Net depth

A shallow bag holds a fish for about as long as it takes the fish to decide otherwise. A deep one lets the fish settle into the bottom of the mesh where it has nothing to push against, which gives you both hands and enough time to work a hook out.

The tradeoff is bulk. A deep bag is heavier, it catches wind, and it hangs up on things when you are walking. Some nets solve this with a bag that folds or clips up for transport.

For bank fishing, deeper is better, because you are usually lifting a fish up an embankment rather than swinging it into a boat.

Flat-bottomed bags are the variation worth knowing about. Instead of tapering to a point, they have a level base so a fish lies out straight rather than folding nose to tail, which is both easier to unhook and better for the fish.