I will beg to differ with anyone. I've never fished Alaska, so not bringing up facts from what happens up there. But I've fished DRIES for kings, chums, and silvers and have them readily rise and hit the fly. I've also fished damp flies and watched the fish come up to them. They sit just below the surface, you can watch the fly work. It's the guys who run sinktips with SUPER long leaders that are doing alot of the flossing. Your sinktip acts as your "weight" most drift users have. The leader should compare. Mine never get longer then 4' max. If you've worked one, or seen one work, knows this isn't flossing. If that's the case, all drift fisherman who are using short leaders and weight are flossers. I know there are guys who floss, but that's on both spectrums. In every method of fishing, you have guys who are ethical, and you have some that aren't, and some who are borderline. That's just nature of any sport. Now, long leaders are ok with flyfishing if you're running a dry (but that's trout). But I've readily had king, silver, and chum greadily hit my flies. I even watched one come up and slash at my fly as I stripped it in on the Chehalis. The king came up and slashed by fly as it was about 10' from the boat. But I a good flyfisherman/woman knows how to fish them without snagging.

I fly and gear fish. I'm far from the best at either, but have done better then some at both methods. But it's all in gear setup. I prefer not to fish weighted flies. I will undertie an oversized hook to add some weight to drop it down, but not sink it like a rock. I only have a few weighted flies for really deep holes. But I rarely use them, I'll use gear there.

It's one of those things were a few do it, so it becomes the so called "norm". Most good, or knowledgeable (some guys are both ) fish ethically. I know some that won't use ANY weight at all, not even chain eyes (which add virtually no weight, but a buggy look). It's knowing your water, and knowing how to tie a fly that will catch them. I use irritator or "food" patterns for salmon. In the salt flux, I use mostly food (shrimp, squid, baitfish, etc) and some of my dries (wogs). In the tribs, flashy flies like flashabou flies, lots of hackle, etc. I know alot of flyguys, and most are the same. Just knowing what you're doing.