I've got a question regarding Snagging. Fall fish are just around the corner, and so is snagging time. There's been a lot of talk about McCallister Creek being a snagfest, theres a lot of spots that are the same way... The Skokomish, the Green, The Toutle, The Brrier Dam, Hoodsport, The Nisqually, etc. I never have any trouble getting my fish (Legally) from these spots. That being said, the majority of the fish I hook seem to be foul hooked, I'm not trying to snag them, it just seems to work out that way. I never intentionally sang these fish, and I always let the foul hooked ones go. When I do get a "Legal" fish, it's usually a "Head shot", being hooked ahead of the gill plate, or the fish is "Lined", Hooked in the mouth with the hook penetrating in from the outside. What do you guys think? Is keeping fish that are hooked like this OK? I have my opinions, but I want to hear what the rest of you think. I've had game Wardens tell me that I'm legal, but isn't there something about the fish having to "Bite" the lure? Am I within my rights to keep these fish? Or am I no better than someone who is standing on the riverbank ripping sides? Tell me what you think, your reactions to this post may change the way I choose to "Do Business" in the future. Thank you.

I guess if the game warden tells you you`re legal it`s just a matter of how you feel about it.
Unless of course your 4 treble hooks are bigger than the guy fishing next to you.

I have caught fish that I know for a fact that I "lined" but you would never be able to tell from the hook placement. Unless the hook I down the fish's throat it is a possible lining. The regs say the fish needs to take the hook voluntarily into it's mouth but unless you watch it happen I don't know how you could be sure. I never intentionally snag fish myself but if someone does on accident and is fishing in an area with a surplus of hatchery fish and thay are not keeping over their limit then what is big huge deal I know some people have with it? It's not like they are scooping fish out of the hatchery trap or killing natives, those activities degrade the rescource.Don't go ripping my head off now, I'm just wanting hear your opinion.

Escapee: I would tend to agree with you. My opinion on the matter is that a Headshot is a Headshot and that there is no dishonor in keeping a lined fish. There, now that I said how I feel about "Lining", let's move on to "Snagging". I think that there is a difference between keeping a fish that has been lined and standing down at McCallister Creek with a Buzzbomb and Treble Hook And ripping sides.... I don't know, the whole reason I started this thread was because I wanted to hear other peoples' views, not so that I could just state my own oppinion. So C'mon! Hey Y'all? Superfly? Don't any of you guys have an oppinion on the subject?

I think it depends on the situation. These "SNAGFEST" areas are typically close to a hatchery where the run size far surpasses the capacity of the hatchery. The surplus fish will either rot on the bank or be enjoyed on somebodys table. So in that situation I say if it's OK by the warden it's OK by me. However there are many fisheries where I would release such a fish because of the situation and the state of the fishery.

"FISH ON!"

Well, honey. It is like this....if you want someones opinion, ask your little wifey. If you are trying your hardest to do the right thing, and one or two fish end up "illegaly" caught, so be it. It is not like most of you are out there to rape the run. (ie: indians)

Typical Snagfest angler
1. fishes small or low water
2.hooks fish in a--hole,and comments what a bite
3.snagger's butt buddie nets fish and keeps
back to other fisherman till hook is removed.
4.Poses with uneadable fish for photo
5.usally leaves all tash where fish was snagged
6.Would not know a true bite,even if a fish bit his johnson

If the fish doesn't volentarilly take the lure/bait inside it's mouth it is illegal to keep and therefore unethical to keep.
If during your normal fishing you commonly foul hook fish then there is a problem with your method.

Technically, if a hook point penetrates the fishes head/jaw from the outside and the point goes thru to the inside of it's mouth it is illegal to keep the 'lined' fish. Many gammies are reluctant to cite this as infraction because of the large excess hatchery runs the last couple of years, as well as a lack of clear snagging intent. That doesn't make it right. Whether it's ethical or not to keep an excess hatchery fish in this manner is hard to say - let your conscience be your guide. I catch enough fish legally that I would release such a hooked fish. If I didn't, I honestly don't know what I would do. I probably would release it to set a proper example though. As for blantant rip snaggers, they are a breed below liners for sure. We should all report them to gammies to help curtail this, because they will continue to do this when the runs dwindle again if they are not cited and fined. My $0.02 worth.

RT

If someone wants to snag/line fish it's their choice. I'll look the other way since no one seems to care. It's just getting to the point that these are the prefered methods. The last thing I want to do is trash bank anglers but when I walk into a spot that's what's going on most of the time. I'm sure there are many reasons, some have been stated. One more reason may be the larger amount of fishers and the limited number of spots to fish. When you still fish with corkies you can pack a lot of guys in one area with limited conflict. When lots of guys are fishing a slot linning keeps things running smooth there. When we fish in a boat we have the option to choose other methods to get fish to "bite." With the increase in anglers and limited bank spots it's no wonder it's come to this.

I don't see any way to change it. It's not for me so I just have to use my boat more and say good bye to some of my favorite bank spots.

Several debates could arise from opinions on snagging, regarding motive and ethics.

People don't realize, that when they pile up and snag at a hatchery and think that it's all right aren't seeing the whole picture. First, how do you know if the hatchery is actually going to meet its quota with flying colors?

Second, they do transplants on the eggs to other hatcheries, as well as these extra eggs help in biological research.

If it's in the mouth, then it's in the mouth, but personally the grade of the fish would have to be pretty high for me to keep a fish. I usually don't keep a fish for myself. I just pass them off to my dad who can't catch fish. Regarding the whole issue, if the fish aren't biting, then just leave and hit another spot or another river.

Littlezozo here is my opinion. We all have our own personal rules for fishing. My basic thing for keeping fish is: If it's a native it always goes back and if it's a legal hatchery fish I bonk it. So if I foul hooked a legal hatchery fish I would keep it. If you foul hook fish consistently than why would you want to release it and foul hook another one? You mentioned Hoodsport on your list of "snag fests." I was told that the chum there swim around with their mouth open. So when they come across your line it is easily picked up in their mouth and all you do from the shore is feel a "bite". I've never fished from Hoodsport before though. Went through Hoodsport yesterday and saw some people fishing from the beach and out in boats by that hatchery. I assume they were fishing for pinks.

It is your own personal choice whether to keep that fish or not.

~ Dr Pepper

Geez, just because your getting it in the mouth doesn't mean that your not snagging or if your more sensitive about that term then lining. I gotta think that if you've been around you know weather your just out to line fish or actually show some skill and catch them. To me lining is about the most unrewarding type of fishing out there. But that is more of an ethical question than a legal one if your getting them in the mouth. The thing that has confused me is even if you show a guy how to catch them, because they are not snagging a fish every cast and have to actually fish it seems like they go back to snagging. Its too bad. Think if comes down to what type of fisherman you want to be and to be seen as. I'd lean toward catching or learing to catch than to lining. Just think its much more personlly rewarding.

Tight lines

Kevin

Before I got my boat, I enduldged in the "lining" festivities on hatchery dominated runs. In my circle of fishing buddies we had a code that we imposed on each other. If the fish was hooked in the mouth then it was fair game, under the chin, in the nose or anywhere else in the head was not acceptable. If you foul hooked a fish (tail, belly, side, etc.) you would break them off immediately. Usually you could tell by the fight if it was fair or not.

I am shocked and appalled by the increased number of blatant snaggers over the past few years, you know the guys that set the hook every 10 seconds and at the end of the drift or those jigging with huge gibbs minnows.

Also I have encountered many newbies who actually think the fish are biting when casting a hook with a tiny 4mm bead and others that believe that a fish hooked anywhere in the head is fair game. Sometimes a line job does feel like a bite until you land it and closely look at the hook placement. If the fish is in the mouth, it is impossible to "PROVE" that the fish did not bite in a court of law.

My father-in law and I went to Potlatch on Tuesday evening and tried some trolling near the boat launch with little luck. It was our first time at the Hood and my first salmon trip this year. We hoped to hook up on some salmon, but didnt. Probably due to lack of knowledge about the Hood and bait used. But We noticed every boat that launched headed up to the hatchery. So We pulled our lines and followed. Much to our surprise, It was a huge snag fest. There must have been 80+ people standing in the low waters chasing schools of salmon around. It was like they were 2 yrs old in Disney Land and had just seen Mickey Mouse. This was not my idea of Salmon fishing. I watched to see what the majority of people were doing and using. Some anglers were fly fishing, and some anglers were using corkie's and yarn. But most of the people (for lack of wanting to use profanity) that were hooking up were ripping buzz bombs into the schools of salmon. I figured that there was no way that these idiots could get away with this in front of a hatchery and in view of so many other fishermen. But it continued to happen. Not my idea of true sport fishing. We left the area after about an hour and tried more trolling with no success. I would rather catch no salmon making an honest attempt. Than catch many fish using illegal and unsportsman like acts of snagging.
So my question to all of you is this. I read about the Hood being a good place to fish for salmon. Are many of you refferring to the hatchery or is there really good places to fish in the Hood. If so I'd like some input on what works.

Thanks
Suzuki Sandman

I fish the salt primarily, so I haven't incidentally snagged that many fish. I did hook a king of about 7 pounds two weeks ago in the top of the dorsal fin off of a downrigger. Go figure? Kings were closed, and he had a small rip in the back, so he was released.

If they are hooked in the mouth, and legal to keep, they become mine as I don't own an underwater camera that hooks up to my swivel, just yet. I never try to snag, but it has happened a few times when fishing for chums out at Johns Creek. Some of those tail hooked chums put up a spectacular fight, but in the end, they get released by me. That is not always the case with others.

Fish the right way, you'll have more fun if you're not looking over your shoulder.

Andy

Buzzbombs sometimes get a bad rap, but I have hooked many silvers when they were chasing the candlefish close to shore. They are just a tool that can be misused.

Andy

I agree with you about the buzzbombs dogfish, but when was the last time anyone saw a school of bait around the hoodsport hatchery???

Can someone, anyone tell me where the old wives tale of the "headshot" or "if it's hooked from the gillplates forward, it's a legal fish" is stated in the regs? Excuse me, but that is such a bullsh*t excuse! When you fish in front of a hatchery for salmon, in non-flowing water, with corkies and yarn, what do you think is going to happen in most cases? SNAGGED FISH. The way I view it is this, If you have to keep a foul-hooked fish to eat, just go to Safeway and buy one. Intent is what separates true snaggers from those who accidentally foul-hook fish. It has happened to all of us at some point I'm sure. I'm not here to preach ethics, or to pass judgement. In my opinion, if there is any doubt, just let the fish go!

Did you know that at one time, WDF encouraged snagging on the Cowlitz?

Did you also know that WDF (now WDFW) in the early 70's originally proposed to build large "snagging" ponds on the Cowlitz River just above the Barrier Dam so that excess hatchery fish could be snagged and harvested? The only reason that these "snagging" ponds were not built, was because Tacoma Power did not want to pay WDF for doing it. So here you go, you have an agency in one hand telling us that it's a great way to harvest extra hatchery fish then, and now they are telling us that its an illegal unsportmens like way if we snag "hatchery fish" now.

You figure it out!!!