I disagree with Rob on not netting fish that you intend to release. While poorly handled netting can be hard on a fish, I think you can get a fish to hand much more quickly if you net it than if you beach it, and further, if you're in a boat, you really have no choice. If you can get the fish to hand more quickly, the fish suffers less stress, and is more likely to survive.

So what is a poorly handled netted fish? One that you net, bring into the boat, and let thrash around on the bottom of the boat for 3 minutes while you remove the hook, disentangle your plug before releasing the fish, etc. Keep the fish over the side of the boat, gills and mouth in the water, head upstream, while you unhook it, and then release it before you worry about your gear. If I see am intact adipose fin, that fish never touches the floor of my boat.

The objection will be made that a net removes skin mucous (sp) causing the fish to be at risk. The reading I have done from various sources indicates that this is not a risk to the fish, and that our concerns about removing slime hurting the fish are an old wive's tail. I can't name the source, but I read it somewhere, and my recollection is that the source was a fish biologist type. I could definitely be wrong here.

I firmly believe that netting fish is better for the fish than beaching the fish, but am open to contrary arguments.