You know what, it's bad enough that a lot of the time when you get a salmon in the mouth (mainly silvers) while using drift gear, Your line simply caught in their mouth, and when you set the hook, it hits their mouth, thus a legally "snagged" fish... There is NO excuse for, nor reason for bothering a spawning salmon... The only excuse I can actually see, is a true case of having to feed your family, and cannot find anything else.. but even there, one should be able to find alternative methods of getting food...

Tom