Last updated on January 9th, 2024.
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A landing net is a crucial item for fly fishermen and women. Some of the best on the market are fishpond nets. They come in all shapes and sizes.
American manufacturer Fishpond has conquered the world of fly fishing by storm in recent years. Their products such as fly fishing backpacks, sling packs and vests have become hugely popular. Besides these essentials, their fly fishing nets have gathered a huge fan base recently. We often get asked which one of the Fishpond nets is the best? The answer: it depends.
That’s why we created this guide to give you an overview of the different models. Depending on the fishing situations you will face, a certain kind of Fishpond net will be the best choice for you. Let’s go.
Fishpond Nets: Which Model should I get?
Fishpond calls their line of landing nets Nomad Net. Within that umbrella term, there are several sub categories. As a rule of thumb the Fishpond nets can be differentiated by the following features: Overall length of the net, length of the handle, shape of the handle, dimensions of the net and shape of the net.
Generally speaking, the shorter the overall length of the net, the easiert it is to carry along either tucked into your wading belt or attached to your fly fishing jacket. A slightly longer handle makes it easier for guides to net a fish from a little distance. The longest handles are used when fishing from a boat. Here’s a look at Fishpond’s most popular nets.
Nomad Emerger Net
Specs: 32″ Overall length – 9.8″ W x 18.8″ L Head – Weight: .95lbs. (430gr) – Comes with a net bag.
The Fishpond Nomad Emerger Net probably is the brands most popular landing net. The reason for that is that it ticks all the boxes for an all-round fly fishing net. It has a medium length handle. This helps when you have to net a fish from a bank for example and can’t reach all the way down or when fishing from a boat. On the other hand, the handle is not too long if you want to carry the net tucked into your wading belt.
Made from carbon fiber/fiberglass material the Nomad Emerger Net is built for utmost durability and a long lifespan. Another positive aspect of the material is its low weight – an important factor when carrying a landing net all day. The grip features the RiverKoat finish for maximum grip when wet.
The Fishpond Nomad Emerger Net is also waterproof and floats in case you drop it into the water. The Nomad net is made to be worn with fly fishing packs and fly fishing vests. Another great way to attach a landing net to your jacket or vest is a magnetic net release such as the Fishpond Confluence. Comes in multiple colors.
Verdict: Our favorite allrounder and an excellent choice for years to come.
Nomad Native Net
Specs: 25.5″ Overall length – 8.5″ W x 17″ L Head – Weight: .63lbs. (287gr) with net bag
The Fishpond Nomad Native Net is the right choice if you want to keep it light and compact and yet still want a landing net with some reach. At only .63lbs (with the bag) the Native Net is great to take on the road or plane if you’re travelling for fly fishing.
Compared to the Emerger Net, the Native Net has a shorter handle and a smaller frame yet still features an elongated design that makes it comfortable to carry in your wading belt or attached to a vest or jacket. In terms of overall length it’s Fishpond’s shortest net. Comes in colors “Original” and “Native”.
Verdict: Fantastic lightweight, yet very sturdy net. Perfect choice for the travelling fly fisher.
Nomad Hand Net
Specs: 26″ Overall length – 13″ W x 18″ L Head – Weight: .77lbs. (350gr) with net bag
With 26″ overall length the Nomad Hand Net is only a fraction longer than the Nomad Native net. Yet, its shape is completely different.
The Nomad Hand Net features a wide (13″) basket that has a length of 18″ giving it a much runder shape than the Native net. The handle is also much shorter making this a very compact choice.
The Nomad Hand Net features a clear rubber net that can be replaced when broken. It also features the RiverKoat finish for optimal gripping when wet. The compact size of the net makes netting fish easy.
Nomad Mid-Length
Specs: 37″ overall length, head: 13″ w x 18″ l, .88lbs (400gr)
The Nomad Mid-Length net is sort of a hybrid between a net that you can still carry along when wading and a boat net.
The Nomad Mid-Length‘s head features the same dimensions as the Nomad Hand net. The big difference is the length of the handle. If you want an extra bit of reach or if you are looking for a Fishpond net to use both on the river and from a boat, the Nomad Mid-Length is an excellent choice. Comes in the tailwater color as pictured above and also as the darker version called Riverbed Camo.
The Nomad Mid-Length is also available in the guide version with the same basket size of 13″ x 18″ but a longer handle, giving it an overall length of 47.9″ called Nomad Guide Net.
Nomad El Jefe
Specs: 41.5″ Length with 13″W x 21.75″L Head, 1.23lbs (535gr)
With an overall length of 41.5″ the Nomad El Jefe will be too big to carry along when wading a river. It is a good choice when fishing from a drift boat for example.
The long handle of the Nomad El Jefe makes it easy to net a fish over the edge of a boat. The head length of 21.75″ ensures that even trophy fish can be safely led into the net.
The Nomad El Jefe comes in various color variations in terms of the handle, frame and net. The El Jefe also comes as version with the same head dimensions but an even longer handle called El Jefe Grande.
Fishpond Nets: Nomad Mid-Length Boat Net
Specs: 44.75″ Length, Weight with rubber bag – .88lbs (400gr). 16″ wide x 24.75″ L Head.
The Nomad Mid-Length Boat Net is Fishpond’s more compact net specifically designed for the demands of fly fishing from a boat.
With dimensions of 16″ w x 24.75″ the Nomad Mid-Length Boat Net features the biggest head of all fishpond nets. It also comes in a version with an even longer handle (same basket size) of 55″ called Nomad Boat Net.
If you are only fishing from a boat and want the ultimate in reach, the Boat Net is the perfect choice.
GET THEM HERE: Nomad Mid-Length Boat Net & Nomad Boat Net
Conclusion on Fishpond Nets
As you can see from our Ultimate Guide, Fishpond is a company that has thought of every possible situation and created the perfect net for every use case.
No matter whether you’re mostly fishing rivers and want lightweight options such as the Nomad Emerger Net, the Nomad Native Net or the Nomad Hand Net. If you are fishing on rivers and from boats as well, the Nomad Mid-Length will be a good choice. In case you are mostly fishing from boats but occasionally want to carry your net along when wading you can take a look at the Nomad El Jefe series.
If you are only fishing from boats, the Nomad Mid-Length Boat Net & Nomad Boat Net are good options due to their large heads that make sure even big fish land in your net safely.
No matter which Fishpond net you end up picking you can’t really go wrong since the quality of their products and warranty are simply superb. We hope this guide has helped you make the right choice.
Last update on 2024-04-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Read more of our Gear Guides here:
Ultimate Guide: Best Wading Jackets
Buyer’s Guide Best Wading Boots
A Guide to the Best Sling Pack
A Guide to the Best Fly Fishing Starter Kits
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