landing big fish

Damn! What kind of nets are you guys using. My net is mostly holes surrounded by woven string. I always have it deployed (except when I forget) and have really not noticed it being sail like. 

I bought a 20" diameter Frabil Conservation Net with a sliding and extensible handle. Flat bottomed net. Worthless and overkill.

The diameter is good, but the net was too short. I replaced the stock net with a 45" net. The important dimension on a net is not the opening, it is the length. You want to be able to get your fish in the net, then fold the net over trapping the fish.

Remember, you are in a kayak, literally inches from the water. Why would you need an 8' handle? I keep the handle at about 3'. When netting I get the fish close, lean back, support the net with an extended leg and lead the fish head-first into the net, then roll the net over closing the mouth. Bonk it while still in the net and get it on the game clip before bleeding.

Netting a big salmon is somewhere between a meditation and a controlled crash.  There are a lot of dynamics at work that you need to constantly be monitoring.  Extra hook on a mooching rig or plug, dropper weight, the rough bottom of your kayak, toggles, rod holders, etc are all out to get you.  A bigger net makes it easier to fit the fish but provides more opportunities to snag a loop on something and still requires that the fish be "ready" to land.

Your most useful tools are patience and process.  You want to fish to swim into the bottom of the basket.  The fish isn't ready until its path can be influenced.  If you can't drag the fish across the surface on its side or make it swim in a circular or figure 8 pattern, it's not ready. 

Once the stars align, you'll still need to guide the fish into the opening and release tension at the optimal moment to ensure it doesn't swim across the opening or flip 180.  Either one of which creates an opportunity to snag your gear in the net.  If things don't look right, pull your net away, take a deep breath and start over. 

-Mark-

You nailed it Mark. One of the biggest mistakes in netting is NOT netting the fish. That is to let the fish net itself. All to often the jabbing motion, and a moving the net toward the fish is a bad recipe. Put the net in the water before hand and try keep it as still as possible. Try to guide the fish toward (over) the net.

Your most useful tools are patience and process.  You want to fish to swim into the bottom of the basket.  The fish isn't ready until its path can be influenced.  If you can't drag the fish across the surface on its side or make it swim in a circular or figure 8 pattern, it's not ready. 

...

-Mark-

The Fish Whisperer

(Don't watch me, it's flailing arms, elbows and hardware.)

All this netting big fish with a big net advice is great, and I am sure it's a great problem to have to deal with.  Really! 

My first obstacle in this adventure is to get the damn big fish to strike my offering.   

Exactly what I was thinking!

I think getting practice is necessary.

All this netting big fish with a big net advice is great, and I am sure it's a great problem to have to deal with.  Really! 

My first obstacle in this adventure is to get the damn big fish to strike my offering.   

Wait what You got to hook them before you net them!?!? Well crap I'm out