Every now and then something special comes for review, something that looks great, feels great, even smells great.

Wood framed landing-nets are certainly not new and they come in all sizes and woods. Most are made industrially, in faceless factories, and some are craft-made.

Swedish craftsman/angler Mats Dahne works in several materials. Both nets are framed with oak, one has a walnut, brass, elk-horn, birch bark and brass handle, and the other handle is ‘masur’ birch, tin, elk-horn, birch bark and brass. Both are simply gorgeous.

The handles hint at the country of origin; Scandinavian craftsmen seem to know wood and antlers. The craft is obvious, the rigid bow bends accurately, the handle is assembled with care, tight and smooth. The less obvious comes from comparing the handles, where factory nets are all the same, even some craft brands are very much the same. In a letter sent with these nets Mats wrote: “As all my nets are unique, you can’t find two exactly alike. I think I better send you two nets.” I love that idea. I know it from craft made rods, knives and the like – each the same yet each has an identity.

These are relatively small nets with relatively deep bags. It seems to me they are aimed at anglers who fish in rivers rather than from the riverbank; when wading in a river bag-depth matters more than the frame size. Last year, grayling fishing in Sweden, I used exactly this type of net, rather than exhaust fish and take them to the bank, whenever possible we played them fast into a net, released and away. It was surprising how quickly even large fish were netted and released.

I’m not sure where I got the habit of expecting a net as wide as fish are long. I think it’s a UK habit. I know it led to me carrying a net with a 20” frame for sea trout and an enormous salmon net. I doubt I would try to net a large salmon in one of Mats’ nets but I’m confident with sizeable trout and sea trout.

Mats Dahne’s nets start beautiful and, like most things made from organic materials, age gracefully – so should we all.

• Price £89
• From Mats Dahne, Kragom537,
87010 Alandsbro, Sweden
Tel. +46 (0)611555158
(www.landing-nets.com)