Korum folding spoon net - FAILED!

[Steve Arnold]

I have owned an early version of this net for a few years. It has held many fish (individually, usually!) up to over 40 lbs. It had become a little out of shape so when I read there was a stronger, upgraded version available I bought one. Yes, thicker metalwork.....but what about the plastic?

Well, the design of the folding spoon hinge has changed. The original has a sloppy, double hinge design that allows the net frame to twist a little without over-straining the hinge pins and plastic brackets. The "stronger" new version has a simple plastic hinge which becomes clogged with dirt and sticks. You cannot see it in use due to the fine mesh around it, when you open the net from its folded form this happens........

No point getting a replacement, the same thing will happen again! It's a truly awful bit of design and looks quite unsuitable plastic for that job.

I shall do a Steve's bodge with a bit of stiff stainless wire through holes drilled in the metal frame. It will not be pretty but will be hidden! Those plastic bits will be ditched!

In the meantime I shall revert to using the Mk1 version

 

[nottskev]

Funny you should post that, Steve. One of the places I fish insists on a giant net, min 36". The normal type - spreader block, detachable arms, cord at front - are ok for landing fish, but poorly adapted to returning them when the banks prevent you getting down to place a fish in the water or what water you can reach is too shallow. This is much easier with a solid frame net, but when I looked at what's available the only one I could find - a Nash 36" model - cost about £40 discounted and according to reviews breaks on use as the threaded attachment bolt only goes about 10mm into the block. Glad I saw the reviews - I thought Nash was a credible brand even though I don't have any.

I have a Korum net that will land anything I could hook there, but it's banned for fish safety reasons. As are floats. I've just read that someone has had a rod pulled in there - I doubt it was someone who fishes with the rod in their hand ......

 

[Ray Roberts]

I have three of the original spoon nets in a variety of sizes and was dubious at first that they would snap near the threaded adapter, but they have been great. The improved design isn’t much of an improvement then. Talk about not fixing something that isn’t broken.


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[@Clive]

I don't trust the plastic in the Korum folding net that I use. I have a length of parachute cord attached to the mesh in case the plastic fails when hauling a fish up. Some swims are five feet above the water line. Plastic is an accident waiting to happen.

 

[Ray Roberts]

I don't trust the plastic in the Korum folding net that I use. I have a length of parachute cord attached to the mesh in case the plastic fails when hauling a fish up. Some swims are five feet above the water line. Plastic is an accident waiting to happen.

That’s what I thought too, and before I had a purpose made rubberised pike net I used the largest size for pike. Like you, I was fishing high banks and managed not to break it, despite having a fair few into double figures. I lifted in-line with the pole as much as possible, maybe I was just lucky but they are definitely stronger than they look.


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[Steve Arnold]

My first Korum folding spoon net has proven strong enough for careful vertical lifts. This updated version has a different hinge and the design does not allow for any flex to be absorbed outside of the hinge itself.

In this case though it was simply the hinge was dry and dusty and the inbuilt resistance to its opening was enough to break the dubious looking plastic moulding.

When I get over my bout of Covid I will make up a better hinge from aluminium and stainless bits.

 

[ian g]

Mine broke after I landed a pike around 8lb .I put it down to my misuse as I lifted on the pole > Shame as they are a good idea . I'm not to sure why the block has to be plastic?

 

[Ray Roberts]

Mine broke after I landed a pike around 8lb .I put it down to my misuse as I lifted on the pole > Shame as they are a good idea . I'm not to sure why the block has to be plastic?

True, I would pay a few more quid to have it all made in metal.


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[Philip]

Interesting thread. I recently purchased a new Kroum 36 inch folding spoon as I broke the old one with a large Catfish...my own fault. I just checked and it and the new net appears to have the "new improved" rubbish hinge so thanks for the tip off Steve, I'll have to treat it with kid gloves.

I did have an issue with the old one before I busted it ...the screw thread came out of the plastic housing..basically as I screwed the net handle on it was screwing itself out of the net frame little by little until one day it fell off ! ...I had to epoxy it back in place.

I'd also pay more for metal hinge ..but thats unlikly to ever be an option as then none of us would ever break it and need to spend more dosh on a new one.

I dont think Steves point about the new rubbish plastic hinge being hidden by a mesh is coincidental...the sceptical side of me thinks they made it worse on purpose and then hid it so we wouldnt notice.

Well Korum you have been BUSTED !

 

[Steve Arnold]

Interesting thread. I recently purchased a new Kroum 36 inch folding spoon as I broke the old one with a large Catfish...my own fault. I just checked and it and the new net appears to have the "new improved" rubbish hinge so thanks for the tip off Steve, I'll have to treat it with kid gloves.

I did have an issue with the old one before I busted it ...the screw thread came out of the plastic housing..basically as I screwed the net handle on it was screwing itself out of the net frame little by little until one day it fell off ! ...I had to epoxy it back in place.

I'd also pay more for metal hinge ..but thats unlikly to ever be an option as then none of us would ever break it and need to spend more dosh on a new one.

I dont think Steves point about the new rubbish plastic hinge being hidden by a mesh is coincidental...the sceptical side of me thinks they made it worse on purpose and then hid it so we wouldnt notice.

Well Korum you have been BUSTED !

I had the same issue with the screw unscrewing! Like you I glued it back in, been OK since.

The idea of a lighweight folding spoon net is great, the actuality less so!

I have just dug out a large, oval net I created from bits for pike fishing. I used it initially here but it was cumbersome to cart around, guess it lives on through necessity!

Last year I bought a large folding pike net. But on arrival it turned out to be a heavy monstrosity, impossible to lift with one arm when wet!

Anyone got any better ideas?

 

[Philip]

The classic triangle type net with two arms and a net cord at the front that plugs into a spreader block steve...rolls down to a straight line as well.

 

[@Clive]

Anyone got any better ideas?

No

I found that my large oval net turns in the current and ends up vertical with the mesh ballooning out in the current. OK in the carp swims, but when I'm 1.5 metres above a flowing river with the Drennan 3 metre handle at full stretch

 

[@Clive]

The classic triangle type net with two arms and a net cord at the front that plugs into a spreader block steve...rolls down to a straight line as well.

No good on high banks though

 

[Steve Arnold]

I take it gaffing carp and barbel is a BIG NO-no then?

As Clive said, it's steep banks and strong flow that are the river anglers problem. My early version of the lightweight Korum 30" folding spoon net is still the best answer, swallowing lengthy barbel and engulfing 40lb+ carp and somehow surviving a vertical lift of those fish. Of course, the fish is then returned the same route!

Although I try to fish from places where I can get better access to river level, this river (the Lot) has relatively few clear swims on "beaches". I have a Gardner net handle that is proving long enough and sturdy, but at full length there is a limited weight of net you can operate.

Anyway, all of this is a problem I feel privileged to have!

 

[@Clive]

Gaffing seems to be reserved for catfish. Anyway, there would be a FATWA taken out on you. They have put you under observation because of your views on Harrison rods.

I take the precaution of running some para cord through the mesh and looped around the frame. The other end of the cord is attached to a rod rest or my seat box. Apart from the risk of the net frame and / or handle breaking during the lift it helps when netting the fish. I can put the net in place then trap the cord under my foot to keep the net from slipping into the river. Then when the fish is safely netted and I have the handle and cord secure in my left hand then I can raise the net using my left foot under the handle. Next job is to put the rod down and grab the lower part of the handle and cord so it doesn't get chance to slide out of the upper part. I don't think Mr Drennan designed the handle to do a 20lb dead lift when fully extended.

 

[Steve Arnold]

Sometimes I do admit my views are from a bygone era!

But quite often my ideas seem borne out to be ahead of their time, I refuse to be brainwashed and fashionable!

 

[Aknib]

My suspicions about Korum's product quality began way back with their brollies, I believe 'Binka' posted about it at the time.

I found their customer services to be helpful but by then they had already failed.

Anyway the relevance to this thread is that I have one of their rubberised triangular nets and although it's not failed on me yet I expect it to each and every time I use it due to the plastic around the spreader arms, it sags hopelessly under the weight of its own mesh after only a few outings.

Good job it's rarely called for

 

[Philip]

There is no perfect solution to high steep banks and fast current that i can think of other than to try and get down to river level or walk fish down to somewhere you can land it ...which brings back memories of a fish I caught last year where I had to walk it down and pass the rod round several trees in the process to get to a point I could land it.

There are some things you can do to minimize the impact of the current by for example buying a net with very large holes or butcher an existing net to make the holes even bigger but the current will still try and drag the frame. Once a fish is in the net you can usually man handle it up in a vertical lift but thatsalways going to have risks. Thats basically how I busted the last Korum net trying to veritcally lift a very large Catfish. I had done it with large Carp but this was a different ball game and the poor net just gave up.

I have toyed with the idea of making my own drop net in particular for fishing weirs were you can be high above the surface & with a nice straight drop down so like a sea Marina wall but nothing I have seen available ready made fits the bill they are either too small or too flimsy so it would have to be something I cobble together myself. I kept a load of old net mesh with this in mind..its on my ever growing "to do" list.

 

[Alan Whitty]

I bought a Gardner folding spoon,a 26"but I believe they do bigger,I like everything about it,up till now,it is light,strong,the netting dries quickly,as I said in another thread,time will tell...

 

[@Clive]

There is no perfect solution to high steep banks and fast current that i can think of other than to try and get down to river level or walk fish down to somewhere you can land it ...which brings back memories of a fish I caught last year where I had to walk it down and pass the rod round several trees in the process to get to a point I could land it.

There are some things you can do to minimize the impact of the current by for example buying a net with very large holes or butcher an existing net to make the holes even bigger but the current will still try and drag the frame. Once a fish is in the net you can usually man handle it up in a vertical lift but thatsalways going to have risks. Thats basically how I busted the last Korum net trying to veritcally lift a very large Catfish. I had done it with large Carp but this was a different ball game and the poor net just gave up.

I have toyed with the idea of making my own drop net in particular for fishing weirs were you can be high above the surface & with a nice straight drop down so like a sea Marina wall but nothing I have seen available ready made fits the bill they are either too small or too flimsy so it would have to be something I cobble together myself. I kept a load of old net mesh with this in mind..its on my ever growing "to do" list.

Yes, everything is a compromise. As Steve said earlier; finding swims at river level is rare. To that I add that finding 'good' swims at river level is even harder. Then you factor in the height of the tree canopy................

I considered a drop net too. However the sheer banks usually have brambles or other things that would snag the net or even harm the fish as it was being dragged up. The way I do it is to have the handle almost vertical, but not quite. I can keep the mesh and fish clear of any snags. The cord takes some of the strain and would prevent a total loss if anything did break. For the sake of a few Euros it solves my problem.

In t'olden days we made drop nets for fishing piers and harbours using bicycle wheel rims. They were very sturdy.