Akkings,

I've been told by WDFW enforcement just the opposite of what you describe. You "catch" a fish by reducing it to possession. One angler may be holding the rod when a fish bites and then hand it off to another licensed angler, who may play the fish, who could hypothetically hand off the rod to yet a third licensed angler, who may land the fish and reduce it to possession. The angler who reduces the fish to possession (was holding the rod when the fish was landed) caught the fish and must punch his salmon or steelhead card.

If WDFW enforcement has more than one way of interpreting this, THAT is a problem, and I want to check this out with WDFW.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.