agree or disagree with flossing

[bionic_one]

So lets see, they put hatchery fish in a river, we're allowed to keep X hatchery fish per day. They have to be hooked in the mouth or in front of the gill plate - basically in the head.

There are no leader length restrictions.

Indians can use nets on the same rivers.

If your hook is in the fish's head, it's legal. Call it flossing or interstellar space travel, it's still legal and you just end up being a whiner.

Snagging Attempting to take fi sh with a hook
and line in such a way that the fi sh does not
voluntarily take the hook(s) in its mouth. In
freshwater, it is illegal to possess any fi sh
hooked anywhere other than inside the mouth or
on the head.

Now, given that little piece of information, and the fact that they allow fishing in the rivers, that concedes the fact that WDFW beleives that Salmon and Steelhead do willingly take corky and yarn presentations. This is further confirmed by the fact that the have a webpage dedicated to showing you HOW to catch Salmon in Rivers. http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/salmon/how_to_c ... hwater.htm

So, you could make the argument that someone "snagged" them in the head by "flossing", but your argument is really only that, an argument, and does not, will not, and cannot change anything. Enjoy getting yourself all pissed off for nothing, while the "dirty snagger" next to you limits out and the Indians downstream pull out nets full of piggies.

Life is too short to complain about things you can't change, or aren't really worth changing in the first place.

[fear_no_fish]

ive seen easily over 15 steelhead foul hooked it happens

[jens]

I stopped writing reports because the negative responses I was getting. I only share with a certain few where I have been fishing and what I have been using. I really thought I was becoming an accomplished angler when I would limit out on Pinks or Silvers or when I got my limit on Kings last fall or slay the Chums(notice no mention of Steelhead). I caught all my fish using a long leader and a size 14 corky. Now that a full season is almost here, I look back at the year I have been having and I ask myself if these fish that I flossed is that considered fishing? Is this even something to brag about? It kind of makes me think of that guy who hires escorts and then brags to all his buddies about how he bangs hot chicks every weekend and counts escorts as part of his notch on his belt. That's what flossing is to me. With that said, I'll continue to fish this way because if the hook is inside the beak, then it is a legal catch aka chromer comin homer!

[scott080379]

okay all you want to be flosser out there......after reading the how to's again on steeleheaduniversity even they sate a 3 to 8 foot leader.


http://www.steelheaduniversity.com/side-drifting.htm



So floss away throw the 7 and 8 foot leaders on and catch the fish. Just don't try to set the hook every little bump you feel.

[curado]

its funny watching kids learnin how to drift fish lol they jerk at every bump.

[Brian253]

hey, cant blame a guy for tryin to learn, weve all been there.

[spokey9]

i've been fishin near others when it seemed like they'd count to five an wham, count to five an wham. if you're setting the hook to find fish it's basically snaggin. i normally use an 8 foot leader unless i'm fishin shallow or dirty water, i don't set the hook unless i feel something that feels like a take. i've been accused of flossing a time or two (usually by somebody using a similar rig as me an not hookin up). i don't keep foul hooked fish an do my best to fish the right way because the truth is each of us is an ambassador of our sport. i don't consider myself a flosser, i just use whatever length leader i need to catch some fish an i'm still learning to river fish. i will say i like shorter leaders when possible just cuz their easier to cast . that's just my .02 tho.

[Bodofish]

Flossing is still the biggest load of snivily, whiney, horse pucky I hear out of fisherpersons mouths. Snagging is one thing, it's a cheap shot and is a far cry from using a long leader. I don't think there's anybody out there that has video of steelhead sitting on the bottom with their mouths gaping wide, waiting for the "floss" to be dragged through. It just doesn't happen. If you're sure of yourself, show me the video. There's a video of every other type of hookup. Show me.

It's all just sour grapes from an elitist few, started on another forum through boredom. Not mention, it makes a great vehicle for attacking new members that aren't part of the click.

Next thing will be those darn fly guys flossing with long leaders.... 9 foot leader with a 4 foot tippet....... Floss away baby!

Personally I'll fish with any kind of leader I want and leave the flossing for string bikinis.

[scott080379]

hahahah...I like that bodo

[Anonymous]

Flossing is still the biggest load of snivily, whiney, horse pucky I hear out of fisherpersons mouths. Snagging is one thing, it's a cheap shot and is a far cry from using a long leader. I don't think there's anybody out there that has video of steelhead sitting on the bottom with their mouths gaping wide, waiting for the "floss" to be dragged through. It just doesn't happen. If you're sure of yourself, show me the video. There's a video of every other type of hookup. Show me. It's all just sour grapes from an elitist few, started on another forum through boredom. Not mention, it makes a great vehicle for attacking new members that aren't part of the click. Next thing will be those darn fly guys flossing with long leaders.... 9 foot leader with a 4 foot tippet....... Floss away baby!Personally I'll fish with any kind of leader I want and leave the flossing for string bikinis.

From the voice of reason. You go Bodo. I couldn't have said it better myself.

[curado]

bodo hit it on the money right there

[Anonymous]

I agree Bodofish. Although I am not sure about string bikinis.

[kinghunter]

bodo hit it on the money right there

Curado,

I'm just a little confuse, with your discussion in this topic, it seems you were against anything longer than 4 feet and label anyone using longer than 4 feet as flossers or snaggers. Now you are agreeing with Bodo comments? It really doesn't make sense. Maybe I missed something. I mean there are way too many fishermen trying to shove their own ethics values to others when they don't fish they way you fish. As long as they are fishing legally and catching fish, let them enjoy it. I know of a float and jig fisherman that brag about not fishing with corky/yarn and consider anyone fishing with them snaggers/or flossers, who needs that kind of a advice. It really doesn't help anyone.

[donman]

Dude Kinghunter, I don't mean to get into your business, but you need to forgive the guy and move on. Cause I know who you are talking about, you brought it up on another thread. Just my .02, I see that it hurts, but forgiveness sure does helps a soul.

[curado]

well i never said i was against or for flossing. i just wanted to see wat people had to say on the subject

[jens]

well i never said i was against or for flossing. i just wanted to see wat people had to say on the subject

With all these responses, what is your opinion now?

[scott080379]

Dude Kinghunter, I don't mean to get into your business, but you need to forgive the guy and move on. Cause I know who you are talking about, you brought it up on another thread. Just my .02, I see that it hurts, but forgiveness sure does helps a soul.

agree or at least just let it go....

[Anonymous]

I'm all for it! Flossing is a very effective way to prevent periodontal disease and should be practiced more often.

As long as you hook the fish in the mouth or on the head, what is the big deal?

[natetreat]

I always thought flossing was a form of snagging where you actually saw the fish, and you attempted to snag it in the mouth so as it would be a "legal" hookup and you could keep the fish. Kids did it all the time off the Steamboat Island bridge in Olympia where I grew up. I also see the kids frustration, because thousands of fish go by that bridge at high tide, and you can see them bright as day, but none of them will take anything. Rarely. Which is not like steelhead. In my experience, if there are steelies in the river, your gonna catch a fish. I never partook of the flossing, but only because I'm a sportsmen. But I would strand there and watch as the squaxon island Indians would round up thousands of fish, the same fish that the kids flossed.

And then they kept them all, before the fish could spawn. The kids at least released the fish, and only kept a legal limit.

Flossing without seeing the fish just seems impractical. If there are a thousand salmon in the river, and you're bound to hook one up whether it ate it or not, I guess it's practical to try to set the hook every time. But random jerks on the corky are really only going to pull the corkie outta the strike zone, which would negatively impact your ability to "floss" let alone catch a fish.

But I firmly believe that one should obey the law, regardless of how stupid it is. Participating in illegal unsportsmen-like conduct only further enables the anti-fishing Nazis to make more laws that discriminate against the pastime.

Just so we're clear, I think that it's even more disgusting that indians could take all those fish, fish that WDFW and our tax dollars paid for to plant in our streams, and stop them from spawning, or being caught by US citizens. But nothing will change unless fishermen stop making fools of themselves and try to bend the rules by cheating and ruining it for everyone.

And I'm Native, on my dads side, so I'm not a racist either.

[returnofthefish]

Just so we're clear, I think that it's even more disgusting that indians could take all those fish, fish that WDFW and our tax dollars paid for to plant in our streams, and stop them from spawning, or being caught by US citizens. But nothing will change unless fishermen stop making fools of themselves and try to bend the rules by cheating and ruining it for everyone.

I believe that the salmon stocks are state and tribally comanaged. Native Americans have rights to the salmon because of some treaty. I don't think that its fair to say that they take all of those fish. It probably not fair that they use nets and native salmon are caught and killed. Sport fisherman have the ability to release the wild fish and keep hatchery fish. Native fish need to be protected. By the way, aren't Native Americans US citizens.