Carp landing nets – V-shape as standard
Almost all carp landing nets are V-shaped: two arms spread out from a spreader block, with a deep net hanging between them. This shape has become established in European carp fishing because the deep net securely holds a fighting big fish – and the wide opening angle lets you net the fish from changing angles during the fight.
If you are looking for a net for carp fishing, the V-shape is the right basis. Round or oval nets are match nets – for feeder and coarse fishing. Unsuitable for carp: too shallow, not enough net depth. The exceptions from Austria – NG Carp ORIGINAL and SPOON by Erich Unger – are covered in a separate section further down.
The right size – 42 or 46 inch?
The width of the frame determines whether a carp fits safely into the net – or jumps over it.
42 inch = 105–107 cm is the absolute standard. Enough for carp up to approx. 20 kg, easy to handle and covers all Austrian carp waters. Whether you fish the gravel pits of Lower Austria, Lake Neusiedl or the Danube backwaters – 42 inch fits everywhere.
46 inch = 117 cm makes sense when you are targeting big carp or catfish over 20 kg. The Nash Air Force F10, F20 and F40 only come as 46-inch models. With its SK-47 series, Sonik even offers 50 inch. Anything under 90 cm is a match and feeder net.
- 42 inch – standard, all carp waters, easy to manoeuvre
- 46 inch – big carp over 20 kg, catfish, wide shallow margins
- 50 inch – Sonik SK-47, for Europe’s very biggest fish
- Under 90 cm – match and feeder, not suitable for carp fishing
The spreader block – the heart of a carp landing net
The spreader block connects the handle and the net arms. When you land a 20kg carp, it holds all the forces together.
Die-cast aluminium – Fox EOS, Anaconda Magist. Light, inexpensive, good enough for normal sessions.
CNC-machined aluminium (JAG) – Korda Spring Bow and Kaizen. Precise guides, anodised finish, zero-stretch cord. The gold standard for premium nets.
Stainless steel – Fox Horizon X3S, X4. Virtually indestructible, corrosion-resistant. For anglers who want to use a net for decades.
Full 3K carbon – Anaconda Uncle Franks: arms, block and handle made of 3K carbon. Lightest, stiffest. For specimen carp.
Glass-fibre nylon with lever – Fox Lever Lok: a removable lever locks and unlocks the arms one-handed. A genuinely radical system.
Look out for a net retainer – a clip that holds the net back while you manoeuvre. The Sonik VaderX, Korda Spring Bow and Fox Horizon have one. Budget entry-level nets usually do not.
Landing net mesh – material and depth make the difference
Rubber-coated mesh is standard among serious carp anglers today. No scales get caught, hooks do not snag and the fish slides out easily. Nash Scope Camo, Anaconda Anti-Hook Rubber, Fencl (5×8 mm fine mesh), Sportex Olive Rubberized.
Hexmesh (Korda, Sonik SK-47, Xtractor+) – hexagonal mesh, quick-drying. The shallow Hexmesh on the Spring Bow: minimal water resistance when netting a fish.
Camo mesh (Nash Scope, RCG Venator X) – soft camouflage mesh, light and inconspicuous for wary carp in clear lakes.
Net depth: 70 cm for competition fishing and quick netting. 95–100 cm is the normal standard. 140 cm on the Trakker Sanctuary T12 – for carp that need to wait in the water for a while.
Spike cap – secure the carp in the net, both hands free
Lots of anglers know the problem: the carp is in the net, the scales are hanging somewhere and the camera is missing. The net has to go somewhere. For exactly this situation, several manufacturers have developed a pointed butt cap that you push into the lakebed or the bank. The net stands up in the water by itself and the carp lies safely in the mesh.
Nash Air Force F10, F20, F40 – all three with a pointed spike butt cap. The F40 also has a 10mm peg hole in the CNC spreader block so you can secure the net with a bivvy peg – even in strong wind or current.
Korda Spring Bow – 316 stainless steel spike cap, explicitly described as follows: “allows the handle to easily be pushed into the ground to retain fish immediately after landing”.
Korda Kaizen – integrated stainless steel spike for holding fish briefly. Starlite slot for night fishing.
Trakker Sanctuary T12 – CNC anodised custom pointed butt cap. The 140cm net depth makes holding fish briefly in the water particularly safe.
Sonik Xtractor+ Recon (NEW 2026) – spike tip at the maximum handle length of 195cm.
Fox Lever Lok – stainless-steel pointed butt cap plus the unique lever system: screw the lever into the spreader block, secure the net via the Fox Camlok bankstick collar – the fish waits safely in the water.
Floating nets – why solo anglers need one
If you fish on your own, you need a net that floats open in the water. Both hands free for the fight. Sounds simple – but in practice it makes all the difference.
Retrofit a net float – Nash Net Float, Fox Camo Lite Net Float. Under 15 euros, slides onto the handle, fits almost any net.
Nash Air Force F20 and F40 – buoyant as standard: the handle and arms float on their own.
Korda Spring Bow – floats without a net float thanks to its reverse taper + zero-stretch cord.
Korda Kaizen Green Net 2pc – Natural Buoyancy, no extra accessories needed.
Forge Class Bx1 – integrated floaters built right into the carbon arms.
RCG Venator X – floaters in the arms + camo net float included.
Sportex Carp Landing Net – floating devices permanently built into the HM carbon arms.
Fencl Carp Premium – EVA flotation foam in glass-fibre arms. The net head detaches from the handle and floats on its own. The most perfect floating solution on the market.
NG Carp ORIGINAL and SPOON – buoyancy set available, infinitely adjustable: slow-sinking, neutrally buoyant or floating.
Anaconda Float Trap and Camou Grabber – built-in floats.
Anaconda Nighthawk FS-1/FS-2 – Nature Carbon arms with Floating Support plus a MAGNETCLIP that holds the net on the handle until it is needed – stops it snagging in reeds and bushes.
Landing net handle – one-piece for baiting, telescopic for transport
The standard handle is two-piece, 1.80–1.85 m. A one-piece 180cm handle with a universal thread becomes a baiting pole with a screw-on baiting spoon – no extra kit in your swim. The Sportex Premium Carbon Handle, Korda Kaizen 1pc, Sonik VaderX RS 1pc, Fox Horizon X4S and Sonik S1 are all suitable for this dual use.
Telescopic for boats and mobile sessions: Nash Scope (~106cm), Nash Scope Black Ops (74cm – smallest packed size), Sonik Xtractor+ Recon T30 (76cm, NEW 2026 with 3 adjustable lengths 75/145/195cm).
Extra long for steep banks: Forge Class Bx1 in 8ft/240cm. Anaconda Skimmi Scoop extends to 225cm. Fencl modular in 2m, 3m or 4m.
Special case: Anaconda Skimmi Scoop for reeds and weed
If you fish densely overgrown waters, you know the problem: V-shaped arms snag in reeds and weedbeds. That is why the Anaconda Skimmi Scoop does not have a V-shape but a continuous metal frame that pushes through reeds and weed without snagging. Extends to 225cm, thick rubber-coated Anti-Hook Rubber mesh.
Fencl Carp Premium – the net that does everything differently
Fencl from the Czech Republic solves three problems at once that other manufacturers ignore:
Scissor lock in both directions – one twist and the arms are closed, left- or right-handed. When you are landing a big carp in a hectic fight, that is worth its weight in gold.
Magnetic arm attachment – glass-fibre arms with stainless steel ends and a magnet find the block by themselves. No fumbling around in the dark.
EVA flotation foam right in the arms – the whole net head floats and can be detached from the handle.
Modular handle in 2m, 3m or 4m. Rubber-coated 5×8mm mesh. Free lifetime service – unique in the fishing tackle industry. See it live at the Carppellets stand at Carp Austria 2026.
Fox Lever Lok – the most radical arm system around
The net can be secured via a Fox Cam Lok bankstick or Storm Pole. The fish stays calm and protected in the water while you get the unhooking mat, scales and camera ready.
The decisive feature: the lever screws into the spreader block. This lets you secure the net via a Fox Camlok bankstick or Storm Pole – the fish stays safely in the water while you get the unhooking mat, scales and camera ready. A pointed stainless-steel butt cap as an extra safeguard. Available as a 42″ in 6ft 1pc and 8ft 2pc.
NG Carp ORIGINAL SPOON landing net – made in Austria
Erich Unger from Burgenland builds high-quality landing nets made in Austria. The SPOON net is a concept unique worldwide, with a spoon-shaped, rounded frame made from aircraft-grade aluminium – developed for stability, low weight and fish-friendly handling.
The foldable design is particularly well thought out: the solid aluminium frame has three hinges and is available in L and XL. Combined with the one-piece 180 cm TITAN handle, it makes a robust, high-quality landing net for demanding carp anglers. With the optional, infinitely adjustable buoyancy set, the SPOON net can also be made to float.
At Carp Austria you can meet Erich Unger in person at the NG Carp stand and see, compare and handle the SPOON net live.
All top carp landing net models compared
Carp landing net models compared
No bait, no catch – the best boilies for carp
Before you can even use your carp landing net, you need the right bait. In carp fishing, the boilie often matters more than the rod. Which brands make the most effective mixes, and which boilies work for which water and which season – the boilie brands overview helps you catch the carp of your life.
Buy carp landing nets live at Carp Austria 2026
Austria’s biggest selection of carp landing nets, big-fish nets and nets for carp fishing – you will find them at Carp Austria. Nash, Trakker, Korda, Fox, Anaconda, Sonik, Forge, Fencl (Carppellets stand) and NG Carp with Erich Unger in person – all the brands from this guide in one place, on 5 and 6 December 2026, Arena Nova Wiener Neustadt.
Handle the net arms, compare spreader blocks, judge the mesh – at show prices you will not get online. Plus a huge selection of nets for coarse and predator fishing, many with rubber-coated mesh, and plenty of show offers. All exhibitor info at carp-austria.com/en/exhibitors/.
