Buckhorn Reservoir. Spent all day reeling in bass from 1-4 pounds. Love spawning bass action. Just my total on the day was over 30. We each lost several fish right at the boat due to snapped lines/throwing the hook. I lost a 10+ lb blackfish right as I was trying to grab the hook with a pair of pliers to pull him out of the water (massive teeth). Had one massive bass right at the edge of the boat with my hand reached down to lip him. He went on one last run and screamed drag out, wrapped the line on the motor under the boat and broke off. Needless to say, we felt very disgusted not being able to get these large fish in the boat.

Some of you may be saying to yourselves these guys are amateurs that do not know how to set drag. How old was your line? This is not the case. We both literally put brand new 12 lb flouro on our gear the night before. I was using a 6' Shimano Medium Fast with a Penn FRC 4000 and he had a Abu Garcia Pro Max on a 6'6" Tech Spec Black. We both grew up bass fishing and pretty much know how to catch bass year around. I've personally landed a 6 lb largemouth on ultralight spinning tackle. It wasn't a drag/equipment issue. Now on with the story.

The next day we headed straight to Dick's to get a net. We figured if we can get them to the boat, we'll scoop them into the boat. We got one of those nice collapsible ones that cost like 50 bucks. Ever since putting the net in the boat, we have landed maybe 4 fish total in about 10 trips to the water. Some of these trips have been 5 plus hours. And none of them required a net to land. All less than a pound. I keep telling him the net is cursed and we need to get rid of it. We even joked about it the night we picked it up. "Now that we have this nice net we aren't going to catch $***". Which has been the case.

Has anyone else ever experienced this? I know the net isn't cursed but some would say otherwise. I'm sure a combination of weather, time of day, presentation, lure selection, etc. is responsible for the lack of luck. But has anyone else gone out and purchased a net and then had crappy luck the next few times you took your boat out. We've had great success bank fishing (no net around). But as soon as we get on the boat with the net, nothing.

 

[Drum Runner]

I'm old school. No net.
Fished bass tournaments back in the day when they were illegal equipment. I couldn't imagine using one now.

Everyone gets something different out of fishing. Some folks get mad when they lose a big fish. I smile and laugh.
It's just part of the fight to me. When you get him within hand range is the real war. It's down to you and him. You both have a chance to mess things up. The spoils of war go to the winner.

 

[crabman00]

Forgetting the net is usually good for at least one nice lost fish.
Leave the raingear behind and the sunniest day will turn to rain.
Leave the dry fly box behind and the trout will be rising all day long.

Ironic ain't it?

 

[Neilslure]

My net is always in the boat. I used to never fish without having it on the deck but got tired of messing with it every time I moved spots, now it stays in the rod box unless I am fishing a tournament. I just started grabbing or lipping everything and it hasnt cost me much if anything, actually it is less hassle than getting hooks out of the net and probably better for the fish too. I have caught enough big bass that losing a 6-7 lb fish at the boat when fun fishing wouldnt hurt my feelings, when money and points are on the line, I am not taking a chance.

Like crabman mentions above about raingear, that did get me this past Sunday. I used my rain suit the weekend before and it was in the house drying out. Rain chances were minimal and forecast was for afternoon showers, so I didnt make a point of grabbing it. About 8:30 the morning clouds and fog burned off, sun was out and no wind. About 30 minutes later a buddy idles up and says "ya better get your rainsuit on, its about to get bad with heavy rains and wind". Sure enough to the west there was a dark line of clouds and within 15 minutes the feces hit the oscillator.

 

[NCStateFisher]

fishing is tough right now but if blaming a cursed net helps you feel better about the dog days of summer by all means pull it out the boat and give it a whirl!!

 

[j.edwards]

I know the net isn't cursed. It's just weird that as soon as the net is purchased, we stop catching. I started this to see if others have experienced something similar. Perfect examples above with having or not having rain gear. When you're not prepared, you run into the issue often. When you're prepared, it never happens.

 

[Drum Runner]

The summer doldrums.

 

[spidey]

fishing is tough right now but if blaming a cursed net helps you feel better about the dog days of summer by all means pull it out the boat and give it a whirl!!

I am blaming the fact I am not catching big ones on you for moving to Charlotte lol.

On the net discussion first ever Jon boat trip missed a biggie when guy I was fishing with tried to lip fish got the hook and we eventually lost it before in the boat. Next time out took a net and had no action for the first hour. I figured I jinxed us with the net but than just stuck it in the back and we started catching fish. If you think the net is bad luck it will be just be positive and think of your net as the help to land that biggie. Fishing the banks I just lip everything but did lose a big one one time being to lazy to bend down figuring lifting the fish over the three inch ledge would matter but it did and the fish I lost was 8 pound area. Now I bend down for anything over two pounds

 

[H_GeeZy]

I hear ya man, didn't have a scale for a while in the yak and couldn't get a weight on some nice bass. Finally picked one up and for what seemed like forever (probably more like 5 or so trips) I was just having terrible luck and it started getting in my head. After landing a couple nice ones the stigma wore off.

 

[Fishin Technician]

I dunno if the net is cursed but I have that problem if I take a camera- always seems to be the worse fishing of my life if I bring it along. I rarely will even keep a Bass so no one ever believes me if I catch a nice one. Ol well- I know

 

[theramrod]

Friends of mine swear that if you buy tackle the day you go fishing, you will not catch fish on that tackle that day.

 

[Drum Runner]

I've proved that one wrong plenty of times. I'm not a very superstitious person.

 

[BrandonK]

If I have the net ready to go on the kayak and not stored, I don't think I will catch anything. Solely based on past experience. I also have a "good luck" fishing hat.

What can I say, I'm a hockey player... We're notoriously superstitious.

 

[Muddy Water]

A net being cursed? HA! Most rediculous thing I've ever heard! Now, excuse me, but I got an appointment with the local witch doctor to remove the "No Fish Hex" off ME.