Wooden scoop net care?

[scoobyscott]

So ive asked for a wooden scoop net from Santa. I've never had one before just a aluminium one. Anyway my parents went into a tackle shop today and we're basically talked out of purchasing one because of the maintenance of wooden nets? Apparently they need sanding down and varnished tegularly especially since I would be wading a lot. I've never heard of this before so my question is do I steer clear of wooden scoop nets or was the tackle dealer talking tosh?
My folks picked a selection of goods instead  :shock:

[Wildfisher]

Sounds like bullshit to me. I have had a wooden scoop net for years which I use on all  waters where I don't expect trophy fish. Gets used, chucked in the back of the car, hung up during the winter - no problems so far.

[haresear]

I have a big wooden scoop net which began to split at the handle, but I suspect this is because I used to use it a lot from the float tube and would leave it floating in the water.

If you weren't doing as I did, I don't imagine there would be any problem.

Alex

[Billy]

Ive had the same one for 8 years now and not a mark on it. It was not even a dear one. Utter tosh if you ask me. Good thing is they float.

I lost an aluminium one years ago in north wales. I put it down at my feet in 12 inches of water and never saw it again.

Go for the wooden one.

Billy

[Inchlaggan]

If the many wooden scoop nets on the market did that I'd consider them "unfit for purpose". There are plenty of ways of treating and caring for wood that do not require such regular sanding and varnishing. Scratches and nicks can let the water in but take it indoors to dry and all should be fine. Long periods of immersion may not be a good idea though.
You get into a classic logical problem with shop staff in these cases. Is it-
A) We have none in stock and are trying to persuade you to buy something else.
B) We hold this to be true and therefore do not stock this item.
C) Contrary to our belief in (B) above, we do hold stock but advise customers not to buy (!).
D) We do not know what we are talking about.

[scoobyscott]

Thanks guys thought as much. Dreading seeing the " recommended selection of goods "they bought instead. It's from a shop I always avoid after buying my first rod from him. A pile of shite that a fishery owner laughed at and another tackle shop described it as mince 
In this case I think it's D

[Inchlaggan]

A quality hardwood net is generally fit for purpose. You would nikwax waterproof clothing, put 'dubbing' on your boots, teak oil on you good oars/paddle, oil in your car - so why not care for your expensive wooden scoop net?

Indeed, but why "sand and varnish"?

[Wildfisher]

You don't even have to spend a lot

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fly-Fishing-Landing-Net-Scoop-Salmon-Trout-River-Wooden-W-Retaining-Cord-8FoF05-/181453727031?pt=UK_BOI_Packing_Postal_Supplies_Labels_LE&hash=item2a3f7c2537

[SoldierPmr]

You don't even have to spend a lot

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fly-Fishing-Landing-Net-Scoop-Salmon-Trout-River-Wooden-W-Retaining-Cord-8FoF05-/181453727031?pt=UK_BOI_Packing_Postal_Supplies_Labels_LE&hash=item2a3f7c2537

looks good value for money I'll be investing next month.

[Mark]

You don't even have to spend a lot

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fly-Fishing-Landing-Net-Scoop-Salmon-Trout-River-Wooden-W-Retaining-Cord-8FoF05-/181453727031?pt=UK_BOI_Packing_Postal_Supplies_Labels_LE&hash=item2a3f7c2537

That one looks perfect. Good price. Net not too long so prevents tangles in brambles,branches etc and a tape measure already sown into the net. Don't even have to handle the fish, quick measurement and it's away.

I lost a net (far too deep a net on it) when fishing the Tay in Aug, somewhere in a huge patch of Broom. Went for a walk last week along the same stretch of river to see how high the river was, and amazingly found it straight away hanging off a branch. On the day I lost my net I also found an expensive salmon net which had been washed down in a flood. I stuck this into the ground in case anyone wanted it. This was gone last week. Says a lot about my cheap tackle that no one will even take it for free.