snagging

[pens fan]

After all, its a matter of interpretation, right?

[Button Nubbs]

Why not? If the fish are indeed "biting", this would stimulate a strike, just like twitching a worm in the last few feet of reeling in while fishing for "ditch fish", right?

If not, then that means the salmon are not feeding, and the only way to catch one would be pure happenstance that the hook would find its way into its mouth.
 Many who swear this is true, then doing so would entice a strike, right?

This argument is way off base.

[gaddy]

say you are jigging a Krokodile spoon for kings. rip, settle, rip, settle etc... & hang on to that pole because they will hit on the settle (as instructed  by a guide on the Columbia) would this be considered attempting to snag as you are continuously jerking your rod ?

[snowpack]

say you are jigging a Krokodile spoon for kings. rip, settle, rip, settle etc... & hang on to that pole because they will hit on the settle (as instructed  by a guide on the Columbia) would this be considered attempting to snag as you are continuously jerking your rod ?

If the gamey deems it so.  Makes you wonder if it was another warden that wasn't exposed to any of the outdoors until he was hired on as a game warden.

[Antlershed]

Why not? If the fish are indeed "biting", this would stimulate a strike, just like twitching a worm in the last few feet of reeling in while fishing for "ditch fish", right?

If not, then that means the salmon are not feeding, and the only way to catch one would be pure happenstance that the hook would find its way into its mouth.
 Many who swear this is true, then doing so would entice a strike, right?

Salmon do indeed still feed once they hit fresh water. That has been proven time and time again. However, ripping a corky and yarn past their face, IMO, is not going to entice them to bite. Take any terminal fishery that is saturated with "grip and rip" guys...you can be nailing fish all morning on eggs, but as soon as the rippers show up the bite turns off. I do know fish will bite corky and yarn if given the proper presentation, but ripping it past them is NOT the proper presentation. 

As far as fishing lures that are meant to be "jigged"...I really don't care what someone has on the end of their rod for gear...take into account where they are fishing (wide open water like the sound, or a pool in a river like the Skok where you can see every fish), and within 5 minutes of watching them you will know if they are trying to snag fish or not.

[wildmanoutdoors]

Wow! Thats all I have. 

[JCClement]

Without being there, I would guess that he was doing something stupid.  I've fished quite a few areas, with LEO's around and without, and have never been accused of snagging.

Maybe I wasn't doing it right? 

[deltaops]

So using a Buzz Bomb would be considered "attempting to snag"? Or any other jigging methods?

I am again confused. I fish using a lot of different methods and learn from each method. I do not attempt to snag nor would I even try. I have snagged fish before, not on purpose, but I have using a marabou jig catching kokes. Of course I released the fish and always will if it is not a legal catch. If a Warden was watching me, I suppose he would think I was trying to snag fish, but if he watched me the entire time he would notice I was not doing anything illegal.

"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. In
freshwater, it is illegal to possess any fish
hooked anywhere other than inside the mouth or
on the head."

Just that definition alone means that a lot of people are guilty of snagging when they jig.

"it is illegal to possess any fish
hooked anywhere other than inside the mouth or
on the head"

With the last statement I would assume that they know accidents will happen and one would snag a fish but not on purpose. So if I was fishing in freshwater and using a jig method and a Warden said he would ticket me fro snagging, that Warden would be told to pack sand and move on.

It doesn't matter how one fishes, sometimes snagging happens. One just has to make sure he does the legal thing and returns the fish to the water. If you do not, then and only then can you be cited for snagging.

[Antlershed]

I was not saying that jigging=snagging. If you were using a buzz bomb or pt Wilson dart in a terminal fishery, I think they would probably watch you pretty closely though. This is where I believe they have to use their judgement to determine intent, but it is usually pretty black and white.

[Antlershed]

Wow! Thats all I have. 

[pens fan]

I apologize for going on a tangent. I can't attest for my coworkers actions, i was not there. He is new to fishing salmon and was merely doing what everyone else was, and how he was told to fish. He asked me about what the regs were about this. I said i could not find anything, so i asked here.
In my little world, i have no room for vague laws left to the descretion of some LEO who, under any court, thier judgement is held higher than mine. And yet, we hear of " oh, maybe he is having a bad day." That is no excuse for harassment or Napolean attitudes i have witnessed and heard of by especially game wardens.
I have never recieved a citation for fishing or hunting ever. But everytime i encounter a gamie, its stressful because they look for any violation, and look.at any they find as complete premeditated intention of violation. Most of them are decent and professional, but some use psych techniques ( ie, unloading your over under to check and.see if it can hold three shells) to trip someone up, make them say stupid things, etc.
So, if there is not any definitative description of what "snagging" is, i prefer to not leave it to a high paid professional who should not allow his personal problems dictate how he administers citations.
With that, i am leaving this thread to die

[Boss .300 winmag]

I didn't notice tangent, your ok. 

[Bullkllr]

Yeah, it's gotten a little nebulous. And what has been discussed probably has little to do with the original situation.

In the real world scenario, it probably is a lot more black and white than what the regs say (ie, "attempting to snag"). Having been about as involved as one can be in sport fishing Washington State rivers for the last 40 years, I have never once heard of any person being ticketed for "attempting to snag" any fish. Keeping snag fish, yes. Fishing with illegal gear, check. But not once for attempting to snag fish with legal gear.

Also real world, setting the hook with both hands (rather vigorously, I assume) at the end of a drift, in a river salmon scenario IS attempting to snag fish; It Is Known. I can imagine a warden issuing a verbal for this, but any warden would be hard pressed to make a cited violation stand up unless there was other evidence like retained snag fish or illegal gear.

[buckfvr]

I spent a great deal of time fishing in Wa and Or from the 70s til about 8 years ago.  Most of it was on sw rivers and the Columbia, and a few of the north coastal rivers in or.

I believe I saw it all....or atleast most of it.  Maybe others and wardens saw more.  If they did, then my guess is they get to a point where they can no longer be as congenial as maybe they should be to maintain their professionalism.  I know Id personally get fed up with the same constant offenses and lies that go with them.

Using jigs of any kind, I will give them its not difficult to understand if they are fishing the jig or using it to snag.  Great example of that would be how salmon fishing used to be at Hood River, fishing the mouth of the WHite Salmon.

I will say, not all fishermen break rules, not even close.....but there sure as heck is alot that do, and I believe we all know some.

I think guys need to read regs and ask questions before engaging some of the questionable fisheries to avoid problems. 

How about the slough at Shafer Park up the Satsop ?any of you remember that debacle in the fall when the silver and chum run collided ???How many guys can hold up their hands and say they werent snagging in there   Liars !!!!!all Liars !!!!!!   

[wafisherman]

There is a big difference in snagging vs jigging.  You definitely know which one you are trying to do...  and anyone watching you can figure it out pretty easily as well.  Same with flossing (intentionally snagging in the face area).

Those who do that garbage are missing out big time.  A large percentage of my salmon and some of my steelhead have been taken in situations where I was able to actually see the take.  Watching a big fish come flying after your spoon, spinner, fly, jig or whatever is real rush and will test your nerves (have to resist setting the hood too soon).  Even bobber and jig fishing is better that way - seeing that bobber go down and setting the hook and then feeling that head shake from a huge steelhead is awesome.

Flossing - you have to have the right feel for the 'take' and\or just set the hook every few seconds or at the end of the drift hoping to cram that hook into a fishes mouth - almost anti-climactic.  And ripping that jig into the side or tail of a fish just takes away from what it should feel like - where fish is the one doing to ripping as it tries to destroy the lure with prejudice!  Not to mention how much it sucks to have to deal with a tail hooked fish.