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So I was charged with a gross misdemeanor for "snagging Salmon". Punishable by up to a year in jail and $5000 in fines. Problem is I had no fish on the bank and was using a barbless hook and a corky. According to the game warden who had been watching me for at least half an hour(didn't know I was so interesting) , the lure I was using(orange corky) would not produce fish to bite and is only used has a tool for snagging. He told me that my method of casting in and yanking the pole is illegal. I tried to explain that I only yank or as we fishermen call it "set the hook" if I feel the bump of the fish on my corky has it floats down stream. The same way thousands do on every river everyday. The guy refused to listen to me even to go so far as to tell me " I hate you bubbleguming poachers". I have never poached in my life. I am always careful to learn all the rules of an area I am in and follow them. In fact I don't even have a barbed hook in my fishing vest at all. It was not my tackle he had the problem with just the way I hook set. So now I am a criminal all for a lil fishing(haven't yet been to court). I will now boycott this state for all fishing and hunting, mushroom picking, camping, and any other recreational activities that will put money in their hands. See you all in Idaho
 
OMG! I can't believe it. Obviously that GW doesn't have a clue. What you've described is EXACTLY HOW you fish corky's.

I hope you fight this charge and bring it to court. If so, please report back with the outcome.

ETA: What is the name of the game warden?
 
When people first started fly fishing with corkies here on the Grande Ronde, there were a lot of accusations among others about them snagging. I guess there were a few fish hooked outside the mouth.

I no longer fish due to medical issues, however, the last few years I fished the Wallowa for steelhead I used Hot Shots. Got tired of all the hangups while drifting bait. Talk about hook sets!!
 
Forgot to mention also using orange yarn on my hook. I do intend to fight the charges. I am no lawyer, just a law abiding tax payer trying to enjoy one of America's oldest and most loved past times " fishing". I don't know the officers name but will post his id# later today.
 
Does he have video of you? IMO, unless you have kept a fish that was hooked outside the mouth you would not be successfully convicted of snagging.

Since when is a fishing violation a misdemeanor?
 
My leader was about 5' long, weight was bout half ounce of river lead. Took place at the dewatto two Saturdays ago. As for fish biting every cast, I wish!! I am not out there reefing a hook through schools of fish. On many cast I do not try for a hook set because no bump is felt. I am no professional fisherman, and have been fishing this way since I was a kid and never have had any issues. Sometimes I catch fish, sometimes I don't. But that is not necessarily why I fish anyhow. I just love the quiet of the woods and spend most of my time there when I can.
 
When you say "The bump of a fish" that is exactly what snaggers are looking for.
I've fished for salmon and steelhead for over forty years, and what I've been taught and experienced is the lack of the drift down river, as the fish is mouthing the bait, not waiting till you feel the side of a fish ignoring the bare hook.
 
I'm guessing you cast up stream and allow the current to bounce your corky while dragging your weight. And I'm guessing you vary the weight depending on the swiftness of the current. Setting the hook when the bouncing ceased.... All this should have been evident to anyone watching you for any length of time.

I have indians in my family (feathers, not dots) and some live on reservations and they're allowed to use the snagging technique while fishing on the tribal lands (collville, wa). I've watched (in horror actually) while my cousin showed me how it's done and I can tell you it is not anything like fishing with a corky. It's not even in the same water type.

This GW is an absolute idiot. I commend you for not losing your bubblegum with them as I'm afraid I may have done.
 
It's called line bumping. And yes you're going to be convicted in court, because it is illegal. ( you don't need 5' of leader unless you're line bumping.) trust me I had my share of experience when I was a younger lad. :eek:
But the game warden is wrong salmon do bite corkys but there is a distinct feel to it and it usually occurs while you're drifting.

Stacy
 
Also called "flossing" when the long leader passes thru the mouth of a salmon breathing. Especially when casting into a pool of kegged up salmon. I witnessed a lot of that on the Checto.

When I drift fished corkies with lead, I never used a leader longer than 36". Lot's of new anti-snagging regs in place on various rivers limiting techniques to bobber fishing with shorter leaders. Better check the regs before we go out!
 
It's called line bumping. And yes you're going to be convicted in court, because it is illegal. ( you don't need 5' of leader unless you're line bumping.) trust me I had my share of experience when I was a younger lad. :eek:
But the game warden is wrong salmon do bite corkys but there is a distinct feel to it and it usually occurs while you're drifting.

Stacy

Note: never use a leader over 2 ft long, you will be looked at as a flosser or snagger and that is not a good thing on most rivers.:oops:
I have used longer and smaller leaders for steelhead in small streams but for salmon I like to bobber & bait em up.;)
 
Listen, I hate being pulled to the mat by a punk GW (been there done that) that don't know his azz from a hole in the ground. I give kudos for not setting him straight and causing a trip to the pokey. They get offended & reach for their guns when you know the rules and tell em so (little man syndrome).;)

Years ago I was a nub wanting to fish a certain spot & saw a GW there so I asked him if it was open & he replied "YES IT IS". Well I take my two kids (3 & 4 years old) down the trail & had a great time letting them reel in many brat sockeye (2-4#'s) and we kept 2 of the brightest ones & walked back to the truck. I was pulling up to the road to leave then GW was haulin azz, has his lights on, jumped out of his rig screaming GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE, NOW!!! He was pissed, I asked him what crawled up his azz (treating me bad & he got it right back) & he backed up with a hand on his gun & pointing his left hand at me like an MMA fighter. Both my kids are crying and I was pissed that this AH made them cry & told him I didn't appreciate being treated like a criminal so WTH is the problem? He said that the lake & creek are closed waters & was writing me a ticket reflecting that event.... I was livid!!!! He took the fish & I told him that I sure hope that he would be in the court room when I tell the judge the truth. Court date came, DH GW didn't show & judge dropped all charges. A month later I did some calling to find out if the charge was off my squeaky clean record, it was & was told the GW was fired (I was not the first victim of his treachery).
That being said, I do not trust any GW's unless they treat me like a law abiding citizen first.

Good luck
 
Last Edited:
I appreciate everyone's advice and support. Thank you all. Today I went down to the local fisherman's hub(gas station) and asked around a little about "line bumbing" or "flossing", and the use of corkys and yarn. Flossing was a well recognized term amongst the old timers. And no one seemed offended or surprised at the use of the tactic. Playing stupid I asked how it was done and was regaled with much advice. Seems like they had all fished that style at some point. General consensus is leaders ranging from 8 to 10 feet. That's a lot of line floating!!! Truth be told I only river fish for salmon half a dozen times a year so have never really experimented much. How they describe the method is pretty much how I was shown minus the longer leader. What more can I say. My intention was to fish and be legal. If the hook is barbless and fish is hooked in the mouth I guess I don't see the issue.
 

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