Kokanee Fishing Nets

Kokanee salmon have a soft jaw, which makes fishing nets an absolute necessity if you’re looking to land one of the big ones. Try landing a big kokanee without a net, and its own body weight could cause the hook to rip through the jaw of the fish. If you want to land more kokanee salmon, invest in a GOOD fishing net.

I’ve been fishing for kokanee for years and years. It went from a hobby to an obsession, to a career. I don’t guide, but rather I study and research kokanee, conservation, and tactics for kokanee fishing. Nets are a key part of an angler’s rig. I put together some of my research and testing in a short and sweet guide on what to look for in a fishing net for kokanee, and my favorites on the market.

Best Kokanee Fishing Nets

The Beckman Kokanee Net is the most searched for net on the internet for kokanee salmon fishing, and it has the highest rating on Amazon. Why? It’s the best of the best. Ego also makes an excellent product, and people are attracted to that one because of its modular design. If your goal is just to get the best fishing net for kokanee fishing on the market though, the Beckman is that.

The best nets on the market are the Beckman Kokanee Net and the Ego Kokanee Net. Both of these are not only the most popular choices for kokanee anglers, but they’ve also been proven by kokanee pros across America and Canada.

Best Budget Kokanee Fishing Nets

At the time of writing this, all nets in this category were under $100. I’m not the seller though, and I’m not sponsored, so this truly is my list. I’m just here to show you what’s good, but know prices on Amazon are subject to change.

Most Popular Features in a Net for Kokanee

• Extendable: It’s really nice to be able to reach way out on the trolling boat to be able to net the fish, but the flip side is that space is always at a premium on a boat. Having an extendable fishing net gets you the best of both worlds.
• Floating: I say floating fishing net, and your mind instantly goes to the person or people in your life that necessitate such a feature. Having a fishing net that floats helps extend fishing trips and friendships.
• Rubber Net: Rubber nets are durable, and are significantly less likely to tangle with your hooks and line when landing a kokanee. Rubber is also less abrasive and is easier on the outer “slime” coating on fish, making it the better option for catch and release fishing.

About Kokanee Salmon

Kokanee salmon are landlocked sockeye salmon, which means they don’t return to the ocean and live their entire lives in lakes or reservoirs before spawning in rivers, streams, or gravel close to lakeshores. These salmon are delicious and are really strong fighters, making them a prime target for anglers, and the popularity of this fish is growing. Kokanee are a schooling fish that feed on zooplankton in the water. They tend to find where these plankton are at and then they congregate and feed all in that one area. These plankton, and the kokanee that feed on them, like to hang in water that is around 50-55 degrees, so these salmon are usually only able to survive in deep alpine lakes and reservoirs, and can be found from depths of 10 feet, all the way down to over 100 feet deep.