Well, I have to agree that most fisherman do not believe in keeping a foul hooked fish.... BUT... After seeing all the fish that are raped from the rivers by the tribes and sold as fish meal or cat food for pennies a pound, it does not hurt my feelings at all to keep the occasional foul hooked fish for dinner or see someone else doing it. Now puposely rigging to snag is a different story. These guys are such poor fisherman that it seems to be the only way they can catch a fish and they should be banned from fishing all together........

Hi, all...

Just to make it clear, since there seems to be some confusion on the rules in this thread...

There are two confusing aspects to this thread...one, snagging, or attempting to snag, fish is one activity, and keeping a fish that has not been hooked in the mouth after a fish has voluntarily taken the lure or bait into its mouth.

To clear one confusion, they are indeed different things. You can be guilty of "snagging" without actually hooking a fish. Snagging is actually hooking or attempting to hook a fish somewhere other than voluntarily (by the fish) in the mouth. You don't have to actually stick one in the butt on purpose...just trying to is illegal.

This clear violation does indeed require intent. You must be trying to foul hook a fish.

The other is keeping a foul hooked fish. This also is illegal, whether you meant to foul hook it or not.

Micro, and Arklier, in the situation you described, you would not be guilty of snagging, as that would require intent. You would, however, be guilty of keeping a foul hooked fish, which is just as illegal, albeit a different violation. Just because you didn't intentionally snag it does not make it a legally hooked fish.

Here's another confusing aspect of it, though...in either situation, you'll get a ticket for "snagging", since they call both violations by the same name. Actually, I think they'd call one "snagging", and the other "keeping a snagged (or foul-hooked) fish.

Christof, while I can appreciate your frustration with tribal fishers, snaggers, and other types of sportfishing slobs, it's still illegal to keep a foul hooked fish. I wish that there was better enforcement and stiffer penalties for that kind of stuff, too.

Fish on...

Todd.

Todd,
I assume you are talking about fresh water. As I said in my first post, the salt water rules are different.

Then there is the whole seperate issue of leader draggin and playing "mouth hockey" with fish. A common occurence in the Midwest. Saw tons of it this weekend. Lot's of rivers with gravel that fish are either coming up on to spawn or passing through. Spot a fish, and whip the water to a froth like herd of flailing sea donkeys. Similar to the crocs in Africa waiting for the wildebeest migration. Had enough of it by Sunday morning and decided to head home. Will post a pic or two as soon as I figure out how to get it done.

Then there is the whole seperate issue of leader draggin and playing "mouth hockey" with fish. A common occurence in the Midwest. Saw tons of it this weekend. Lot's of rivers with gravel that fish are either coming up on to spawn or passing through. Spot a fish, and whip the water to a froth like herd of flailing sea donkeys. Similar to the crocs in Africa waiting for the wildebeest migration. Had enough of it by Sunday morning and decided to head home. Will post a pic or two as soon as I figure out how to get it done.