The purpose of a float is to suspend your bait off the bottom. If you had been doing this you wouldn't have foul hooked so many fish. Fishing 10 feet of float in 8 feet of water isn't float fishing. The snaggers up here all use floats. Short floating would have hooked far less fish, but 99% would be buttoned in the mouth.

If you foul hooked 1/2 of 60-80 fish then you managed to foul hook more fish in one day then I have in the past 50 days on the Vedder.

After 10 or so foul hooked fish I would pack it in and either move or leave the water. If you can't hook the MAJORITY of the fish you are after in the mouth and you continue to snag fish, then you are a snagger. Seems pretty simple to me.

It has nothing to do with me being more noble. I'm surprised other people don't find it odd that you fouled 30-40 fish. I imagine it has something to do with the fact that the Vedder isn't a WA stream.

Foul hooking fish should be an occasional occurance, not the norm. When it becomes the norm, and you come on a forum talking about it, don't ***** if you get labeled.

"By the way, the LOCALS from what I saw were VERY experienced snaggers"

Unfortunatley the snaggers have taken over the Vedder and the guys that are lip hooking them, from the inside out, are few and far between. It is a LOCAL problem. And it sounds like you fit in just perfect.

Happy snagging!