You can land a smaller fish without a net by grabbing the line and swinging the fish aboard. If the fish has teeth, spines, or a notoriously weak jaw, you need to use a net. Tournament anglers also use a net so they don’t lose a winning fish. First, the net improves the chances of not losing a fish when going from the water to the kayak deck. Second, once the fish is on board, keeping it in the net helps control the animal’s dangerous parts. Most importantly, a net keeps the fish from jumping out of the kayak and escaping. Using a net is kinder for the fish, too. Supporting the fish’s body and preventing it from injuring itself, a net improves the chance a fish will survive release.