Dan S. & Todd,

My suggestion was for a leader length restriction in very specific geographic locations. I've never seen anyone sidedrifting from a boat on the Skokomish R. And you can't fish from a boat below the Barrier Dam down to Mill Ck on the Cowlitz. Lot's of hatchery blood holes don't have a boat fishing option. It sure seems to me that it would be possible to tighten up the gear restriction in exactly those areas where flossing and snagging are prevalent without constraining legitimate sport fishing.

As for sidedrifting per se, I've boondogged with leaders less than 24", so I don't know that the restriction would prevent sidedrifting. And this would be restricted to a narrowly defined geographic area. Almost all of the preferred snagging areas are hatchery blood holes.

Regarding the question of the effect of sliding sinkers on leader length, if you choose to fish in a restricted area you don't use a sliding sinker unless you want a ticket. Again, this would not apply to the entire universe, just the problem snagging areas, which is always a very small section of river.

Sg