Anybody get busted for snagging Salmon? (Kalama & Toutle)

[bobcat]

September 19, 2007

Agents cite anglers for snagging salmon in Kalama, Toutle rivers

State wildlife agents have cracked down on anglers who were snagging salmon on the Kalama and Toutle rivers.

Sergeant Ted Holden says agents heard complaints of fishermen dragging hooks into salmon. Two undercover officers posed as fishermen last weekend and six others swooped in to issue 55 citations.

It's a $541 fine.

Holden says some fishermen admitted wrongdoing and others claimed ignorance of the fishing rules.

[jackelope]

not me but back in new york when i was a kid we used to fish the salmon river when the king salmon spawned out of lake ontario. the rivers we fished were shallow and the salmon would throw rooster tails of water when they scooted up through some skinny water. me and my little brother thought it was fun to chase them...well the new york state fish cops didn't. he did the typical scare the crap out of the little kids so they wouldn't break the law anymore, and it worked. the undercover fish cop in those waters has been around for a long time. they did not mess around, and they would bust people al the time.
it's good to see the doing it out here...it certainly deterred illegal snagging back there.

[Blacklab]

That's a good chunk of change. There is a problem with the snagging on the washugal river. It's funny when the warden comes down all these people start  running. Almost like their illegals 

[WDFW Hates ME!!!]

Blacklab, there is a problem snagging on every river.

I grew up fishing the washougal and learned to fish the wrong way. I have since learned the right way to fish. and i keep a whole lot more fish now than i used to.

[jackelope]

1-800-477-6224
wdfw incident reporting/poacher hotline. program it into your cell phone and use it when needed. there is a reward, but it shouldn't be needed.
keep calling in problems, eventually it will pay off. hopefully they keep up this moving it on to some other rivers.

[Blacklab]

wdfw

I'm sure other rivers have their share of snaggers. The washougal seems to have the lable in this area. When I tell people I'm fishing the washougal for salmon. The first thing they say, oh your snaggin 

[jackelope]

this state has huge issues with illegal fishing methods everywhere, regardless whether it's salmon snagging, poaching at c-n-r lakes, bait fishing selective fisheries, etc. the list goes on and on, and it really sucks because this state has a huge amount to offer in fishing.
hopefully this is step one of whats to come on wdfw's agenda.

[sisu]

If the salmon have lock jaw I'll line em with a fly. Now I know the fly fishing aficionado will howl at this but it really is not snagging. Fish and Wildlife never got excited about this back home as long as the hook was in the mouth area.

[boneaddict]

Naughty boy!

[cohoho]

Agree with Sisu, we affectionately called it "Controlled Snagging".  It is almost an art to some degree, you can tell those that can versus those that can't, the can't actually are snagging.....  It is the only way to fish for Reds... period, well except for the dip net during that season...  We used to use a small red hook with a sliver of red yarn, called it a "Crimean Shrimp" on the lower Kenai, anything not in mouth must immediately be released.

[jackelope]

but it really is not snagging.

what is it then?

[billythekidrock]

Long lining? Flossing?

[WDFW Hates ME!!!]

Sorry, but my opinion is that if the fish is not voluntarily taking the presentation into its mouth, it is snagging.

I grew up snagging fish because i was told salmon do not eat once they enter fresh water. Well i have learned differently. I catch a whole lot more fish and keep alot more because i do not have to release so many foul hooked fish. I do not foul hook fish anymore.
Sorry but flossing and long lining is so people can snag fish and say it was not on purpose.

[billythekidrock]

Sorry, but my opinion is that if the fish is not voluntarily taking the presentation into its mouth, it is snagging.

I grew up snagging fish because i was told salmon do not eat once they enter fresh water. Well i have learned differently. I catch a whole lot more fish and keep alot more because i do not have to release so many foul hooked fish. I do not foul hook fish anymore.
Sorry but flossing and long lining is so people can snag fish and say it was not on purpose.

My thoughts exactly!

[280ackley]

Sorry, but my opinion is that if the fish is not voluntarily taking the presentation into its mouth, it is snagging.

I grew up snagging fish because i was told salmon do not eat once they enter fresh water. Well i have learned differently. I catch a whole lot more fish and keep alot more because i do not have to release so many foul hooked fish. I do not foul hook fish anymore.
Sorry but flossing and long lining is so people can snag fish and say it was not on purpose.

My thoughts exactly!

Yes, I agree also.

[jackelope]

me too...no offense, but i agree. i used to floss salmon legally in lake ontario tribs back home...and am pretty damn good at it, but it is still snagging.
i am an avid flyfisherman,  i'm not howling, just telling it like it is.

[hogsniper]

haha, if they arent biting whats a guy supposed to do....they bite a treble hook rain or shine...

[WDFW Hates ME!!!]

Hog with an attitude like that the people that actually fish get screwed by people like that. We can no longer plunk spin n glo with eggs on the kalama. One of the most effective ways to catch chinook on the kalama.
Side hooking fish and bringing them in backwards is what causes them to go off the bite.
Learn to fish. If i see ya on the river ripping fish prepare for a confrontation with game enforcement.

[hogsniper]

Easy big guy, i was just messin around..the only time i fish is for steelhead or in summer hiking in the high lakes. Didnt mean to make ya mad...

[WDFW Hates ME!!!]

Oh i am not mad. Snagging has just hit a nerve lately. I toss plugs from the bank for coho and snaggers come down and start ripping fish and they go off the bite. kind of gets to ya...