There is alot of strong talk here about snagging and "flossing" and which way is the right way to catch a fish. I heard a story yesterday that I thought I would share:

Someone who works for told me he had gotten a "sall mons" that would be Ukrainian for salmon. Oh boy I said. Way to go! Where did you catch it? He said up highway 2. That would be Monroe I said. Yeah...He drew a picture on a piece of paper with a pencil of what looked like a fish with a big hump on its back. I asked how he caught the fish (2 of them). No he wasn't using a big treble hook or a 10' leader with a corky...He caught the fish with his bare hands!

This guy is a hard worker and a good person. He said there were alot of fish wherever he was as if to say they were ripe for the picking. I know he was not intentionally doing anything he knew was wrong. Just putting food on the table.

I have spoken to WDFW personnel in the past and have been told that there are tens of thousands of immigrants from many countries who scour the woods and rivers for fish and game for food. Most of them do not do this malisciously but I'm sure some do. They do it for free food.

This problem has gotten better I think but the enforcement people for a time were spread really thin chasing the people in the woods harvesting game out of season and with no licenses. In low water conditions like we have now there are tons of fish sitting in pools ripe for the picking by uneducated folks as well as the outlaws. I would say it is up to all of us who know the laws to make sure we pass the info on to those who break the law. In a nice way of course. I know I did that with my co -worker along with the information on how to care for a Pink to preserve what little quality it had left.

one of the biggest violations I see is the yellow access sticker not displayed for whatever reason.
Do they even enforce that thing? I see the signs everywhere that state you need one otherwise its like a 66.00 fine but the majority of vehicles are without?

I found the same problem yesterday, on the Soos Creek in Auburn/Black Diamond area. This small hatchery creek open up to Juveniles next week for Coho only. Now there are thousands of Kings Spawning in the creek. I stopped to take a look at all of the fish with my four year old daughter, and what did I see but Three Ukranian descent males with three 7/0 hooks per line and a ounce weight the bottom of all of the hooks snagging spawning fish. I couldn't make a scene as I had my four year old with me. I did call WDFW Enforcement, but I don't think anything was done about it. I was told an Officer would contact me, unfortunately know one ever contacted me. It is a damn shame we can't all have enforcement privledges. It really makes you sick to see this type of thing.

i went by soos creek today and saw a game warden visiting someone.

hey aix, I thought about it but, I wouldn't risk being in that situation, with my daughter. I am glad to see the wardens were out today. Maybe they got the chance to educate those guys or some others. If I had known that snagging was legal in other states, I would have probably thought differentely about talking to those guys.

Im always supprised when all of a sudden they dont speak english, when I just talked to them earlier....DJ