The JHFLYCO Carbon Fiber Landing Net: Faster, Fish-Safe Landings.
The hard part of catching a good trout usually isn't the hookset or the fight. It's the last six feet — the fish close enough to see, still strong enough to make one more run, and a leader that has already taken most of what it can handle.
A landing net shortens that moment. The fish comes to hand sooner, spends less time on the line and more time in the water, and goes back in better shape. For anyone who releases what they catch, a net is less an accessory than a piece of fish-handling equipment.
The JHFLYCO Carbon Fiber Landing Net is built around that job: light enough to carry all day, with a bag that's gentle on fish and a tether that keeps it within reach.
Why a Net Makes Landing Easier on the Fish
A shorter fight. Without a net, the only way to land a fish is to play it until it can be grabbed. With one, a fish can be brought in while it still has energy in reserve — which is exactly the energy it needs to recover after release.
Less handling. A fish in a net can stay in the water while the hook comes out. Less squeezing, less time in the air, and less chance of a fish flopping onto rocks.
A softer bag. Traditional knotted mesh can split fins and remove the protective slime layer on a trout's skin. A clear rubber bag is smooth, holds its shape, and is far less likely to catch on fins, scales or the fly itself.
What Makes This Net Work
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The JHFLYCO Carbon Fiber Landing Net pairs a carbon fiber/fiberglass composite frame with a clear rubber bag and a magnetic tether. Lightweight, waterproof and UV resistant, in slate gray, in two lengths. |
A composite frame. Carbon fiber and fiberglass together keep the net light without making it fragile. It's built to handle river crossings, backcountry miles and long days of being bumped against rocks and brush — and it's waterproof and UV resistant, so sun and water don't break it down over a season.
A rubberized handle. Wet, cold hands and a thrashing fish make grip the thing that matters most at the moment of netting. The rubberized handle stays secure when everything else is slippery.
A clear rubber bag. Designed to reduce fin and scale damage, which is the whole point of a catch-and-release net. Flies also tangle in it far less than in knotted mesh, which means less time untangling and more time with the fish in the water.
A magnetic tether, included. Every net comes with the JHFLYCO SnapMagnet Tether — a magnetic clasp with an integrated bungee. The net rides out of the way on a vest, sling or pack, pulls free with one hand, and snaps back when the fish is released.
Choosing a Size: 26" or 37"
Both nets share the same frame, bag and tether. The difference is reach.
The 26" net is the everyday wading net. It rides comfortably on the back of a vest or sling, stays out of the way while casting, and covers most trout water, where fish are landed close and at knee depth.
The 37" net adds reach for the situations where a fish can't be brought right to the feet: landing from a high or undercut bank, reaching past fast water, fishing from a boat, or bigger fish that need to be met a little farther out.
A simple rule: if most fishing happens standing in the river, the 26" net is the better fit. If a lot of it happens from banks, boats or deeper water, the extra length earns its place.
Carrying It
The tether does most of the work here. Clip the magnetic release high on the back of a vest, sling or pack so the handle sits within reach of the casting hand and the bag hangs clear of the legs.
The net pairs naturally with the JHFLYCO Adjustable Mesh Fishing Vest or the JHFLYCO Waterproof Sling Pack. On a longer walk in, the longer net carries well strapped to a pack — the backcountry setup is covered in our backcountry fly fishing essentials guide.
Netting a Fish Cleanly
A good net helps most when it's used the right way. A few habits make the difference.
Get the net wet first. Dip it before the fish arrives. A wet bag is easier on a fish's skin than a dry one.
Keep the net still and low. Sink the bag in the water and let the fish come to it. A net swiped at a fish from behind tends to spook it into one more run — often the one that breaks the tippet.
Lead with the head. Lift the rod and guide the fish head-first over the rim. Once the head is in, the rest follows.
Unhook in the water. Leave the bag submerged while the hook comes out. The fish keeps breathing, and there's no need to hold it at all until a quick photo, if there is one.
📌 Pro Tip: Once a fish is in the net, release tension on the line right away. A tight line on a fish that's already landed is how flies get buried deeper and tippet breaks at the last second.
For the full picture on handling and releasing fish, see Catch and Release Done Right. And since a light tippet is often what makes a net necessary in the first place, choosing the right leader and tippet is worth a read too.
The Last Few Feet
Most of fly fishing is about getting a fish to eat. The net is about what happens after — landing it faster, handling it less, and sending it back strong enough to be caught again. It's a small piece of gear that does a lot for the fish, and it's one of the few that earns its place on every trip.
