Snagging Coho

[GWP]

Fished Coho off of the Westport Boardwalk and docks for two days. Caught none.
EVERY fish I saw caught was foul hooked. IE snagged. Belly, side, top, tail. NONE inside the mouth. Is that one of those things where it is 'Don't ask, don't tell', and everybody does it? Saw multiple limits taken that way.
Talked to a guy and he said he has not seen enforcement patrol 'The Boardwalk, so I guess it is whatever you can get away with?

[HillHound]

We see this lots of places. Usually we try to talk as loud as we can about them snagging fish and wondering if the game warden is still up in the parking lot. They usually pack up or change their fishing tactics pretty quick.

[Stein]

It happens all the time in many places. 

[CP]

Is it illegal to retain foul hooked salmon in saltwater?

[Blacklab]

Washougal has a couple snagging holes. When you say you fish the river. Your automatically one of those snaggers Defiantly need some accountability

[MADMAX]

Im betting you’ll have company with radios and binocs now

[Platensek-po]

Is it illegal to retain foul hooked salmon in saltwater?

Yes

[CP]

Is it illegal to retain foul hooked salmon in saltwater?

Yes

Can you point me to where that would be written in the regs?  All I can find is this:

"It is unlawful to possess a fish taken from freshwater that was not hooked inside the mouth or on the head. The head is defined as any portion forward of the rear margin of the gill plate."

[metlhead]

Snagging can turn off a bite with coho. Also, they are notorious for lockjaw when water temps are warm. Once temps get into the 40s, they seem more aggressive. I am kind of thinking that since the basin is a terminal fishery, snag away and allow the resource to be utilized.

[duckmen1]

These two pictures are taken from online regs. First pic is the top of page saying statewide but the paragraph below says things listed below are for freshwater only and to click on the saltwater pages for saltwater only rules. But scrolling down on the original page shows the snagging outlawed rule. But the saltwater rules show nothing about snagging. The way the state writes their rules is contradictory. And that is why the state goes to court and gets fought so often on regulations.  But even though it said see below on freshwater specific it's still showing saltwater details down below.


Now in my eyes there is no snagging period for me no matter what.

[MADMAX]

Is it illegal to retain foul hooked salmon in saltwater?

Yes

Can you point me to where that would be written in the regs?  All I can find is this:

"It is unlawful to possess a fish taken from freshwater that was not hooked inside the mouth or on the head. The head is defined as any portion forward of the rear margin of the gill plate."

Statewide general rules
Subcategory
Gear

You May Not:

• Snag or attempt to snag a fish.

I dont think Id sweat it if its incidental
But if it’s multiples
Your snagging
 

[GWP]

Is it illegal to retain foul hooked salmon in saltwater?

Yes

Can you point me to where that would be written in the regs?  All I can find is this:

"It is unlawful to possess a fish taken from freshwater that was not hooked inside the mouth or on the head. The head is defined as any portion forward of the rear margin of the gill plate."

Statewide general rules
Subcategory
Gear

You May Not:

• Snag or attempt to snag a fish.

I dont think Id sweat it if its incidental
But if it’s multiples
Your snagging

I am guessing if WDFW showed up, the people snagging would say they were ALL incidental.
I am also guessing WDFW would not buy into that. Particularly if they were watching 'from afar'.

[Stein]

Is it illegal to retain foul hooked salmon in saltwater?

Yes

Can you point me to where that would be written in the regs?  All I can find is this:

"It is unlawful to possess a fish taken from freshwater that was not hooked inside the mouth or on the head. The head is defined as any portion forward of the rear margin of the gill plate."

Statewide general rules
Subcategory
Gear

You May Not:

• Snag or attempt to snag a fish.

I dont think Id sweat it if its incidental
But if it’s multiples
Your snagging

It specifically says those are the freshwater rules and points you to the saltwater section for salt rules.  Why it says statewide is a bit confusing, but it seems to be pretty clear those are statewide freshwater rules.

[MADMAX]

Is it illegal to retain foul hooked salmon in saltwater?

Yes

Can you point me to where that would be written in the regs?  All I can find is this:

"It is unlawful to possess a fish taken from freshwater that was not hooked inside the mouth or on the head. The head is defined as any portion forward of the rear margin of the gill plate."

Statewide general rules
Subcategory
Gear

You May Not:

• Snag or attempt to snag a fish.

I dont think Id sweat it if its incidental
But if it’s multiples
Your snagging

I am guessing if WDFW showed up, the people snagging would say they were ALL incidental.
I am also guessing WDFW would not buy into that. Particularly if they were watching 'from afar'.

I wouldn’t keep it
Thank you

[jmscon]

Freshwater rules start on page 23 of the pamphlet. Page 8 in the statewide general rules are noted above and in the pic.
There used to be a lot of snagging that went on at the bridge over the east waterway on the Duwamish. I believe they made it illegal to fish from the bridge because they couldn’t keep up with enforcing the snagging laws.

[Alchase]

Seems a common theme, the bridge at the Cosmos end of Riffe Lake, the bridge by Seabeck, cedar River etc…..

When you see people throwing treble hooked Buzzbombs etc…
Or letting them sit on the bottom unto the see a school swimming by, or flossing.
 It is all snagging!

[spin05]

Seems a common theme, the bridge at the Cosmos end of Riffe Lake, the bridge by Seabeck, cedar River etc…..

When you see people throwing treble hooked Buzzbombs etc…
Or letting them sit on the bottom unto the see a school swimming by, or flossing.
 It is all snagging!

hahaha  Fishing with a treble hooked buzz bomb is now snagging? LOL.   Caught many pinks and other salmon using a buzz bomb.

[Flaming Antler Outdoors]

Go watch the zoo at Quilicene river.  Just make sure you move over when the tribe walks up the center of the river with dip nets.  You could lose your treble just like that. 

[Stein]

Where I used to live, black corkies would sell out every fall.  They had salmon fishing down to a refined science.

[HntnFsh]

Go watch the zoo at Quilicene river.  Just make sure you move over when the tribe walks up the center of the river with dip nets.  You could lose your treble just like that.

Funny. I've seen that show!

[mcrawfordaf]

Where I used to live, black corkies would sell out every fall.  They had salmon fishing down to a refined science.

Corkies was how they snagged em growing up on the coast of Oregon. Had fish and game in damn near full ghillie suits on the banks of creeks to catch folks.

[MeepDog]

According to those rules, flossing isn't illegal since they're hooked in the head or mouth. 

[Alchase]

Seems a common theme, the bridge at the Cosmos end of Riffe Lake, the bridge by Seabeck, cedar River etc…..

When you see people throwing treble hooked Buzzbombs etc…
Or letting them sit on the bottom unto the see a school swimming by, or flossing.
 It is all snagging!

hahaha  Fishing with a treble hooked buzz bomb is now snagging? LOL.   Caught many pinks and other salmon using a buzz bomb.

I should have quantified a treble hooked Buzz bomb while ripping it. 

[spin05]

Seems a common theme, the bridge at the Cosmos end of Riffe Lake, the bridge by Seabeck, cedar River etc…..

When you see people throwing treble hooked Buzzbombs etc…
Or letting them sit on the bottom unto the see a school swimming by, or flossing.
 It is all snagging!

hahaha  Fishing with a treble hooked buzz bomb is now snagging? LOL.   Caught many pinks and other salmon using a buzz bomb.

I should have quantified a treble hooked Buzz bomb while ripping it. 

Problem is thats kinda how ya fish a buzz bomb.  it is a jig after all.  but yea a full blown ripping it back would be a good indicator of a potential to try snagging em

[GASoline71]

Buzzbomb for salmon in the salt you have to have a single barbless hook.  Never used one in fresh water so... 

Gary

[GWP]

What I saw on the Boardwalk is they would wait until they saw a school, get ahead of them, and cast just barely beyond then yank into the school when they come by. A lot of casting and then a yank or two like ‘setting the hook’, move repeat.
They are actually setting the hook, just not in the mouth, which, according to some, I guess is Ok. Certain that view would change if WDFW was standing next to them.
Arguing semantics of ‘snagging’ in the ‘General Rules’, which contain both Fresh and Salt references, is working hard to justify being able to do it.
Easy peasy to find out. Send WDFW a note and ask! Maybe I will. After all, if it is legal, I will do it too! Weeeeeeeee!
If it is NOT legal, and a person chooses to do it anyway, might as well use a few big barbed weighted treble’s. It would be better to make sure they can’t get away at least.

[Stein]

Snagging is much different in salt and the rivers.  In salt, you are trolling and the fish swipes at your stuff which is flying around and every once in a blue moon they get hooked somewhere else.  In my experience, it's incredibly rare.

River snagging is different because you have them in a confined place not moving much and some chose to actively snag them.  I don't know of a similar situation in the salt, maybe it does exist.  I'm sure if you are jigging some fish do get foul hooked on occasion, but going out in Puget Sound and attempting to snag a salmon isn't something that is an issue. 

In the WAC's, there is an anti-snagging rule that specifically excludes trolling (salt or fresh).  The anti-snagging rule went in the regs in 2009 I think and is clearly designed to address river snagging of salmon and steelhead by adjusting the gear regulations to make it harder to do.  It applies to people fishing for salmon & steelhead from the bank.

[MADMAX]

Jeez
Just say no

Are you that hungry ?

[Bullkllr]

From a fair-chase standpoint it's a bad look for sure.

Not saying I support those actions, but those are dead-end fish. The only reason they are there is to be caught. They will mill around the boat basin until they are caught, eaten by all the sea lions, or rot away and die. And salmon are still classified as a food fish. Common methods of harvest: gillnets, seines, fish wheels, trolling gear, etc. are probably considerably less sporting. In AK they let the snaggers at 'em in the salt.

That said, if the rules are the rules, I wish there was some effort at enforcement, otherwise it's bad precedent and a bad example for all fishers. They absolutely are aware of it, and if they are intentionally turning a blind-eye I wish they would just change the regs.

[GWP]

Jeez
Just say no

Are you that hungry ?

Well, if it IS legal, why NOT snag them? Fill the freezer. Free fish once you buy the license. Same with crab and clams. Once you have the license, go for what is legal. No reason not to.
If it is a 'personal choice' to NOT fish them, fine, but do NOT put your restrictions on me. IF it is legal. IF it is legal. IF it is legal.
I have heard people say 'throw back all female surf perch'. Well, Ok.
Regs allow both male and female to be caught, so I guess WDFW figures the numbers are good enough to allow both to be kept. I have 'generally' tossed back female's unless they are bleeding out.
Hope I have not offended any by assigning gender to any fish that identify as 'other'.
 

[Alchase]

What I saw on the Boardwalk is they would wait until they saw a school, get ahead of them, and cast just barely beyond then yank into the school when they come by. A lot of casting and then a yank or two like ‘setting the hook’, move repeat.
They are actually setting the hook, just not in the mouth, which, according to some, I guess is Ok. Certain that view would change if WDFW was standing next to them.
Arguing semantics of ‘snagging’ in the ‘General Rules’, which contain both Fresh and Salt references, is working hard to justify being able to do it.
Easy peasy to find out. Send WDFW a note and ask! Maybe I will. After all, if it is legal, I will do it too! Weeeeeeeee!
If it is NOT legal, and a person chooses to do it anyway, might as well use a few big barbed weighted treble’s. It would be better to make sure they can’t get away at least.

Every salmon I caught using a Buzz Bomb, Point Wilson Dart, etc... was on the down flutter, in the mouth.  Not on the pull up.

[spin05]

Buzzbomb for salmon in the salt you have to have a single barbless hook.  Never used one in fresh water so... 

Gary

correct and i believe its fresh too.  Last time i bought one it actually came with a single hook

[HntnFsh]

I understadn the disdain for snagging fish, but I also know of places where it shouldnt matter. The Westport basin is one of those. Its a dead end for those fish. Either they get caught and are eaten by humans or they die and sink to the bottom and are eaten by crabs.

Another spot is the Cowlitz on its good years. They get more fish back at the seperator than they need for brood stock and can truck upstream. The rest get loaded up in trucks, iced and shipped out to processors. A lot of times the public couldnt put a dent in that run even if they snagged their 6 a day when that is the limit.

[TeacherMan]

Loved living in AK and snagging salmon in the salt! Silvers with a snagging hook in them are like fighting a loose train! They will rip up the average guys gear. I used a 8’6 heavy salmon steelhead spinning ugly stick with 65 lb power pro with a nice pflueger reel. Same setup I’d cast for black bass with and have 50 plus pound lingcod come in on attached to the bass. Very fun times!

[GWP]

Yeah, like I said, if it was legal I would be hitting it pretty hard. No reason not to. Fill the freezer.

[birddogdad]

"they" snagg thousands every day right now in nets all over the sound.. just sayin...

[GWP]

Legally. By agreement via negotiated treaty. Same as with any other ‘country’ we have made agreements with.
We did not ‘win’ the war, we made agreements to stop it. Crappy agreements, from their side, but agreements none the less, that we have to abide by, even though it was a lot of years ago.
Get involved with the process to renegotiate it if you want to try and change it.
Good luck!

[HillHound]

Exactly. Just like all netting and beef jerky procuring is. 100% legal. Is that ethical. Hell no! But that was never a question. Doesn’t matter if it’s  ethical or not. Doesn’t matter if it’s good for the herds or the schools of fish. It just matters whether it’s legal. And that is the society we live in today. Yay for me and screw everyone else

[Jake Dogfish]

Snagging is for people that don’t know how to fish.

[metlhead]

Interesting. Colorado had a kokanee snag season on Cheesman reservoir with a limit of 40 per day. Was meant to allow the resource to be utilized and not overwhelm the river with too many salmon. Must've been a lot of folks that didn't know how to fish. Same goes for those darn Missouri paddlefishers!

[Angry Perch]

We used to snag carp in the creeks every spring in Minnesota. What a blast. A big carp hooked in the back will give your gear a good test!

[GWP]

I did a lot of bowfishing for carp. I was not as good a fisherman, so I used a bow.
 
I did eat them though, so there is that.
 

[Pacific Ghost]

E Regulations are different than the WDFW pamphlet. Who publishes the E regulations?