Net Required for Kayak Fishing

For a long time I carried a net made of a loop of coated steel cable with the netting from a cheap 20" net, so it could be easily coiled up and stowed while still being legal, (forgot who I got the idea from here).  I need to make another because I hate a full size net on my kayak.

Tote has this net as well...
sometimes I carry a gaff instead.  Unless salmon fishing, this also meets the letter of the law

are you sure?   I think the letter of the law says that if you are fishing for a species with a min size you MUST have a net. Gaff doesn't count.

28.65d
No gaff hook shall be used to take or assist in landing any finfish shorter than the minimum size limit. For the purpose of this section a gaff hook
is any hook with or without a handle used to assist in landing fish or to take fish in such a manner that the fish does not take the hook voluntarily
in its mouth. No person shall take finfish from any boat or other floating device in ocean waters without having a landing net in possession or availablefor immediate use to assist in landing undersized fish of species having a minimum size limits; the opening of any such landing net shall not be less than 18" in diameter.

The part about undersized fish is the reason for the rule. The rule is that you have to have a net when fishing on the ocean.

The law can also be read to fairly mean that you can only use a net to assist in landing undersized fish and for no other purpose.

Not exactly a model of clarity.

Gov regs- clarity, Oxymoron... One cannot exist in the presence of the other

WWTDD?

-Allen

WWTDD?

-Allen

   :

WWTDD?

-Allen

I think you can use two nets in the ocean when salmon and lingcod are open, since both species have size limits.  I'll ask around.

For a long time I carried a net made of a loop of coated steel cable with the netting from a cheap 20" net, so it could be easily coiled up and stowed while still being legal, (forgot who I got the idea from here).  I need to make another because I hate a full size net on my kayak.

 

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=14677.msg138534#msg138534

If someone fishes GS without a net they could be disqualified - especially if they caught something special and had a story about how hard it was to land without a net...

A huge advantage of being in this club and being active on the forums lies in the acquisition of knowledge through thorough discussion.  It has been established long ago that a net must be in your possession if you're fishing from a boat on the ocean.  IMO, working around the rule by having something that would "qualify" as a legal net but couldn't help you much with a large fish like a big salmon or halibut will lead to acquisition of a legitimate net.  Losing a fish that could be the biggest fish you ever catch is too much to risk, so make sure you're really good with that gaff before you discount the value of a big net.

Shouldn't a net company be paying me by now?