Fishing Forum

All right pro's I got one for you.

Dip nets. We all love them , we all use them.
Rules are clear, not to exceed certain diameter, fish needs to be hooked prior to usage (with some exemptions of course)

But, I want to clarify something.

Every now and again I drag my girlfriend out of the kitchen , so she can enjoy us (me) fishing for some nice trout here and there. And , naturally, now and again I would let her use a dip net while I drag the fish in, so she can feel useful and part of the process I suppose.

Is it legal? Me - angling the fish , her - spotting it? She is licenced.

Appreciate your feedback.
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The difference between a landing net and a dip net is pretty much just how you use it, with the dip net referring to the actual practice of dipnetting, which is generally illegal in Utah. There's nothing specifically restricting or banning the practice of having someone net your fish for you, and you could be pretty sure you'd have a rise in hook-related injuries if you started trying to have guys on boats land their own fish.
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Well, I guess I should have been clearer on the purpose of usage.

Yes, it is for landing the fish only. And you answered my question, thanks.
The book is not clear whether it is legal or not for a 3rd party to be involved, since the actual catch is done by someone else.
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If you hooked it, reeled it in, and are still holding the pole while it's being netted, you caught the fish. I doubt anyone is gonna have an issue, especially if the other person is licensed too.
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Yeah, plus I think it's a safety issue. Same reason you use the short poles for ice fishing, if you had to handle a 4-foot plus rod while trying to get a big fish out of the hole, you're going to have your face down by the hole while holding your pole up with considerable tension and the possibility of that hook tearing loose and coming at your face.

Of course the greater motivation for both the short pole on the ice and having someone else land a fish in other situations is the likelihood that you'll lose the fish, but there's other reasons. Having someone else land the fish reduces the time it takes to get it in the net, especially when you're on slippery rocks and the fish is beating itself up. You're a lot more likely to rip mouth parts when landing your own fish too.
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I appreciate everyone's feedback.
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