Let’s be honest for a second. There are few things more frustrating in fishing than pulling your gear out of the garage only to find your expensive net looking like a bird’s nest made of old twine. It’s kinked, it smells like last year’s bait, and the handle has a weird warp to it.
We’ve all been there. But here is the hard truth: it’s not the net’s fault. Most of the time, we toss our nets in the back of the truck, kick them under the porch, or just lean them in a corner of the shed where they get stepped on by the lawnmower.
If you have invested in good gear—whether it’s a delicate trout net or a heavy-duty musky net—you need to treat it right. And it starts with how you store it when it isn’t in the water.
The Immediate Problem: The “Stink and Shrink” Effect
Let’s talk about what happens the minute you leave a wet net rolled up. Nylon and other synthetic materials actually shrink slightly when they dry under tension. If you leave a net bag bunched up, it will dry in that shape. Ever seen a net bag that looks like a crumpled grocery bag instead of a cone? That’s why.
Plus, the smell. If you don’t dry it, you aren’t just storing a net; you’re storing a petri dish of bacteria and mold.
Step 1: The Cleanse
Before you even think about where to put it, you have to clean it. Don’t just “hose it off.” That doesn’t cut it.
- Saltwater: If you fish in the salt, you must soak that net in fresh water for at least 15 minutes. Salt crystals are microscopic knives. They cut the microfibers of your netting, weakening it over time. If you store it with salt in it, those crystals will continue to saw away at the material every time the net flexes.
- The Gunk: Slime, scales, and algae. You need a stiff brush and some mild dish soap. Scrub that bag gently. If you have a rubber net (which is amazing for catch-and-release), make sure you clear the holes.
- Dry it, but not in the sun: This is a big one. Please, for the love of fishing, don’t lay your net on the asphalt in the blazing sun to “speed dry.” UV rays are the enemy of synthetic fibers. They make nylon brittle and fade rubber. Instead, hang it in a shaded, breezy area. Let it drip dry completely. We’re talking bone dry—no damp spots at the bottom of the bag.
The Vertical vs. Horizontal Debate
Now that it’s clean and dry, how do you physically put it away?
Don’t lay it flat on the ground. That’s just asking for trouble. You risk warping the handle or cracking the hoop if something heavy gets placed on top of it.
The best option: Hang it
Hang the net by the handle with the hoop facing downward. Why? Because this allows the net bag to hang freely without any tension points. If you hang it by the hoop, you risk the weight of the handle pulling the hoop out of round.
- For regular walls: A simple rubber-coated garden tool hook works wonders.
- If you must lay it: If you are storing it in a bin or on a shelf, lay it on its side with the hoop against the wall and the handle extending outward. You want to cradle the hoop so it doesn’t get bent out of shape.
Storage Unit Strategy: Why We Are Your Best Bet
So, maybe your garage is already packed to the rafters. Maybe you don’t have a “shady, breezy area” that isn’t also the driveway where your car lives. This is where we come in.
A storage unit isn’t just for old furniture. It is an ideal environment for sensitive gear like fishing nets.
- Climate Control: A climate-controlled unit keeps the temperature moderate. You don’t get those extreme heat spikes that turn the garage into an oven and melt the epoxy on your net handle.
- Space to Hang: You can set up a pegboard or a simple rail system in a storage unit. It gives you the vertical space to store that net properly so the hoop stays true.
- Pest Protection: No bugs or mice getting into your net bag. We keep our units clean and secure.
Maintenance During the Off-Season
Let’s say you are storing your gear for the winter. You aren’t going to look at it for six months. Don’t just toss it in and forget it.
- Check for Weak Spots: Before you store it for a long haul, run your hand over the netting. Snag a fingernail? That means you have a fray. In a stored environment, that fray doesn’t fix itself; it just sits there waiting to become a hole next season. Fix it now with a needle and some extra cord.
- Handle Care: If your handle is wood (like a beautiful ash or cedar trout net), you need to treat it. Wipe it down with a light coat of boiled linseed oil or a quality wood conditioner. This prevents the wood from drying out and cracking in a storage unit, even if it isn’t climate controlled. It seals the pores against moisture.
- The Hoop: If you have a solid wood hoop, check for stress fractures. If it’s a metal hoop, check for rust spots. Wipe metal hoops down with a lightly oiled rag to prevent rust from forming in storage.
The “Tension Test”
Here is a trick to make sure you’re storing it the right way. Take your net and hold it in front of you. Look at the shape of the hoop. Is it a perfect circle or an oval? Look at the depth of the bag. Does it hang evenly?
If you store it incorrectly for too long, that hoop might warp into an ellipse. An oval hoop doesn’t scoop fish the same way a round hoop does. You’ll find yourself missing fish because the bag doesn’t open correctly under water. Good storage keeps that geometry perfect.
The Roll-Up Method
Some people like to roll their nets. If you must roll a net bag to save space, don’t roll it tight like a burrito.
- Roll it loose.
- Use a piece of cardboard or a pool noodle to wrap the net around. This creates a wide radius bend in the fibers. If you fold the netting sharply, you create a hard crease that never goes away. That crease is a “memory” in the material. It will always want to fold there, and that fold creates a weak spot.
Why You Shouldn’t Store It in the Boat
We know, we know. You’re lazy. We are too. It seems easy to just leave it in the rod locker or strapped to the deck. But think about it: your boat gets hot, humid, and sits in the sun. That is a chemical bath for your gear. The plastics in the handle can break down, and the rubber in the net can degrade.
A storage unit provides a constant, stable environment. Plus, it gives you a reason to actually clean the thing after a trip instead of just dumping it.
Final Check: The Smell Test
Before you close the door on your storage unit, do a final smell test. If it smells like fish, you missed a spot cleaning. The fish oil will attract bugs and cause the mesh to rot. It should smell like fresh air, or slightly of the soap you used to clean it.
Let’s wrap this up.
Storing your fishing net isn’t rocket science. It’s just about being kind to your gear. Take the five minutes to wash it. Take the five seconds to hang it correctly. And if you don’t have the space at home, give us a call. We have units ready to go so you can keep your fishing gear in fighting shape.
We’ve helped anglers across town protect their rods, reels, and nets. Because when you spend good money on gear, you should get good use out of it. A little care in the off-season goes a long way when you’re pulling in that big one next spring.
Keep your net clean, keep it dry, and keep it straight. Your future self will thank you when you’re not fumbling with a tangled mess on the water.
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