Fishin Fool, the survival rates of snagged fish released are likely to be higher than fish C&R'd that were hooked deeply. The rates of survival of snagged fish are fairly good. I would really think that snagged fish release rate of survival would be higher than the rate of such a fisher catching a legal one to take from the river; by a long shot in most cases. So yes, my opinion would be that he is doing the fishery more good by releasing snagged fish in the long run. Would you advocate a new rule for fisher's to keep the first one or two fish they caught, regardless of whether snagged or not, and have to quit fishing with that one or two fish limit? Some have suggested that as an alternative. If you agree with that, by what means would you commend that as a better fish management method? I would certainly disdain having to keep snagged fish.

Hntnfsh, I agree with a lot of the principle in your latest post just above. But one place I disagree: we aren't trying to clean up anyone else's house. We are trying to clean up our backyard. In this case 'our backyard' is all the public rivers and the fishing within them.

I also am starting to see what some guys have said about trying to change snagging mindset - it's kinda like farting in a whirlwind, and doesn't get ya far. ... Out.