Why a Christmas Gift Combo of Fishpond Nets and Cling Is a Win - Win

You don’t need to fly fish to give a great fly fishing gift.

Arctic Char | Photo by Ken Baldwin

If you’re not a fly angler and need to buy a gift for someone who is—and you have no idea what the heck to get—this will help.

Practical, Appealing, and Functional

- A Fishpond Nomad Net

I’ve owned a Fishpond net for more than a decade. It’s a vital part of my fly-fishing system. I’ve used mine as a walking stick, a leaning post, a hook for climbing steep riverbanks, an extra hand when pulling someone up a bank, and added stability when crossing deep, fast water.
And yes—when I catch a fish, I use it as a net.

Getting his client dialed in. | Photo by Ken Baldwin

An Excellent Christmas Gift

Why this net?

- The first time I held one, it made me think of the Stealth Bomber. Then I thought, What the heck is this—and how do I get one? I’d never seen a net like it.

Fishpond net, Simms backpack, Ross fly reel, TFO fly rod, Kifaru hip-pack. | Photo by Ken Baldwin

- Unless you really try, it isn’t breaking

Fishpond nets are built from a carbon-fiber and fiberglass composite. Holding it in your hand, you can tell immediately it’s a serious tool—and it looks cooler than a net should be allowed to.

- They’re light and incredibly strong

Mine has survived seven years of guiding in Alaska and three more years of travel, and it's still going strong. It’s earned its scrapes and scratches, but the frame is straight, strong, and sharp-looking. The scars just give it river cred.

Leaving Alaska | Photo by Rod Thurley

- Fishpond nets float

This matters if you spend time in boats—or have ever dropped a net in deep water.

- They’re good-looking

Some nets feature trout or camo finishes done in an artist’s style. Others are simpler but still clean and well-designed.

A sweet release. | Photo provided by Ken Baldwin

Know Your Fly Angler

Find out what type of fishing the fly angler on your gift list likes to do, and that will help you choose what net to get them. You can contact Fishpond support, let them know you are looking for a net and the type of fishing it will be used for, and they will get you squared away.

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A Stocking Stuffer That Helps the Fishery: Cling Temperature Tape

The Cling Temperature Tape is a stick-on thermometer you can—and should—attach to a net. It makes it easy to always have a thermometer with you while trout fishing, and can directly benefit the health of our trout fisheries.

Pay Attention to Water Temperature

Trout begin to stress when water temperatures rise above 64 degrees, and anything over 68 degrees can be dangerous. The Temperature Tape lets you keep track of conditions in real time. Dip it in the water you are fishing, and read the temps. If the water is hovering around 64 or above, don’t fish it.

Helps You Catch More Fish

On the flip side, a thermometer can help you find water that’s just right—the temperatures trout prefer and hold in. That alone can lead to more fish being caught.

Guide Luke Valentino of the Ridge Lodge taking care of business. | Photo by Ken Baldwin

A Win-Win for Christmas

A Fishpond net paired with a Cling thermometer makes a smart Christmas gift combo: useful, durable gear that improves your fishing—and helps protect the fishery. – Ken Baldwin Follow me on my Fishing On SI Facebook page.

"Slow down...listen to the hoppers...be patient with yer wife...eat sardines with hot sauce... catch “Gagger” trout!!!" – Flip Pallot

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