lew Posted June 13, 2012 Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 For the last 6 or 7 years I've been using a Frabil musky net. I was always happy with the very strong frame & hoop but never really liked the bag. It's big enough but tapers to the middle and it often made it awkward getting the fish out. I've fished with friends that use Beckman musky nets and I always liked the big Fin Saver Pen net, but found the handles and hoops to be very flimsy. Their basically a big flatbottomed holding pen and it just makes life much easier when the fish can lay in the open bag. I decided to have the best of both, so I ordered a replacement Beckman bag and put it on my Frabil frame. This makes a great set-up now and will be much better for releasing muskies. 1st pic is the old Frabil bag and you can see how it narrows to basically a point. And this is the new Beckman bag on the old Frabil frame. It's a good sized bag and is wide & deep but you can see how it's square and flat on the bottoms and sides. It'll be much easier on both the fish and myself. I tried all over Southern Ontario and nobody had the bag so I called Rollie & Helens Musky Shop in Wisconsin and they had it to me in less than a week.....great service and it only cost me $12 to have it sent up Priority Mail. I seems as though Beckman is owned by Lindy Fishing but this darned net is Made in China Don't we make ANYTHING in North America anymore ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercman Posted June 13, 2012 Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 Great idea Lew !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squid Posted June 13, 2012 Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 Wow sweet now you can handle the muskies that I catch with greater ease...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squid Posted June 13, 2012 Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 Lew what is the size of the net. I was planning on doing the same since last year but did not look into to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyb Posted June 13, 2012 Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 Always thinkin, Lew....always thinkin I paid $14 to have 13 bass lures shipped from Minnesota...one fish on each lure and they would all fit in that net of yours! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dontcryformejanhrdina Posted June 13, 2012 Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 I love my frabill frame (net too, it's flat bottomed) but sometimes when I'm fishing alone it's almost too sturdy, the big handle/frame makes it difficult to quickly move it through the water with 1 arm while fighting a fish with the other arm. Looks much better Lew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacob Posted June 13, 2012 Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 Great idea, helping with the releasing of those beasts. Jacob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted June 13, 2012 Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 I bought my Beckman net because of the bag size and shape but you are absolutely right the Frabil frame is a better design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davey buoy Posted June 13, 2012 Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 (edited) What a upgrade Lew!!!,best of both worlds Edited June 13, 2012 by davey buoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbuck Posted June 13, 2012 Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 Nice way to do it. I'm partial to my Stowmaster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pigeontroller Posted June 13, 2012 Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 I've often thought that would make the perfect Muskie net! Thouhj I'm convinced the Beckman bag used to be made out of a better(softer) material than it is now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misfish Posted June 13, 2012 Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 Great livewell net, for about 200 perch bud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy Posted June 13, 2012 Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 Great livewell net, for about 200 perch bud. The mesh is much too large for your perch me Brudder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lew Posted June 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 Thanks guys, I think this net is gonna work out very well. I've often thought that would make the perfect Muskie net! Thouhj I'm convinced the Beckman bag used to be made out of a better(softer) material than it is now... Dax, I'm wondering if your thinking of the bags without the coating to protect the fish ?? This one has the coating but it's still quite soft, infact it's much more flexible than the Frabil bag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krixxer Posted June 13, 2012 Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 (edited) Great livewell net, for about 200 perch bud. I just had a stroke of genius I can make a floating perch bag out of my old net. All I'll need is a foam pool snake! Edited June 13, 2012 by krixxer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misfish Posted June 13, 2012 Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 I just had a stroke of genius I can make a floating perch bag out of my old net. All I'll need is a foam pool snake! LOL I know an old fella that does it off the side of his boat.The handle is held by a salt water rig. Darn those newfs are smart eh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skipper D Posted June 13, 2012 Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 I just had a stroke of genius I can make a floating perch bag out of my old net. All I'll need is a foam pool snake! Now alls ya got to do Oliveoil is puts the garbage can lid to it so's da fish don't gets out . ... lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike rousseau Posted June 13, 2012 Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 I did the same lew... Bought a frabil... Then replaced the bag a few years later with the same beckmann bag you got... Love it now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rizzo Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 Best of both worlds, beauty idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinker Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 Great idea Lew. You want to sell your old mesh? I could come get it friday morning. I could use a new one. Mine is out dated, and every hook that gets close to it, gets caught in it! I'm only about a half hour from you. S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pigeontroller Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 Lew, my first net was a Beckman I bought from ProTackle in 2005, it had a nice big soft bag...I now have a Frabill Big Game...The new Beckmans I've seen lately seem to have a smaller and stiffer bag than the one I had...And coated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lew Posted June 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 You want to sell your old mesh? Your more than welcome to the old mesh, but it'll be a freebee. I'll send you the directions to my place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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