7 Best Landing Nets for Bass Fishing (And How to Choose the Right One)

We all talk about getting big bass on the line and fantasize about lipping them for a once-in-a-lifetime photo, but a landing net truly is an underutilized, yet essential, piece of equipment.

Since it’s often one of the only things anglers leave out of their tackle boxes, we’re going to go over why they’re so essential and cover 7 of the best landing nets for you to choose from.

Let’s get into it!

Why Get a Landing Net? 

A big part of bass fishing culture revolves around getting a bass by the lip and holding up proudly to show off your latest catch, but it’s not optimal for you or the fish to take that route. 

On the bass’s end, if you lip land a bass weighing more than 3 pounds, you risk dislocating its jaw or over-stressing it, and even if you practice the safe big bass handling methods that we stand by at BassForecast, that largely defeats the point of it. 

The bass might swim off, but its chance of making it in the long run is extremely slim. Especially with larger bass that have more mass, weighing them down as you dangle them around and wrestle them out of the water.

Considering that those are the ones we want to make many more spawns and keep the sport afloat, it’s also hurting the sport as a whole. 

For you, not using a landing net is a big gamble. Once you get that bass into shallow water and start trying to fuss with it, it’s fairly easy for it to spit the hook, wriggle out of your grip, and be gone for good.

It’s frustrating when it’s your first dink after a few hours of fishing, but it’s heartbreaking when it’s a contender for your personal best record or even a lake record. There’s also an argument to be made about safety since a landing net keeps you from having to crawl around wrestling a bass on uneven and often rocky surfaces.

A landing net solves both of those issues, and while it adds another layer to your fishing experience, it is safer for you, the fish, and the sport. 

Our Top 7 Landing Nets

Just like any other piece of tackle out there, there are loads of landing nets made for all kinds of situations. Also, just like any other type of tackle, there’s a lot of junk to sift through before you find something that is a good value and high-quality. 

These are 7 of our top picks to help give you a shorter list to pore over, and they match just about any type of fishing style in the bass fishing world. You can find all of them over at Tackle Warehouse for convenience and a fair deal. 

1: Ranger Nets Pro Collapsible Net

This isn’t the best net on the market, but it gets the job done. We think it’s a great beginner-friendly option if you’re just starting to build your tackle box and need to prioritize rods, reels, and other gear that directly impacts your fishing performance.

The Pro Collapsible Net from Ranger Nets extends to 4 feet in length, has an ultralight build, and, more importantly, it floats. 

Those core features give you plenty of length to work with if you’re fishing from a somewhat elevated position, save your energy carrying, and if you drop it, you won’t lose it. 

Altogether, we think this is a great budget option for boaters and bank fishermen alike. 

If you’re a bank fisherman, it’s a lightweight option that can easily be strapped to your tackle bag without wearing you out, and it has plenty of length to reach down into the water from most rocky overhangs.

If you’re a boater, it’s plenty of length to reach off the side of the boat, and if you drop it, it’ll stay on the water’s surface. 

For just over $40, it’s a great deal, and it’ll get you through a few seasons while you focus on getting more important things. 

2: Frabill Trophy Haul Bearclaw

The next recommendation on our list is a highly niche net option specifically aimed at kayakers, floaters, stand-up paddleboard anglers, and people in similar situations where they only have one hand to work with. It’s the Frabill Trophy Haul Bearclaw. 

As the name suggests, the handle design is shaped more for you to hold it like you would a claw-type tool.

It’s a frame that your arm supports while you hold a bar perpendicular to the palm of your hand. The 14x18 net loop sits at the end of the 18-inch frame, and you just scoop the bass out one-handed. 

At only 18 inches long, it’s not useful for most other anglers, but it solves a major issue for the fishermen we highlighted, and we’d even call it a safety solution since it keeps you from wrestling with your small one-seater vessel while you try to land big bass. 

The build quality is also extremely good, and that’s to be expected with its $100 price. The only issue is that it’s a niche option, and only people within that niche fishing style are going to benefit from it. 

3: YakAttack Leverage

The YakAttack Leverage is a unique landing net that is great for anglers on a smaller boat. It features a 54-inch handle when it’s folded out, and it has a relatively small net loop at 22.5-21 inches. 

It’s not the size that makes it stand out, though. The YakAttack’s unique handle is designed with a curve to give you extreme leverage over larger fish and a lot more precision. That’s why the loop doesn’t need to be as big, either. 

While it’s not collapsible, it works with a hinge system that can instantaneously deploy it when needed. While you lost a little potential length, you gain a ton of speed, and length isn’t a big issue on a boat in most circumstances.

At $100 when it’s not on sale, it’s a little pricey. However, it’s an amazing option for boat anglers that’s going to last a long time with rubberized netting and the finest handle and loop construction.

4: Frabill Conservation PLD

The Frabill Conservation PLD net is a telescopic net that is sure to catch your attention. Here at BassForecast, we love CPR fishing, and this Frabill is designed with conservation in mind. So, it’s one of our favorite nets. 

This is thanks to its knotless netting and large net loop. The fish is put through much less stress when you’re able to easily and quickly slide the net around it, and the knotless design does something even better.

Traditional knot netting greatly damages the slime coating that fish have. This protects them from disease and helps take care of them.

When traditional nets damage them, the fish might not survive being put back in the water. This knotless design completely negates that problem. 

Other than that, you get a long telescopic handle with molded foam grips for easy control and plenty of length. 

It’s a good option for bank anglers and boat anglers alike, but it can be a little unwieldy if you’re fishing from a kayak. 

For $140, you can protect the fish you catch and feel good about every photo you take. We think it’s worth a few extra bucks compared to other options. 

5: Ego S2 Slider

Bank fishermen are usually the ones you see without nets. They have to carry their gear on their back or tote it along, and something like a net oftentimes seems hard to manage. 

Well, the Ego S2 Slider is an amazing option for bank fishermen, and even the most ultralight-style anglers can find a way to work it into their setup. 

This is because the handle is a sliding telescopic design, and it shrinks the whole net down to 18 inches in length when it’s collapsed. The loop is also designed with size in mind, and while it’s big enough for the biggest bass, it doesn’t have a massive profile. 

All this is complemented with molded grips and an anti-tangle netting design.

While it’s made for compact boating, we think it’s the best option for bank anglers. With that being said, it’s a more premium option, and it will set you back $145.

6: Aftco Titan 21-Inch

The Aftco Titan is designed and marketed as a one-time purchase you’ll never have to replace, assuming you don’t lose it.

It features an extendable handle that goes up to 50 inches in length or as short as 30 inches, and it has a massive hoop that is 21 inches in diameter for easy use. The netting is also knotless to protect your catch. 

What sets it apart is its top-notch build quality and its reinforced yoke. The yoke is almost always the first thing to break on a landing net. There’s so much pressure put on it when you get a big bass in there.

Reinforcing the yoke costs more, but it practically ensures you’ll never have problems with it. 

That’s a good thing, too. It’s the most expensive net on our list at $230. It’s also more suited for boat anglers since it’s not compact. 

7: Beckman PVC Landing Net

The Beckman PVC Landing Net is a great upgrade from the Ranger Nets option we listed earlier, without getting into the more premium range of nets. 

For about $70, you can get an extendable handle that reaches up to 49 inches, a super deep 20-inch net for large bass, and superior construction. 

It’s not the most mobile, and it doesn’t have unique features like some other options, but it’s a solid net that collapses to 30 inches in length for both boaters and bank anglers. 

How to Choose the Right Landing Net

When you first get started, you might think that a net is just a net. It doesn’t matter what you get. That could not be further from the truth. Nets suit certain styles and situations better than they do others. 

We’re going to go over some of the key points you should consider when choosing your landing net. 

1: Budget

Budget comes into play. As much as we all want the most high-tech gear, if you don’t have the money, it just isn’t going to work out for the time being.

We really wouldn’t go any cheaper than the Ranger Nets option we covered in this guide. The cheaper you go, the more likely your net is going to snap off the second you put a decent fish in there.

Suck up the expense, maybe skip a couple of lures at the store for a few trips, and start with something decent. You might have to go a little longer without some other key pieces of tackle, or you might have to save for a while, but it’s worth it. 

2: Consider Your Style

Do you fish from the bank with a backpack and compact setup for trekking through the brush? You don’t want a 30-inch collapsed net that extends to 4 feet in length. It’s going to be a pain to handle.

However, if you’re on a boat, you have more space for a big net, and a smaller option might force you to lean further over the edge than you’re comfortable with. 

Look at your style, compare it to our notes, and buy your net accordingly. 

3: Conservation Features

We care about conservation a lot. Not only is it better for the species, but our sport relies on it.

We’ve written in the past about the impact of tournaments, certain fishing techniques, and more on our bass population, and if we don’t take conservation seriously, we might not have a sport in the future. 

So, any time we see a net that takes conservation efforts seriously, we’re more than happy to give it a shot. 

Start Landing Big Bass the Right Way Today

If you’re used to lipping bass all the time, it might seem unnecessary, but we highly recommend grabbing a landing net.

The fish will appreciate it, your back will appreciate it, and the sport will appreciate it. Better yet, you’re a lot less likely to lose that trophy bass you catch. If you want to further improve your chances of landing a big catch, take a look and download the BassForecast fishing app.

Our app tracks real-time weather, leveraging bass industry research and proven seasonal patterns to deliver tailored forecasts, ratings, and tips.