This happend to me twice and by the same guy.

I was out a Frenchmans Bar during the summer steelhead run and as usual the place was packed. The guy next to me hooked a fish, and I went over the watch the fight. Toward the end of the fight, I realized that the fish was not hooked in the Mouth. It was hooked right in the Belly. He said "Oh no the hook came out of the mouth and hooked its belly". Then he kept the fish.

Now I did not know what to do, wether to beleive him or not. Tell me what do you think, ans what should I do if it happens in the future

Turn him in, he's full of BS.

He didn't even have the common courtesy of thinking up a decent lie. This is a no brainer.

I agree with the above posts.

The only time I can see that a snagged fish took the bait and missed is with the pink worms. Headshots sometimes happen.

The fish should still be released if not hooked in the mouth but with the worms it probably was actually biting it.

Personally, I think what matters most is if you *intended* to snag the fish. If you have on 8/0 hooks, 40 pound line and 2 ounces of lead in the river, then yes, you should be busted. But if you were fishing legally, and the hook happens to catch the fish somewhere else in the body, then it's a legally caught fish.

I happened to catch a silver once off the Dash Point pier casting a double hook mooching rig with a herring, and managed to lasso the fish around the back. No hook in him, the bottom hook was looped around his middle and snagged on the top hook. I managed to steer him over a net, and we hoisted him onto the pier, and I kept him. I don't think it was illegal or unethical. I was fishing legally, and I caught him legally.

I've seen fish hooked in the mouth throw the hook then get snagged in some other area of the body several times. It happens when they roll up in the line, the hook pulls out of the mouth and then sticks in the fish as the line unwraps around the fish. Coho seem to do this the most. I caught one last summer that was lashed up with half a dozen wraps and the spoon was trailing behind. All these fish had obvious hook wounds in the mouth where the hook had pulled out. Is this a snagged fish? I wouldn't want to have to convince a game warden it wasn't.

It happens from tiem to time, but it's still not legal to keep. Techincally, it's a snagged fish and must be released. Snagged fish w/o trying to snag occurs every so often regardless, could be a number of reasons why ... most obvious example I can remember was with Parker on the Kasilof ... sitting on jet planers and eggs, rod buckles and we're off to give chase, somehow some way, hook in tail wrist. How? Ya got me! never a hookset, bait not moving at all ... just one of things that happen. Too bad, it was a helluva fish too

That's just sad. Hecould have thought of a better lie! I'd turn him in.

Jay

i would put a post up asking you all what you thought.
guess thats been taken care of. :p

DAMN...well the snagging thread, or lack thereof, streak is now over!

To think I thought this subject was over till next fall. Happens at least three or four times a year at Westport I set the hook on a 35lb King on the fourth take and the hook ended up in the side it tasted just as good as the one caught in the mouth.

SD,
In salt water it is ok to keep your fish as long as the snagging was not intentional; however, fresh water rules are not as relaxed and legally you can not keep a snagged fish.

I have had this happen to me quite often with silvers. Once a game warden watch it happen, I asked him if I could keep it? he said "I wont fault you for that you hooked it legit." Alot of these silvers roll and when your using a barbless jig the hook comes out alot when the fish rolls. Of course if your dragging a fish up on the bank by the arse as the warden appears youll have one heck of a time explaining yourself! Kinda like when a fish hook legit in open waters runs to closed waters.

BTW: I am talking about WA rules.

"Oregan Rules" say the fish is hooked inside the jaw or it's considered a 'snagged fish' and must be released. Intent has zero to do with it, or how the fish got 'hooked' out side the mouth. Release fish or your up for a trip before the Judge and at least a $175 fine.

The Oregon State Police do the majority of our Game Warden work. They'd prefer not to arrest you ... but it's your call.
fae

If you really want to see snagging at its lowest, go to the Snohomish River during humpy season. As you go up river, you'll see cast after cast of red buzz bombs complete with treble hooks. It's sad and sick.

Last year I was fishing in one of my favorite spots and my Dick Nite hooked a line on the bottom of the river. I brought it in by hand and the lure was 5" Buzz Bomb with treble hooks and each hook had a fish scale in it.

Sparkey

"DAMN...well the snagging thread, or lack thereof, streak is now over!"

At least it is not another thread about Bush

I get all I need of that at work and home. I would even be willing to read a hook debate at this point.

Statewide General Rules:
Gear Rules
You may not snag or attempt to snag fish.


Statewide Definitions:
Snagging
Attempting to take fish with a hook and line in such a way that the fish does not voluntarily take the hook(s) in its mouth.


It just doesn't seem that unclear to me.

By the definition If I am not attempting to snag a fish but it so happens that a legaly hook fish comes in backwards because of hook slippage I can keep it.

No,no,no I doubt if if your using a 10/0 single or a treble hook your going to get away with that one!

I am talking about a 1/2 inch hook gap If that. I think it would be pretty obvious that I am not attempting to snag fish.

Micro

One game warden let you keep it, just remember the next may not.