I found it.

Thread : "foul or fair"
date : 12-05-2001

Please read the thread for more details (2 pagaes)

"Pitch Pocket" got this email from WDFW

Received this reply to my email from WDFW:

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Thank you for your e-mail correspondence to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Fish Program.
Your question is a broad one, as it means different things per different bodies of water, and also is different per salt and fresh water, and per species. If you are referring to the difference of snagging verses legally hooking, the rules state that you must fish in such a way that the fish voluntarily takes the hook in its mouth. And almost without exception, you can keep a legally caught fish that has been hooked in the gill plate forward.

For more detailed information on this subject, you may contact Evan Jacoby in our Legal Services, directly at (360) 902-2930.

If you have further questions, please email again or call (360) 902-2700. Our Customer Service hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Sincerely,
Fish Program

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"Doug Kelly" and "Nebb" also said the same thing before on that thread. This was news to me but no one objected to it.

Osprey,
You were an active participant on that thread and you did not raise your concerns at that time!