Cohoangler, I was more or less validifying your earlier post. So I'm befuddled as to why you dissed me. I feel you did not understand the points I was trying to make because I was just too sarcastic. For that I apologize...

Anyway to clear the confusion, I offered an expanded (sarcastic) definition about Kalambama's use of spinners/plugs to make the point that "voluntarily" used in the context that which the WDFW does is extremely ambiguous. The term "voluntary" for me and for our lawmakers mean totally different things. For me "voluntary" means doing something because I want to. Yet, explain to me why a salmon or steelhead strikes a plug when encountered with the wiggling wall of death. In this instance it is FORCED to strike a plug or else retreat down the riffle it just spent precious energy scaling. In this example, according to our regs, a plug-hooked fish would be considered "snagged" whether in the mouth or not. Sorry folks but this is the kind of ridiculous scenarios that go through my noggin when I try and interpret this regulation.

According to Herzog's book, one of the reasons a salmonid picks up a drift bobber is out of curiousity. Since it dosen't have hands it uses it mouth. Makes sense to me! Now does this constitute a "voluntary" take on the fish's part? Most would agree that it does. Now with this in mind, picture the scenario where a salmon or steelhead picks up a drift bobber that has floated up the leader. The line slides through its mouth and the hook imbeds on the OUTSIDE of the jaw. When the lucky angler reels in the fish how is he/she to tell whether it was lined or not?

Cohoangler this is the line of thought you brought up, which I agree with. The point we were trying to make is that in this instance it is impossible to tell whether the fish took the drift bobber "voluntarily" unless you ask it...Thus fretting over whether or not a fish was lined is an inefficient use of mental energy!

Another thing, according to the game wardens Dennis and Mike from area 10, a fish is legit "from the gillplate forward." It is not stated so specifically in the regs, but this is how they interpret WA's regs. Thus, please don't think I'm a dumbass or snagger because I go by my own state's laws.

Hammer Bob have you ever seen underwater footage of chinook attacking a bait ball? If so, then you'll know that they attack with whatever body parts they have including their tails. Then they go through and pick off the stunned prey. Accordingly, lots of hookups, at locations other than in the mouth, occur when they miss your jig or they tail slap your bait.





[This message has been edited by Hohwaiian (edited 09-08-2000).]