Thanks for all of the advice that has been generously shared so far. I think that I'm almost done getting myself and the new kayak set up for my next steps in kayak fishing. My last step is to get a bigger net. I have been using this Frabill trout landing net (9x20" hoop, 8" fixed rubber-coated handle) and I have loved using it for trout and even the mid-size pink salmon. That ~8lb pink salmon was a bit more of a challenge to get into the net, though. Now I'm wanting to move up in size in my salmon fishing, and I've also changed to a kayak with a higher seat so I might need a bit more reach. That's what I need advice.

If I'm looking to move up to at least coho-size salmon and possibly chinooks in the future, what should I be looking for? I can guess about the hoop size and have read until my eyes hurt about netting materials, but I'm really stuck on the handle length. Having the short, strong, rubber-coated handle on my current net has been really handy. It also isn't sticking up in the way. That leads me to think that maybe a handle that's about 12" long might be fine, but then I see pictures of kayak fishermen after salmon that usually have handles at least 24" long, with most a lot longer than that. I would think that a long-handled net would be more difficult to maneuver one-handed in a kayak, and we're already close to the water so wouldn't need a long handle. I'm obviously wrong if so many experienced kayak fishermen are using longer-handled nets, though. What am I missing?

Also, what brand/model nets should I be looking at? Most of the threads that I've found here and on NCKA are multiple years old, and new products come out every year. I don't intend to spend >$100 on a net, but I could be convinced to go above my current budget of $40 if it's worth it. I do intend to kayak fish for multiple years, including going for larger fish than my current kayak record of that 7lb 14oz humpy. 

I like big nets with a handle about two feet long, because I like to stick the butt of the handle in my armpit when maneuvering and lifting the net. 

This works well.  It's not rocket science, but good to think over.

They are expendable items and loading and unloading can take a toll.  Go on Craigslist and get something like this in Everett.  This one is $25, you won't cry if you step on it and you can cut the handle shorter if you like and wrap it. The bigger netting (2" holes) doesn't catch the wind too much as it also serves as a flag/notification of where you are, and yes, it will catch hooks.  Plenty of room, slide the handle under your arm and tip the handle upright once in and you should be good. You can slice a gill and let the fish bleed out while in the water and you catch your breath, makes a difference in the quality of meat if you do that while they are pumping hard and will bleed out quickly. WATCH FOR SEALS if you do, it's not fun having one grab a fish in a net.  Also, use some foam pipe wrap around the far side so it will float and you don't have to have a line attached to worry about if you end up going through a spin cycle. 

https://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/spo/d/salmon-dip-net/6305318236.html

I use this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C4ZSGQ4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1  It's an impressively BIG net - not that I need to compensate for anything - and it's not much more expensive than the CL net.

I also use this net: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003JSLWLQ/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1  It's about the size you mentioned and I like the adjustable telescoping handle, but as Trident13 said, the small mesh catches the wind.

Frabill makes nets in the Sportsman series, in the size you're looking for, priced under $40.  In my experience, they're all pretty solid nets.

Thanks for all the great feedback so far (and happy to get more). I've realized that trying to get one net that will cover everything from fishing for pinks and cohos in the river up to much bigger fish like chinooks and lings in the salt would result in me having a net that's not great for one or both. With that in mind, I'm going to pick up two nets.

The first is going to be this one, and it will be used primarily for river fishing with smaller setups where I can easily get the fish right beside the kayak. It has the shorter handled like my current trout net, but with a much larger hoop to get larger fish into it. I tried my current net with a wooden dowel taped to the handle and pretended to try to move it around and use it like I would when netting a fish. I freely admit that it could be a lack of skill or familiarity, but it was much more tedious to work with than I expected it to, sticking up in the way and harder to maneuver. The larger hoop will also give me a bit more reach compared to my current net, so I think it will work great for river fishing in the near future. It's a bonus that I had some Amazon credit waiting to be used, so that one will be to my door for about $20.

For the larger net, I think I need to actually put my hands on more of them before I can make a decision. My father-in-law has one that I'm welcome to take that has a 26"x30" hoop with a 36" extendable handle. That seems ridiculously oversized for use in a kayak, and I can't imagine trying to deal with something that big with one arm. It's almost as wide as the kayak and about half as long. I'm going to try the new one with different handle lengths by just taping the dowel to the handle at different positions, in addition to trying out a few in stores to see if I actually can extend the handle with one hand while the other is busy with a big fish. I am very confident that I couldn't do that with the big one from my father-in-law.

The general advice I give for salmon landing nets is to buy the cheapest lightest net that will hold up to the task.  I LOVE to buy fishing gear and I seem to gravitate towards higher end gear.  But that just hasn't served me well with landing nets. 

So typically, what constitutes a "premium" net?  It's well built...translates into "its super heavy" .  I avoid the so called fish safe mesh nets (rubber or otherwise) I fish the saltwater a lot.  Where I am at, you net a fish, you killed it due to scale loss.  Finally, I don't think the rim diameter is as important as the net depth.

To answer pmpete's question, I net the fish, bring it on board.  Remove gear.  gill it to bleed. Place on to game clip, then back into the water.  Like pmpete, I haven't had an issue with sea lions in Alaska....yet.