If you have been reading this site for a while, you probably noticed that I’m big into catch and release fishing. However, there is one species of fish that I will keep just about every time – and that’s walleye!
Since I am big into catch and release fishing, I don’t normally get very bothered when I lose a fish pulling it from the water and into the boat. However, I do get a little sad when I lose a really nice walleye, especially when it is only inches away from being safely in my possession!
Having the right fishing net for walleye fishing helps ensure I’m doing everything possible to limit the amount of walleye that I’m losing at the boat. And that’s a good thing, because walleye are easy to clean and taste delicious!
Below is our list of the best fishing nets for walleye fishing. We have included a detailed review about each walleye fishing net option, and included our advice on what to look for in a good net!
Hopefully you find this list useful, and we help you land more walleye!
Table of Contents
List of the Best Fishing Nets for Walleye Fishing
Here is a quick overview of our list of the best fishing nets for walleye fishing. Below this chart is a much more detailed review of each individual option- as well as tips when choosing a walleye landing net, and links that you might find enjoyable!
You shouldn’t have any problem finding a walleye landing net that is right for you!
| Rank | Description | Picture |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Frabill 20” x 23” Conservation Series Landing Net. |  |
| #2 | Frabill 23” x 26” Conservation Series Walleye Fishing net |  |
| #3 | StowMaster Mr. Walleye Landing Net |  |
| #4 | EGO S2 Slider Large Landing Net |  |
| #5 | EGO Kryptek S1 Genesis Large PVC Coated Net |  |
| #6 | EGO Kryptek S1 Genesis Large Deep Rubber Net |  |
| #7 | Ranger Nets Knotless Flat Bottom Rubber Coated Landing Net |  |
Frabill 20” x 23” Conservation Series Landing Net
Frabill makes some really good fishing nets, and one of the best fishing nets for Walleye Fishing is the Frabill 20” x 23” Conservation Series Landing Net.
The hoop size is 20” x 23” which should be plenty large enough to fit walleye. It also gives you a large enough hoop to easily control the net, and gives you a large netting area! The net is 16” inches deep as well.
This net also has a flat, linear bottom – which is going to reduce fishing rolling around and flopping out of the net. The flat bottom also helps support the weight of the fish, and make it easy for you to pull the fish out of the water.
The net mesh is knotless and tangle free. This prevents your hooks and fishing lures from getting crazy tangled. It also helps to protect the fish and prevent injuries, which is really nice if you catch a walleye that is under the size limit – catching and releasing fish without any physical harm happening is a good thing!
The handle is reinforced to help support the weight of large fish, and the handle can be adjusted in length from 24 inches to 48 inches depending if you are shore fishing or boat fishing.
This is just a great all-around fishing net, and it can be used for other species like bass or trout if you enjoy fishing for those species as well!
Frabill 23” x 26” Conservation Series Walleye Net
The Frabill 23” x 26” Conservation Series Walleye Fishing net is another great net from Frabill; and is really similar to the 20” x 23” Net listed above from Frabill – ONLY BIGGER!
This net has a great telescoping handle that can be adjusted from 36” to 72” – and the handle locks into place to make sure it is sturdy enough to lift those nice walleyes you are catching! The handle is also 1 inch in diameter, making it easy to use.
The net hoop itself is 23” x 26” – which will provide a great target area to net a walleye – and plenty of space to hold that walleye when you are pulling it out of the water.
The net holes are 3/8” in size, which provides plenty of space to let the water flow through – preventing major water resistance that makes it difficult to lift fish.
The net is 16 inches deep with a flat bottom – which also helps control the fish. The conservation series from Frabill is made from knotless mesh that has tangle free coating on it – again preventing fish from getting hurt and fishing lures getting snagged.
The extra reach of this net is perfect for people that are on a charter boat, or a boat of larger size that needs extra reach to get to the fish. So, if you fit that bill, that a look at this net to make sure you have the reach you need to land large fish!
StowMaster Mr. Walleye Landing Net
It might be the name, but I think you are going to be really happy if you pick the StowMaster Mr. Walleye Landing Net to be your walleye fishing net!
This net has a hoop that is 20” x 24” – which is going to make netting most walleyes really simple. The net bag is 24 inches deep, which is going to hold walleyes with no problem at all.
The net bag is also made with a fish-friendly, knot-free design which I’m a huge fan of. It is also has a special coating that should prevent your hooks from getting all tangled up in the net itself.
The handle is 1” in diameter and really easy to hold onto. It is a two-stage telescoping handle that can be extended out as far as 72 inches. Both the hoop and the handle are made from a strong aluminum alloy that is lightweight, but also very durable!
One of the really unique features of this net is that the hoop actually folds up, making it incredibly easy to store in boats and storage compartments.
These nets are made in the USA, and have a lifetime warranty – which are both great selling points for those of us looking for good quality fishing equipment!
With all of the great features listed above, you can see why we had to include this net on our list of the best fishing nets for walleye fishing! I mean, with a name like Mr. Walleye, how could it be bad?
EGO S2 Slider Large Landing Net
We wanted to make sure to include the EGO S2 Slider Large Landing Net onto our list of the best walleye fishing nets because of the numerous different options you can pick from when buying this series of net.
There are varying hoop sizes – with the main ones being a 19-inch by 21-inch hoop and a 22-inch by 23-inch hoop. My preference is normally the slightly larger hoop because I like that little extra netting space to make sure I secure my walleye – but the 19 x 21-inch hoop is very effective!
There are also varying bag depths you get to pick with this net! They range from 15 inches to 31 inches – with my pick being either the 20-inch or 24-inch bag depth. I find 15 inches to be a little small for some of those larger walleyes I like to catch. 31 inches does come in handy if I accidentally catch a northern pike while walleye fishing!
The net bags are also made with some different materials depending on personal preference. They have rubber mesh, pvc coated mesh, and rubber coated nylon mesh – all of them do a nice job of protecting fish that are caught and may need to be released.
The handle itself starts out at a length of 29 inches, and can be extended upwards of 60 inches. It also has some really nice grips on it to make it easy to handle.
If I was picking an EGO S2 Slider Fishing Net for walleye fishing, my top choice would be the 19 inch by 21 inch hoop, with the rubber mesh, and bag depth of 24 inches! However, if that isn’t quite your style, you have some other options to pick!
These are nice nets that come in at a great price, and should make your walleye fishing trips enjoyable!
EGO Kryptek Genesis Fishing Nets
EGO also has a newer generation of fishing nets that are very popular right now – the EGO Kryptek Genesis fishing nets.
First, these nets have a fantastic look and design which EGO called Kryptek Camo. I don’t know if that makes a big difference when catching fish, but it looks awesome.
These nets are also floating, so if they are dropped overboard you are going to be able to rescue them! This has never been a problem for me, but I know a person or two that have lost their nets at inopportune times!
These nets also have a removable handle, which makes them easy to store in your boat or other tight spaces.
I would recommend one of the following options: the Kryptek S1 Genesis Large PVC Coated Net or the Kryptek S1 Genesis Large Deep Rubber Net.
If you couldn’t guess by the name, the PVC coated option has a bag depth of 31 inches that is PVC coated. The hoop size is 19” x 21 inches – and the handle is 31 inches. It is not an extendable handle like some of the other options listed above.
The large deep rubber net option has a bag depth of 24 inches (rubber coated obviously), a hoop size of 19” x 21” – and also has a handle that is 31 inches in length. This net does have a flat bottom bag – and both nets have a max load capacity of about 30 pounds.
If you catch a walleye bigger than 30 pounds – you are the best angler ever!
Both of these hi-tech nets are great choices, and you can pick between the two based on personal preference!
Ranger Nets Knotless Flat Bottom Landing Net
Most landing net lists wouldn’t be complete without having an addition from Ranger Nets. We feel that for walleye fishing, the Ranger Nets Knotless Flat Bottom Rubber Coated Landing Net is almost as good as it gets!
There are a lot of different sizes you can buy from Ranger, but I like the 25 x 25-inch hoop. I always like to make sure I have a large netting space so I don’t miss the fish.
This version of the net has a knotless hoop that should prevent tangling of lures, and the rubber coating is great for catch and release fishing. It also has a flat bottom which really helps you secure the fish and keep them from leaving the net unexpectedly.
It has a telescopic handle that automatically lines up and clicks into place when you are extending. The handle will go from 54” to 84” – which is a great reach for those of us fishing off a large boat.
The net is all black, and made from really durable materials. This net is also made in the USA – which I know is important to a lot of us.
The reviews of this net are very good, and you can see why! This will make a great addition to anyone’s walleye fishing gear collection.
Tips When Picking a Walleye Fishing Net
Here is a quick snapshot of tips I have when picking a walleye net!
Tip #1 – Make sure the hoop size is large enough. There are some giant walleyes out there, but most of the time you are probably going to be catching walleye in that 15 inches to 30 inches range (on the high side). That is why I like having a net that is at least 20 inches deep, and at least 20 x 20 inches in size.
Tip #2 – Make sure the handle is long enough. It is amazing how often I see someone really leaning over the side of the boat trying to net a fish. Try buying a net with a handle that is long enough for you to have a good reach! Adjustable handles are normally the way to go.
Tip #3 – I prefer rubber or PVC coated nets because they are going to help you prevent lure snares – and more importantly – they help protect the fish during catch and release moments.
Final Thoughts
Walleye fishing is a lot of fun, and they are delicious to eat! So, it really does make me really sad when I lose a nice walleye by the edge of the boat (probably because my brother is a terrible netter). Hopefully these nets will give you that extra edge in getting you walleye into the boat.
I will also tell you that sometimes I like to take fishing trips that might focus on dual species. For example, going to Canada to catch both northern pike and walleye. In those situations, the net that I will normally take with me if I only have room for one fishing net is the larger option. This is particularly true for fish like northern pike that take a different type of net.
If you are going to be finding yourself in a situation like that, we did create a complete list of the best Northern Pike Fishing Nets (which should also work for muskie fishing)!
Here are also some quick links to some other fishing articles we have done – in case you are looking for some fishing idea!
- Lake Erie Walleye Fishing Trip Review
- The Ultimate Northern Pike Fishing Guide
- The Best Premium Fishing Rods & Best Northern Pike Fishing Rods
Enjoy some Walleye Fishing! Here is a really short video of us at Amazingoutdooradventures.com getting ready to catch some Walleye on Lake Erie!