Fishing Net Best Sellers: The Snapper Nets, Drag Nets, Island Nets, Cast Nets and Floats Kiwis Are Buying Now

Summer's on the way, and that's when a lot of Kiwis dig out the net, check it over and decide it's time for a new one. So we went back through our real orders from the last 90 days to see which fishing nets and net gear people have actually been buying.

Lead core rope still sells more than anything else by a long way, and we've covered our best-known mullet and flounder nets in earlier posts. This time we've picked the genuine best sellers we haven't written about yet. There are four finished nets and one float that net builders keep coming back for. All of them are from our Fishing Nets range, made and supplied from Auckland for netters around New Zealand and across the Pacific.

1. Snapper Fishing Net, 5 inch Multi-Mono (125mm)

This is our big-mesh snapper net, and it's been a steady seller. It uses 125mm (5 inch) multi-mono mesh and comes 25 or 36 meshes deep. Slung the standard way, the 25-mesh version fishes about 2.7m high and the 36-mesh version about 3.8m high.

It's built the way our customers like. It has a braided 6mm lead core bottom rope and NZ-made ropes designed to handle our harsh UV. It also has twice the floats and 50% more mesh than a standard mass-produced net. Lengths run from 20m to 100m, priced from $147 up to $770. We can also custom make one to your specs.

View the 5 inch Snapper Net or see all NZ-made snapper nets.

2. Mullet Flounder Drag-Set Net, 100mm Mesh

This is an all-rounder for people who drag a net off the beach. It's 100mm (4 inch) mesh in 0.5mm mono, 25 or 36 meshes deep, in 20m, 30m or 40m lengths. Because it's built for dragging, it has extra floats on the 6mm top rope and a heavier braided lead core bottom rope to cope with the pull.

Where 100mm mesh is legal, the product page lists kahawai, mullet, snapper, flounder, trevally, gurnard and John Dory as legal targets. We sell lots of these to the Far North and Wellington. Prices run from $150 to $310.

View the Drag-Set Net or browse our mullet and kahawai drag nets.

3. Pacific Island Net, 2.5 inch Heavy Duty 0.5mm Mesh

This one goes to our customers in the Islands. It's a tough net, with heavy 0.5mm (30lb) nylon mesh in a 2.5 inch size, a 6mm top rope with floats every 1.5m and a heavy lead core bottom rope. It comes 25 meshes deep (fishes about 1.4m high) or 40 meshes deep (about 2.2m).

Please note it's for Pacific Island use only and isn't suitable for New Zealand. Lengths run from 20m to 100m, and we can make other lengths too. Prices are from $125 up to $710.

View the Pacific Island Net or see our full Pacific Islands net range.

4. 12ft Radius American-Style Cast Net, 1 inch White Mesh

Our biggest cast net is for catching bait fish. It's a professional American-style net with a 12ft radius, 1 inch white mesh and a drawstring at the bottom. There are six panels and extra leads, so it sinks fast, and the whole net weighs about 5kg.

It suits experienced throwers who want to cover a lot of water in one cast. It's $220. Check the rules for your area before you use a cast net.

View the 12ft Cast Net or browse all American-style cast nets.

5. 04 EVA Net Float, White 50g

Floats were some of the busiest lines in the whole range, and this 04 EVA float sold well over a hundred units in three months. It's the next size up from the small 03 float. It's 95mm long and 35mm wide at its widest, with a 7.5mm hole for your top rope.

Net builders and anyone re-roping an old net buy them by the bagful. They're $1.16 each.

View the 04 EVA Float or see all net parts and supplies.

Also popular

A few more that kept turning up in orders: 7mm braided lead core rope at $2.66 a metre, the 350mm green net slinging needle ($11) for hanging and mending, and flounder drag net mesh by the metre ($3.30) for re-slinging an old net.

Before you head out

Whether you're after snapper and kahawai off a Northland beach or feeding the family in the Islands, a well-built net will last you for years. Before you set or drag, check your local rules on mesh size, net length and where you can fish.

Browse our full range at actionoutdoors.kiwi