Nomad Mid-Length Net Review

How does that Joni Mitchell song go?

"Don't it always seem to go/That you don't know what you've got/Till it's gone"

With my penchant for the hip-hops, I prefer the Janet Jackson remake. That's my jam.

Anyways, I digress, like Joni was saying, "You don't know what you've got/Till it's gone." It's true. Three months ago, I left my trusty Mid-Length Nomad net on the banks of the South Platte River in Cheesman Canyon. Since that fateful trip, it's been a struggle to quickly and safely land, photograph and release fish. Fishing without my mid-length Nomad is like fishing without a mustache. I'm naked on the water.

25" brown fits comfortably in the Nomad Mid-Length Net.

In the past, I was of the opinion, that a net is a net is a net. Times have changed and so has my opinion. A net is a net is a net, unless, it's a Nomad net. I've owned and shattered several wood nets in my day. So, the transition to the lightweight carbon fiber/fiberglass composite was a welcome one. The mid-length net is 37" in length and weighs less than a pound including the rubber bag (0.88 pounds to be exact). The net is coated with a rubberized finish called RiverKoat, which allows for optimal grip when the net is wet. The mid-length net, which floats, comes standard with a clear rubber bag whose opening is 13" wide and 18" long.

Big enough for the average carp.

Over the last two years, I have put the mid-length Nomad net through it's paces. From the big water of Montana to the technical tailwaters and carp flats of Colorado, the Nomad Mid-Length net has corralled it's fair share of fish on a wide variety of tippet sizes. The mid-length net is lengthy enough to reach for a hooked fish without putting too much strain on light tippet. The net itself is light enough to handle with very little effort, making the netting process smooth and relatively effortless. It's easy to carry around tucked against one's back with a sling or lumbar pack. Additionally, this lengthy and light net is durable.

Scoop and Score. Photo: pinchetruta.

I am notoriously hard on my gear. I routinely dropped this net against rocks and pavement. Over the two years of abuse, it showed little signs of wear and tear. Last spring, as I walked back to the car after a long day on the South Platte, I slipped on some ice and pulled a classic "legs pointing towards the sky, fall on your ass" pratfall. The mid-length Nomad net was flush against my back, tucked between my body and my Orvis Guide Sling. As I've most likely expressed in past reviews, I am not small. I'm 6'2" and 220 lbs. When I pratfell/pratfalled/pratfallened, the mid-length Nomad took the brunt of my weight. Instead of splintering and shattering into pieces, the net sustained some surficial damage. The structural integrity of the net survived and it lived to net many a fish after the fall. I am nothing but impressed by the quality of construction and design of the mid-length net and would recommend it to any angler in the market for a new net.

Check the Mid-Length Nomad Net in action in several past YGF videos: What Can Browns Do For You?, 40 MPH and RISING, Cielo Grande, and Glass Carp.

Surficial Damage after the big pratfall

The Mid-Length Nomad Net is available in three different colors (green, river camo, and tailwater) and ranges in price from $149.95 to $159.95. Nomad/Fishpond has a wide variety of net sizes in their lineup. From the smaller Hand Net to the Full-Length Boat Net, Nomad has a net for every purpose. Check their lineup out at fishpondusa.com.

I miss you Mid-Length Nomad Net. Won't you come back to me?