Product Spotlight: Fishpond Nomad Mid Length Net

Why: To be honest, I really like to look and feel of a wooden net. Knowing that someone took the time to handcraft a piece of wood into a work of art is pretty special. But there are times, when a net is going to get beat up and you need a true workhorse to get the job done. Enter the Fishpond Nomad Mid-Length Net.

First impressions:

The material –  The Fishpond Nomad Mid-length net is made from a carbon fiber and fiberglass composite material. They are waterproof, UV resistant, lightweight, and float like a cork.

The specs – The Mid-length net runs 37″ long with a 13″x18″ head. The total weight of the net scales out to .88 pounds.

The history – I first heard of Nomad nets a couple years ago when Kevin Best first started the Nomad Net company. It was pretty obvious that Nomad nets were solid, and it didn’t take long for Fishpond to see a good thing and bring Nomad nets into the Fishpond fold. Fishpond has since expanded the line up with different lengths and different colors of nets.

Field Use:

One of the places that the Fishpond Nomad Net really proved itself was at Pyramid Lake. The saline water of Pyramid Lake does a number on gear, especially wooden nets. Having the Fishpond Nomad net is really nice as the salt in the water does nothing to the composite waterproof frame of the net.  The net floats like a cork so no need there was no need to worry about it when trying to wrangle a thrashing Pyramid Lake Lahontan cutthroat.

The Mid-Length Nomad net really is the missing link between a short handled creek net and an unweildable guide net. At 37″ overall length, it gives you just enough reach to get the net under a big fish without being too long that you would have to use two hands.

The head of the net measures 13″ by 18″ and is plenty big enough for any freshwater fish that I run into. The clear rubber net bag comes standard on all Nomad nets, although you can buy a black bag to switch out if you want. While the rubber bags are all the rage because they keep the fish safer than the old nylon bags, I think the bigger selling point is that you’ll never get your hook stuck in one of those nylon strands again.

Due to the composite material that the net is made from, the Fishpond Nomad Mid-length is extremely lightweight. When you consider the lightweight nature of the net and the extra length of the handle, the Mid-length net is a great choice for guys who like to tuck a net in between their lumbar packs and their body. It certainly works well if you’re fishing a big river and not moving too far, although I found that after a several mile hike, the Mid-length net sort of lost it’s appeal as it can get caught on underbrush or overhanging branches.  The extra length makes the Mid-length net ideal from a float tube or pontoon boat.

Pros:

• Lightweight strong material
• Rubber net
• Floats
• Waterproof

Cons:

• Cost
• I was bummed that the Mid-length net did not come with the measuring dots like the Guide and the Boat net

Prognosis:  If you are looking for a great all-around net that can stand up to some serious abuse, definitely check out the Fishpond Nomad Net Line.