Fishing Net Best Sellers: The Flounder Nets, Eel Fykes and Net-Making Gear Kiwis Are Buying Now

Every nine days we dig into our real orders to see what's actually selling in our fishing net range. The last couple of rounds leaned on lead core rope, floats and flounder nets, so this time we've looked past the usual suspects to the next lot of genuine best sellers from the last 90 days. There's a good mix here: finished nets you can take straight to the water, plus the bits Kiwis use to build and fix their own.

All of it lives in our Fishing Nets range, made up and supplied from our Auckland operation for netters right around New Zealand and across the Pacific Islands.

1. Flounder Net with Floating Top Rope, Mono Mesh

This is a NZ legal mono mesh flounder set net with an 8mm floating top rope, so there are no floats to tangle or snag. The top rope keeps the net standing, and the braided lead line bottom rope holds it down on the seabed where flounder feed. It comes bagged and tied down, ready to use.

You can choose 0.28mm or 0.35mm mono mesh and lengths of 20m, 30m, 40m or 60m. That's why it suits everyone from a casual harbour netter to someone who sets a net every weekend. It sells because it's simple to handle and quick to pack away. Prices start from $110 and go up to $330 for the bigger nets.

View the Floating Top Rope Flounder Net or browse the full flounder net collection.

2. Snapper Multi Purpose Fishing Net

If you only want to buy one net, this is the one people keep choosing. It's made with 5 inch (125mm) mesh in 0.50mm mono, 25 meshes deep, on a 6mm lead core bottom rope, in lengths from 20m right up to 100m.

The product page lists it as legal in NZ for a long list of species, including snapper, kahawai, trevally, tarakihi, gurnard and flounder. That's why it's called multi purpose. As always, check your local MPI rules and catch limits before you set. It's from $133 for a 20m net, up to $665 for the 100m.

View the Snapper Multi Purpose Net or see the snapper net range.

3. New Zealand Eel Fyke Net, 3 Funnel

Eeling is a big part of Kiwi fishing, and this fyke net has been a steady seller. It's made from tough nylon, with 400mm stainless rings, three funnels so the eels can't find their way back out, 15 sinkers and 5 floats. The total length is 10ft.

It's popular with families and rural buyers who want a trap net that's easy to set in a creek or drain. It sells for $119.99.

View the Eel Fyke Net or browse all eel fyke nets.

4. Net Leads

Our best-selling net-making item that isn't lead core rope. You thread these leads onto the bottom rope to add weight so the net lies flat on the seabed. They come in 1oz, 2oz and 4oz weights with a choice of hole sizes.

People who make or repair their own nets buy these by the handful, and commercial and Island customers grab them by the box. You can buy them singly from $0.90 or in boxes of 50, 100 or 200 (up to $400 for the biggest box of the heaviest size).

View the Net Leads or see our net-making parts and supplies.

5. 20S/60 Spun Polyester Hanging Slinging Twine

Every net has to be hung onto its ropes, and this heavier spun polyester twine is what a lot of our net-makers reach for. It's strong and tough-wearing, and it's handy for other lashing and hanging jobs around the boat shed too.

It's a regular in the orders of people building nets from unslung mesh, here and in the Islands. It's $20 a spool.

View the 20S/60 Slinging Twine

Also popular

A few more that were busy over the same 90 days: the 10ft radius 1 inch American style cast net ($175) for catching live bait, 2G-3 orange net floats ($1.50 each), the handy blue bait knife ($5) and the open gap 85mm shark clip with swivel ($1.99). Find more in our fishing net accessories and cast nets.

What this tells us

Kiwis are still keen on a good finished net, whether it's for flounder on the harbour flats, a mixed catch off the beach or eels in the creek. And plenty of people would still rather build and fix their own nets, so leads and twine keep selling. If you're setting up for Fiji, Samoa, Tonga or the Cook Islands, check out our Pacific Islands fishing nets too.

Always check your local fishing rules for net lengths, mesh sizes and where you can set before you head out.

Browse our full range at actionoutdoors.kiwi