When asked if I wanted to review the new Nomad Emerger net from fishpond, the first thing that came to my mind was the challenge of reviewing, of all things, a net. Wouldn’t it seem that there is really little to say about nets? They either net fish or they don’t, right? To be honest, the reality is that I had been out of touch with innovation in the net department, and while I’d been oblivious, fishpond has been taking things to a whole new level when it comes to designing nets.
The Emerger net is the newest addition to the Nomad line, and there is a lot to love about this net. First, the net is exceptionally night and is fairly low profile. Much of my trout angling is well off the beaten path, and I have little tolerance for excess. When testing this net, I frequently forget I had it with me, and there were several moments that my heart stopped for a second because I feared I left it somewhere. Day one of using this net was in Cheesman Canyon on the South Platte River in Colorado. It had just dumped snow and was tough to hike. In fact, it was -10 degrees when I arrived. The net was wedged behind my backpack, and throughout the day I was impressed with how light the net was. The lightweight nature of the net is the result of a carbon fiber and fiberglass composite that truly makes a difference, especially if you’re hiking all day. Furthermore, when netting fish in strong currents, less weight translates to enhanced performance (and hopefully fewer missed fish at the net tragedies).
Also noteworthy is the handle. The Emerger features a RiverKoat finish which is a rubberized paint. Enhanced handling can go a long way, and this feature along with the weight were enough to sell me on the Emerger net.
Finally, getting back to the profile, the Emerger is 32 inches from handle butt to tip, and the hoop size 9.8 inches by 18.8 inches. In the past I’ve always had massively wide nets with enormous handles to capture that occasional pig without fail. The fact is, those pigs are in fact rare, and the long handle and wide hoop were not critical to netting those fish. With these dimensions, the Emerger gives the angler plenty of extended reach, and the deep net bag allows for any sized trout you might encounter. The net bag is a clear rubber — a must for saving flies and fish while ensuring the long-term health of a net less susceptible to getting, moldy, crusty, or decaying. And on that note, the Emerger is also waterproof and weatherproof.
The fishpond Emerger net fits well into packs and in backpacks, and it hands well from vests. Additionally, this net is impressively buoyant. The Emerger retails for $149.95 and might be the last net you ever buy.
To check out more about the fishpond Nomad Emerger net, please click here.
– Tim Harden
Disclosure: fishpond is in a professional relationship with the Venturing Angler. Though potentially benefiting from this relationship, we do not post what we do not believe to be true. To read more, click here.