Best Fly Fishing Net: Rubber Basket vs Wooden Frame
By RiffleDge Editorial Team . 9 min read . Updated June 2026
A fly fishing net has three jobs: land the fish cleanly, keep it in the water while you remove the hook and take a quick photo, and then release it without damaging the slime coat that protects the fish from infection. The cheapest knotted-mesh nets fail at all three. A rubber or TPU basket is the only fish-safe choice for catch-and-release trout fishing. This guide walks through what separates nets at each price point and how to choose between a carbon fiber frame that floats and a wooden frame that looks beautiful on the water.
The short answer
The Fishpond Nomad Emerger Net 2.0 is the best fly fishing net for wade anglers, combining a floating carbon fiber frame with a fish-safe TPU rubber basket in a size that handles most trout cleanly. For anglers who prioritize sustainably harvested materials and craft aesthetics, the Brodin Phantom Cutthroat Net is the top wooden net pick.
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Why basket material matters more than frame material
The basket is what the fish actually contacts, and the difference between a knotted mesh bag and a rubber or TPU basket is the difference between a net that abrades a fish's slime coat, fins, and scales and one that lets the fish rest cleanly in a smooth flexible pocket. The slime coat is a fish's primary defense against bacterial infection. Damage it with a rough mesh net and even a carefully handled catch-and-release fish has a reduced chance of survival. Do not use knotted mesh if you practice catch-and-release.
Rubber and clear TPU baskets are smooth and flexible. They are easier to remove hooks from because you can see the hook orientation through the basket material. They float on their own if the net tips over in the current. And after a fish shakes free mid-landing, the basket rinses clean rather than holding slime and scales for the next fish.
Carbon fiber frames: the guide standard for wade fishing
Carbon fiber and fiberglass composite frames are the practical choice for wade anglers because they float. Drop a wooden net in fast current and it can sink and travel 50 yards downstream before you reach it. A carbon fiber net floats at the surface and waits for you.
Fishpond Nomad Emerger Net 2.0 is the benchmark in this category and the net you will see most often on guide boats and wade fishing streams across the American West. The frame is carbon fiber and fiberglass wound together, the TPU rubber basket has a 15.5 by 10.5 inch hoop that handles a 20-inch trout cleanly, and the wrist strap loop accepts a standard magnetic net release. It is expensive at $180 to $195 but it is the net you buy once.
The Fishpond Nomad Mid-Length Net is the same design with an extended handle for anglers wading larger freestone rivers or targeting bigger fish. The extra reach during the final landing moment on a strong fish is noticeable, but the longer handle catches on brush in tight stream corridors where the Emerger fits better.
At a lower price, the Rising Brookie Net gives you a rubber basket without the Fishpond premium. The frame does not float as dramatically and the basket is narrower than the Nomad, but it is a genuine step up from knotted mesh at a price most beginners can absorb.
Fishpond Nomad Emerger Net 2.0
The community standard for wade anglers, a carbon fiber and fiberglass frame that floats with a fish-safe TPU rubber basket and a 15.5 by 10.5 inch hoop that handles most trout cleanly.
Fishpond Nomad Mid-Length Net
A longer-handled Nomad built for wade anglers who fish faster or deeper water where extra reach on the net handle makes a difference during the final landing.
Rising Brookie Net
A lightweight rubber-basket net at a mid-range price point, sized for stream trout and well suited for anglers who want the fish-safe rubber without the Fishpond premium.
Wooden frames: aesthetics and craft at a cost
A properly varnished wooden net is a beautiful piece of gear on the river, and anglers who carry one usually do so with pride. The Brodin Phantom Cutthroat Net is handcrafted from sustainably harvested hardwood in a small shop in Costa Rica, with a clear thermoplastic bag that lets you see the fish without opening the net. It floats when properly sealed and varnished.
The trade-off is maintenance and weight. Wood requires annual touch-up varnishing to maintain water resistance, and a wooden net of equivalent hoop size is heavier than a carbon fiber frame. Anglers who carry wooden nets typically pair them with a Fishpond Confluence Net Release 2.0 magnetic attachment so the net never leaves their side and the float question becomes less critical.
Brodin Phantom Cutthroat Net
A handcrafted hardwood net built in a small shop in Costa Rica from sustainably harvested wood with a clear thermoplastic bag that is gentle on fish and shows the catch clearly.
Magnetic net releases: the missing link between the net and your vest
A magnetic net release clips to your vest or pack, holds the net securely while you fish, and releases with a sharp pull when a fish is on. Without one, nets swing free on carabiners and tethers that require two hands to operate at exactly the moment you have a fish on and need both hands for the landing.
Fishpond Confluence Net Release 2.0 holds with 11 pounds of pull force, enough to stay secure through bushwhacking and fast-water wading, and releases cleanly every time. It fits the majority of net handles and attaches to any vest or pack D-ring. Add one to every net you own.
A magnetic release is also the answer to the floating net question: a net attached at your hip floats if you drop it in slow current, and a magnetic release that is clipped securely means it stays at your hip even through a stumble in fast water.
Fishpond Confluence Net Release 2.0
A magnetic net release that holds 11 pounds of pull force, attaches to any vest or pack, and releases instantly single-handed when a fish is on.
Net sizing for different water and fish types
For most trout on streams and rivers in the 10 to 20 inch range, a net with a 10 to 16 inch basket opening handles the fish cleanly. The Fishpond Nomad Emerger at 15.5 by 10.5 inches covers this range well. Going smaller makes landing bigger fish awkward. Going bigger on a small mountain stream creates a net that catches every piece of brush within radius.
For steelhead, sea-run cutthroat, and larger stillwater trout, the Fishpond Nomad Mid-Length Net gives the extra hoop size and handle reach to avoid the extended-arm lunge that loses fish at the net.
Fishpond Nomad Mid-Length Net
A longer-handled Nomad built for wade anglers who fish faster or deeper water where extra reach on the net handle makes a difference during the final landing.
Featured in this guide
Fishpond Nomad Emerger Net 2.0
The community standard for wade anglers, a carbon fiber and fiberglass frame that floats with a fish-safe TPU rubber basket and a 15.5 by 10.5 inch hoop that handles most trout cleanly.
Brodin Phantom Cutthroat Net
A handcrafted hardwood net built in a small shop in Costa Rica from sustainably harvested wood with a clear thermoplastic bag that is gentle on fish and shows the catch clearly.
Fishpond Confluence Net Release 2.0
A magnetic net release that holds 11 pounds of pull force, attaches to any vest or pack, and releases instantly single-handed when a fish is on.
Rising Brookie Net
A lightweight rubber-basket net at a mid-range price point, sized for stream trout and well suited for anglers who want the fish-safe rubber without the Fishpond premium.
Fishpond Nomad Mid-Length Net
A longer-handled Nomad built for wade anglers who fish faster or deeper water where extra reach on the net handle makes a difference during the final landing.
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Should my fly fishing net float?+
Yes, for wade fishing it is important that the net floats. Dropping a net in fast current means losing it if it sinks. Carbon fiber and fiberglass frames like those used by Fishpond Nomad nets are buoyant enough to float even with a rubber basket attached. Wooden nets from Brodin also float when properly sealed. If you fish from a boat, float is less critical but still useful.
Is a rubber basket better than a knotted mesh net?+
Yes, for catch-and-release. Knotted mesh abrades the protective slime coat on a trout and can strip scales and damage fins during a landing. A rubber or TPU basket is smooth, fish-safe, and easier to remove hooks from because you can see through the basket material. If you practice catch-and-release, there is no good reason to use a knotted mesh net.
How do I keep my net from swinging and tangling while I wade?+
Use a magnetic net release like the Fishpond Confluence. It clips the net handle to your vest or pack with 11 pounds of holding force and releases instantly with a single sharp pull. It keeps the net flat against your back or hip rather than swinging loose on a carabiner, which means no tangles and instant deployment when a fish is on.
What is the Fishpond Nomad Emerger versus the Mid-Length?+
Both use the same floating carbon fiber frame and TPU rubber basket. The Emerger has a standard handle length suited for most wade fishing on streams and medium rivers. The Mid-Length has an extended handle for bigger water and larger fish where extra reach during the final landing moment prevents the awkward arm-extension that loses fish. The Mid-Length costs slightly more and the longer handle can catch on brush in tight corridors.