We all know when someone is trying to snag a damn fish. Don't we? Game wardens should know too.
The guy who shows up in a drift fishing line and is setting the hook on every rock.
The guy that chases the wakes going up river and shortlines them.
The guy throwing gear at dark reeling in and trying to snag in salmon holes.
We have seen these guys!
These guys need to be busted and it should be considered poaching!!!!!!!!!!
I belive snaging a fish and foul hooking a fish are two different subjects.
In the salt water you tend to foul hook fish because they are going for your offering. Or they are trying to slap the $hit out of the bait.
I feel the same is true in freshwater.
The poachers (snaggers) need to be busted ,not the foul hooked fish.
I don't belive all foul hooked fish should be released if legal to keep.
It goes back to what General Zog sayed about catching all the biters in a system.Over time all the biters(genetics) will be fished out of a system.
If fished for legally it should taken as a foul hooked fish and not a snagged fish.
The nets are considered legal!
Nuff said,
Rivernut