They don't need another tag when they're not tagging them in the first place. Then there is always the, "I lost my tag" claim....

Another reason I think it's a wasted effort if we don't even have the manpower to enforce the laws we already have on the books.

another solution to this rampant flossing scourge is to make it illegal to use leaders over 4' in river stack holes. say areas on the NFL, the hatchery area. cowlitz, blue creek area. areas such as these needs a regulation.

now say the kalama's CG very popular area snag hole. say that from the I-5 bridge up to top end of the CG "BE FLOAT FISHING ONLY"....BOTH SIDES OF RIVER.

how's that sound?

I THINK THAT JUST A LIMITATION TO 36-48" MAXIMUM LEADER LENGTH WOULD DETER 99% OF THE FLOSSING.

TC

i've noticed we haven't mentioned about the other abusers of the flossing topic. that being flyfishers. now i know there are those of this upper end hoity toity extremists in the flyfisher group. i'm talking the lower end not so toity group. say the ones who gangbang the stacked up nonbiting Arun silvers on the kalama during the "flyfishing only" area during fall time.

Yup. Will their leader length be limited as well?

no, but i'm willing to one up the anty though. i'd like to see that entire flyfisher section abolished from the rules completely! but since that area along the guard rail is a hatchery area stack hole like the NFL hatch area. turn that into competely closed waters, only because those useless Arun silvers are are worthless biters. or 2nd a bobber only section.

No doubt, there are a lot of "fly fishermen" that are snaggers. Many don't realize that's what they're doing, but most of them do. Those guys on the Kalama, for the most part, know exactly what they're doing. The only reason to attach 10-12 feet of leader material to a 15-ft. section of T-14 is to leave a suspended length of line throughout the water column that comes down toward the fish from above while the sinktip is stripped in. Using a tiny, tiny fly at the end of this setup is only beneficial in that the fish can't easily see the hook coming at them.

If you ask the majority of those guys where else they like to fly fish, they will tell you that is the only fishery they take part in with a fly rod, and only because other gear is illegal that time of year. In other words, those guys aren't really fly fishers (although some of them are impressive roll casters - I guess if you do something enough, you will eventually get good at it).

I got a laugh at the word "toity".

Polarized glasses are as much at fault as these longer leaders....

I've seen all to many guys with 3-4 ft leaders that can outdo the longer leader guys with this flossing technique... I'm not so certain leader length is the answer...

Keith

Regulating leader length makes their "net" smaller and wouldn't affect legit drift fisherman.

Yeah, lose the "brake" and hope that the enemy isn't running breechloaders.
Should be a good SRC if it's "spudgun enhanced"

Bring eye protection and heavy clothing

Yell "Hey!" before the shot and don't forget the green luminous light sticks for night shooting.
Activate the stick and cut off the top.
With a fully rammed/charged spudgun, pour a bit of "luminous juice" down the muzzle, onto the charged spud.
Enjoy the light show.

Don't shoot into the wind or you will be adorned with hundreds of luminous freckles.
"It wasn't me, officer."

I'm with Merg on this one. Basically who cares? Do any of you look down upon spearfishing? I doubt any fish bite spears! Should tree stand hunting be outlawed too? I suppose generations of native dip netters were doing it all wrong.

I don't 'floss' or snag, nor I am I defending anybody, but I think fishing is a sport that we play against ourselves not each other (except our buddies). I get a sense of achievement when I can get a bite, that you just will not get by snagging, but who am I to judge others for how they enjoy to sport? It's their loss in that sense of pride, but it's food on the table for most. To each their own.

Much more important: Habitat destruction, netting, hatchery/farming management.

PS - Is fishing a 50/50 Dick Nite on a 4' leader flossing? Cause thats how most NW guides catch 90% of their salmon.

Yes, so far as what affects our salmon runs, snagging is pretty damned far down the list...that being said...

1. Several very good areas have been closed to legitimate anglers because too many snaggers use those areas, too. That screws with legitimate angling.

2. Going "float only" or restricing leader lengths, again, closes perfectly legitimate fishing techniques to legitimate anglers thanks to the actions of the snaggers.

That's not "To each their own"...that's "Thanks fuckin snagger for getting an area the other 90% of us fish closed, and thanks for making it so we can't use legitimate techniquest thanks to you using them as snagging tools".

I'm a fishermen...and like it or not, I *will* judge those who do things that ruin the sport of sportfishing, especially if they do it for selfish reasons.

Want to call me an elitist for hating snaggers? Fine. I've been called every name in the book by the gillnet fleet, the wild steelhead bonkers, and half the tribal fish managers, too...didn't bother me then, won't bother me now.

Fish on...

Todd

Here is my idea for a snagger/flosser rule......

Something like if you snag 3 fish in a day of fishing you are done for the day. That way if a warden or cop sees you line in 3 fish by anything other than the face, the next one will be a ticket. Call it the "3 Snags and Your Out Rule".

This solves a lot of problems.

Mainly, it doesn't need a description of flossing or snagging defined. But also it forces anglers to pay more attention, think before they act, keep their program in line with the law, which is exactly what many fishermen don't do and should.

Also, this rule is easier to enforce. It isn't about tackle or technique it is about the results. If the results involve more than a few snagged fish you are done.

I think this may help out at certain hatchery hole types scenarios. It is obviously unenforceable in a lot of the wilds out there.