***Editor’s Note: We have updated this list to reflect 2021 – So it is our list of the best crappie fishing nets of 2021!***
Crappie fishing is a very enjoyable experience – and something that my Midwest Angler buddies took very seriously! We would love to catch a big haul of crappie and bring them back to the campsite to fry up! It might be a little annoying to clean so many smaller sized fish – but the taste was worth it!
While cleaning crappie can be a little annoying; I would rank losing a big crappie because you have the wrong fishing net as a lot annoying! You do not want or need your giant musky net or northern pike net when fishing for crappie – but you do need a dependable fishing net that is easy to maneuver in water!
So, we were kind enough to put together a list of the best crappie fishing nets for you! We have ranked, reviewed, and highlighted the reasons why you should purchase this crappie fishing nets – and hopefully this will make your crappie fishing trips even more enjoyable!
Table of Contents
Quick Chart of the Best Crappie Fishing Nets
Here is a quick chart highlighting the Best Crappie Landing Nets – with a much more detailed review about each one listed below that. Each link/picture will take you to Amazon to purchase if you are interested!
| Rank | Fishing Net Description | Fishing Net Picture |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | StowMaster Crappie Tournament Series |  |
| #2 | EGO Reach Landing Nets |  |
| #3 | Frabill Trophy Haul Bearclaw Fishing Net |  |
| #4 | EGO S2 Slider Fishing Net |  |
| #5 | PLUSINNO Folding Crappie Fishing Net |  |
| #6 | KastKing Madbite Folding Fishing Net |  |
Quick Best Crappie Fishing Net Cheat Sheet
I get it, not everyone wants to read through all those detailed reviews. If you are in that boat, no big deal- we got you covered! Here is our list of the best crappie fishing nets for different situations, and if you want more details about each one, continue reading below this cheat sheet!
- Best Overall Crappie Fishing Net – StowMaster Crappie Tournament Series
- Official Crappie Fishing Net of Crappie USA – EGO Reach Landing Nets
- Most Innovative Design – Frabill Bearclaw Fishing Net
- Best Crappie Net that can be used for Multiple Species: EGO S2 Slider Fishing Nets
- Most Affordable Crappie Fishing Net (Note this is a net that ships from China): PLUSINNO Foldable Fishing Net
Best Overall Crappie Fishing Net: StowMaster Crappie Tournament Series (CS74AG)
The StowMaster Crappie Tournament Series Fishing net is a great crappie fishing net. The hoop size is large enough and deep enough to handle the biggest of crappie – while not being so big that it is hard to handle in the water. The handle length and telescopic design make it a great net for shore fishing or boat fishing as well – and the length of the fishing net can handle crappie fishing done by fly rods or longer crappie rods with ease.
Starting with the hoop, you have a 14″ x 18″ hoop size that is 16″ deep. It features a flat bottom to help secure and protect the fish – and the mesh is a “micro-guardian” style of net which is safe and effective for landing crappie. This netting mesh/hoop design will hopefully help you reduce lure tangles in the netting as well.
The handle is a 74″ telescopic design. That length will easily allow you to get under your crappie and scoop them right up. The handle and hoop of this net are made from a special aluminum that will give it a lightweight that makes it easy to use but makes is strong enough and durable enough to last a lifetime. These handles also have a really cool crappie scale design to them that just looks awesome and is a nice little touch to the net itself!
Another amazing feature about these nets is their ability to be stowed. The unique design allows them to be folded and stored at a size of 8″ x 35″ – which is just remarkable and even lets these fishing nets be used on kayaks!
Between the durability, the special design bells and whistles, the functionality, and the price – you have to name this the best overall crappie fishing net!
Official Landing Net of Crappie USA: EGO Reach Landing Nets
There are a lot of people that are probably going to disagree with my number one choice – and say you need to go with the Official Landing Net of Crappie USA – which is the EGO Reach Landing Nets. And I’ll be honest with you, I am okay with that criticism because these are also some fantastic fishing nets!
These nets were specifically designed for serious crappie anglers. They have a unique 3-part, twist and lock, telescopic handle design. This handle will extend to 8.5 feet in length; giving you that necessary reach to make sure you secure your trophy sized crappie!
We should also note that these handles are made from aluminum – making them lightweight and easy to control. This also makes them very durable.
There are two choices in this fishing net line – one with PVC mesh and one with rubber mesh. Both are going to have a 14″ x 18″ hoop size and a net depth of 15-inches. The unique scoop design of this fishing net is also going to help you secure crappie!
Here are the specs of the two net choices and we can tell you these are fantastic crappie fishing nets!
| EGO Fishing Net Name | Hoop Size | Net Material | Net Depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| EGO Reach PVC Coated Fishing Net | 14" x 18" | PVC Coated | 15" |
| EGO Reach Rubber Net | 14" x 18" | Rubber | 15" |
If these fishing nets are number 1 on your list of the best crappie fishing nets, they need to be at number 2!
Best New Crappie Fishing Net Design: Frabill Trophy Haul Bearclaw Fishing Net
The Frabill Trophy Haul Bearclaw Fishing Net was one of the neat fishing net design innovations to come out of 2020! This is a one-handed fishing net meant for anglers that are shore fishing, kayak fishing, or even boat fishing by themselves!
The unique handle design has a bracket on the bottom that basically presses into your arm – with a grip towards the top of the handle. The grip gives you complete control of the net, and the bracket keeps the net from slipping – easily allowing you to scoop up fish with this net on one arm and your fishing rod in the other. Really, it is a great design that anglers that find themselves solo fishing are going to love!
This size is also perfect for crappie fishing. The handle is about 18″ in length, the hoop size is 14″ x 18″, the net depth is 11″, and the mesh size is 1/2 an inch. This makes the net big enough to scoop up crappie while being very easy to control in the water.
The netting is a coated material that is safe on fish and the price is right around $80 – making it a steal for this high-quality of a fishing net.
Oh, did we mention that you can buy the Frabill Bearclaw option that has a built-in light? Yeah, there is a button you can push that lights it right up and the reflective material of the net even gives it that extra bright look. This crappie net is also great for night anglers!
This net really is perfect for anyone that does a lot of panfishing!
Most Versatile Crappie Fishing Net: EGO S2 Slider Fishing Nets
EGO makes some great fishing nets; and the EGO S2 Slider fishing net line is perfect for crappie fishing – but can easily make the transition to landing bass, walleye, and other similarly sized fish species!
What makes these EGO Fishing Nets so special? One is the easy push button design that lets the net handle slide to the desired length. Secondly, you have a great selection of different sizes and mesh materials to fit the style of fishing you prefer. Thirdly, these handles are designed to remove the hoop and there are about 30 different attachments that can replace the net hoop. And did we mention that this series of nets has a limited 2-year warranty on the net and accessories? EGO trusts this series of nets, and with good reason!
There are two size options in this family of nets we would recommend for crappie. There is the compact size and the medium size. If you don’t need much of a handle reach, the compact size is perfect. If you do a lot of crappie fishing from your boat and want a little extra reach – the medium sized line is perfect!
Here is a link to the compact size options from Amazon (handle extends from 18″ to 36″): EGO S2 Slider Compact Fishing Nets.
And if you want a longer net reach, here are your EGO S2 Slider Medium Sized Options (handle extends from 29″ to 60″):
| Net Name | Hoop Size | Net Depth | Mesh Material |
|---|---|---|---|
| S2 Slider - Medium Nylon | 17" x 19" | 28" | Coated Mesh |
| S2 Slider - Medium PVC | 17" x 19" | 16" Flat Bottom | PVC Coated Mesh |
| S2 Slider - Medium Rubber | 17" x 19" | 15" Flat Bottom | Rubber |
| S2 Slider - Medium Clear Rubber | 17" x 19" | 15" Flat Bottom | Clear Rubber |
All of those features and the ability for this net to be used for multiple species make it the most versatile crappie landing net; and a fishing net you won’t regret buying!
Most Affordable Crappie Fishing Net: PLUSINNO Foldable Fishing Net
There are a lot of articles that will call the PLUSINNO Foldable Fishing Net the best Crappie fishing net. It is not, the materials are not as good as some of the other options, it doesn’t have the same type of durability as some of the other nets, and it doesn’t have all the features a lot of these other nets do. It also ships from China, and generally speaking I’m not big into supporting dropship style companies instead of real good American Fishing Net Companies like Ranger, StowMaster, or Frabill.
However, it is the most affordable – and because of this is has a lot of positive reviews online. This is a great fishing net for those that aren’t looking to spend a lot of money and want a fishing net they can depend on for a while. This fits that bill perfectly and is also great for anglers that don’t get onto the water as much as they dream about!
The frame and handle of these nets are made from a fiberglass/carbon fiber mixture that provide a solid frame. They have a nylon-mesh that holds up well, and it does have a foldable design that make these nets very easy to stow. All-around, these are some nice features – but again the big selling point is a price tag right around $35-$40 with the bigger sized options. That is what typically gets people excited!
There are a few different sized PLUSINNO Fishing nets that work great for crappie fishing. There are four different hoop sizes, different handle lengths, and one has a fixed pole vs. telescopic options from the others. Click on the link below to check out these features:
So again, this is a very good fishing net, but I have problems calling it the best crappie fishing net like some other places do solely based on the amount of online reviews it has – because it has that amount of reviews because it is a lot less expensive than some of the other options.
KastKing Foldable Fishing Net
Another great crappie fishing net option would be the KastKing Foldable Fishing Net. It basically has all the features you will be looking for to ensure a successful crappie fishing trip – and it is priced very affordably as well!
One of the big differences for this fishing net versus the others is it the hoop and handle are made from flexible e-glass vs. your traditional aluminum. This gives the net some bend to it, but it won’t dent like aluminum can. This bend could be an issue if you were trying to land a big northern pike – but won’t be any issue scooping up a crappie.
The mesh holes are pretty small, but the mesh is covered to prevent hooks from snagging into the net. It has a great triangular shape, and the net can be folded for easy storage.
Overall, this is just a solid crappie fishing net that would be a nice addition to your fishing gear collection for a great price.
Other Links of Interest
I know this article has gotten me excited about doing some more crappie fishing really soon! If you are an angler that likes to catch a lot of different species of fish – or is looking for a fishing net that is generally a little bigger than the ones listed here, I would encourage you to check out some of these links.
- The Best Northern Pike Fishing Nets
- The Best Walleye Fishing Nets
- The Best Musky Fishing Nets Reviewed
And as always, we hope you enjoy your fishing trip adventures and we hope we have made it easier for you to land that fish of your dreams!