Salmon fishing is fun and exciting. These fish are big, strong, and know how to put up a fight on the rod! Whether you’re fishing for them in a lake or river, fighting a big salmon is an experience you’ll never forget!
While it’s usually no problem to beach or hand-land smaller salmon, getting the big fellows safely out of the water can often be a real challenge. That’s why having an appropriately sized landing net with you is essential when fishing for salmon.
If you’re looking for the best and most reliable salmon nets out there, this article is perfect for you.
QUICK SUMMARY: In this article, I’m reviewing three high-quality, reliable, and affordable salmon fishing nets that you can find on Amazon. These are the Frabill Power Catch Teardrop, the Beckman BN2227C Net, and the Frabill Power Stow.
What Is the Best Fishing Net for Salmon?
So, what are the most important features you should be aware of when purchasing a salmon landing net?
Size certainly plays a vital role when choosing a net. Are you fishing for small humpies or giant chinooks? A big net can land you both types of salmon. A small one cannot.
Design and functionality are super important, too! Are you fishing from the shore, a boat, or a kayak? How short or long should the handle be? Is the net easy to store? And should the handle be extendable?
Longer, chunkier nets are usually just fine for boat fishing, while many anglers prefer lightweight, easy-to-transport landing nets with shorter handles for kayak and bank fishing.
And finally, the price can also play a vital role. Not every angler out there can afford high-end fishing gear, and sometimes, budget alternatives work just as well!
That’s why I included a high-end, mid-range, and budget net alternative in this article.
Let’s go right ahead and take a closer look at the best fishing nets for salmon!
Top Pick: Frabill Power Catch Teardrop Landing Net
Frabill is a trusted and well-established brand! Countless anglers use Frabill nets for their big fish adventures.
Be it northern pike, musky, lake trout, catfish, or salmon, the Frabill Power Catch has got you covered!
I’d go as far as to say that this is the ultimate salmon fishing net! Big, robust and strong design, ensures quick and easy netting and releasing, and, perhaps most importantly, reasonably priced!
Whether it’s a small chum or a monster chinook you’ve hooked, this net will help you easily land any salmon size!
The Frabill Power Catch Teardrop is perfect for boat fishing, but thanks to the telescoping handle, you can also use it when fishing from the shore.
Its two biggest strengths are its robust design and its net depth.
The robustness ensures an efficient landing and gives you complete control over the net at all times.
The deep net makes sure that the entire salmon fits into it, no matter how long and fat it might be.
Additionally, a deep net means no fish can wiggle its way out of it, no matter how wild and explosive it might get!
Here are a few more essential features of the Frabill Power Catch:
- Hoop size: 26×30”
- Net depth: 38”
- Handle length: 72”
- Knotless 1 1/2” mesh (100% tangle-free)
- Dual I-beam extrusion
- Revolutionary PowR-Lok Yoke system
- Compact and durable Brute Hoop design
- Made in USA
All in all, the perfect pick for salmon anglers. A big, practical, and safe net that won’t break the bank and will land you any old trophy salmon!
You can check out the Frabill Power Catch Teardrop Landing Net on Amazon right here
Runner-Up: Beckman BN2227C-PN-4 Net
Up next is the classic Beckman Net. This brand is very popular among steelhead and salmon guys.
This is a very sturdy landing net with a somewhat shorter handle, making it a solid fit for smaller boats and kayaks, as you can handle it easily in smaller spaces.
Although being an excellent salmon net, it didn’t make the top pick, and here’s why.
Beckman nets are a little more expensive than other big fish nets, so you’ll have to invest a little more money for this piece of gear.
I’d also wish for a little deeper net. The flat bottom of the Beckman is great for fish safety, don’t get me wrong.
But a really big and wild salmon could potentially swim out of it if you don’t pay attention, and that’s something that I always try to avoid from happening when fishing.
On the other hand, if you do pay attention, it’ll safely land you any salmon size!
On the contrary, the lightweight and shorter handle is one of the Beckman’s most significant strengths!
It makes stabbing for a big fish really easy as the handle sort of functions as an extension of your arm without fatiguing it. That’s especially important when fishing from a kayak!
Here are some more good-to-know features of the Beckman Net:
- Hoop size: 22″ x 27″
- Net depth: 15” (flat bottom)
- Handle length: 48 inches
- Rubber-coated mesh
- Durable hoop and handle
- Precision crafted with reinforced aluminum handles and hoops
This is a long-lasting, high-end landing net you will keep for many years!
You can take a closer look at the Beckman Net on Amazon here
Budget Pick: Frabill Power Stow Poly Net
The budget pick is, once again, a Frabill net, which shows just how qualitative and popular this brand is.
The Frabill Power Stow Poly Net is a solid choice for small to medium-sized salmon.
If you’re a beginner, a youngster, or an angler with a limited budget who mostly catches salmon up to 20 or so pounds, you should definitely check out the Power Stow!
For its size, design, material quality, and price, it’s probably the best budget net on the market.
Thanks to its folding design and sliding handle, you can transport and stow it away quickly and easily, making it a great fit, especially for shore and kayak anglers.
Big, bulky landing nets are often pricy and require some practice. And if you’re not yet catching those monster salmon, you really don’t need such a big net anyway.
So, going with a smaller and more affordable fishing net is often a smart choice if you’re just starting out.
Here are some of the Frabill Power Stow’s most important features:
- Hoop size: 20″ x 24″
- Net depth: 21”
- Handle length: 36” (sliding)
- 1” poly mesh material
- Knotless mesh netting
- Folding design (for easy stowing)
- Corrosion-free, heavy aluminum handle
As you can see, the Power Stow isn’t actually all that little for a smaller budget net.
It’s got a very decent hoop size and net depth, allowing you to quickly and safely land smaller salmon types like pink, sockeye, and coho.
It can also handle smaller to medium-sized chums and chinooks of up to 15 to 20 lbs.
All in all, a solid entry-level salmon landing net!
You can find out more about the Frabill Power Stow Poly Net on Amazon here
How Big of a Net Do You Need for Salmon Fishing?
Choosing the right net size is super important when it comes to salmon fishing.
Not only are there 5, or even 6 different types of salmon around (king, Atlantic, coho, chum, sockeye, and pink), but they also come in all possible sizes.
You could end up catching 5 or a 50-lb fish, and so, unless you’re willing to beach that catch, you’ll need an appropriately-sized landing net in order to get that fish out of the water.
How big should a salmon net be, then?
Well, for fish up to 10 to 15 lbs, a hoop size of 20 to 22 inches is recommended.
For bigger fish of 20 to 30 lbs or more, you should go with a hoop size of at least 23 to 25 inches.
If you’re on a bigger boat and chasing real giants of 50 lbs or more, you can even go as big as 28 to 30 or so inches. Better safe than sorry!
Net depth is, really, more of a personal preference,s but generally speaking, I would buy anything less than 15 inches.
I prefer nets with a depth of 20 to 25 inches, though. The deeper that net, the harder time the fish will have to get out of it!
After all, safely landing and keeping that fish in the net is why you have a net in the first place, right?
Do You Need a Net for Salmon Fishing?
This is a massively debated question among both steelhead and salmon anglers. Do you really need a net for salmon fishing, or can you just beach or hand-land the fish?
If you want my honest opinion on the matter, I’d always choose a net! I’ve lsot far too many fish right in front of my feet not to bring a landing net with me.
Doesn’t really matter if we’re talking small or big fish, a net is always the better and safer choice, especially if you’re after PB:s and trophy fish.
Why would you risk losing a fish when you could net it quickly and fairly effortlessly instead?
A landing net is a very smart investment and easily one of the most essential pieces of gear in your arsenal.
Related Articles
- What Are the Best Nets for Steelhead Fishing?
- Best Salmon Fishing Rivers in Michigan?
- 5 Best Columbia River Fishing Reports (for Salmon and Steelhead)
Featured image courtesy of Chris Blackburn