can o' worms

[TheTexan]

I know I am going to get some people going off on this subject, but this is the place to learn and I want to learn the correct and LEGAL way to catch fish. Please try to bite your toungue and help me to learn. I am new to fishing for steelhead/salmon and would like to learn more.

I have seen all of the threads about snaggers using corkies. I fish with corkies and yarn, but don't think I am snagging. I don't set the hook on every little bump (maybe why I don't catch so many fish) :whazzup: , I don't use a leader longer than 18-24", I heard this would be considered flossing? :whazzup: I had a guy tell me that some other guys were flossing fish on the South Santiam near Foster by setting the hook on every cast and then I noticed him setting the hook at the end of every drift. Is this flossing/snagging. I have caught a steelhead drifting corkies :smile: , but they either bumped it several times or just freight trained me.

I have seen the big treble hooks with weight around the shank and the guys ripping lures through the water. I know this is snagging and is illegal, but reading some of the comments in various threads, the fishing that I am doing is illegal also. Is what I am doing considered illegal, what can I do to be sure I am legally fishing?

Maybe I should just go find the Salmon river and do some research on snagging.
Apparently whatever I see there will be considered snagging! :whazzup:

[alwyze fishin]

ex-tex

the set up you are using is just fine. there will alwyze be the ones that call it snagging when they cant hook a fish. in time you will learn new ways to set up and learn the fell of a bite. I my self use that set up along with many more. I will say this but I know I will get slammed for it when you first start out there is no way anyone can tell you what a bite feels like each rod feels different along with the way that person feels it. so some times it takes setting the hook on a few of those dumps to learn the difference between a bite and a line dump you will know right way if it is snagged or not. if snagged just break it off dont try to land it once you get the feel down you will pick up a lot more fish. and if you need any help just email

[RichH]

X

What you're doing is NOT snagging. Sounds like you fish corkies in a very ethical manner. In fact, you probably should be setting the hook more than you currently do. Once you get a few more fish under your belt you'll understand what I mean.

Most of what people are referring to corky fishermen snagging is the folks that plunk corkies and yarn in tidewater. The belief there is that everybody down there is jerking on every line bump hoping to hook a fish somehow. I don't personally believe that but thats where alot of what you see comes from.

Flossers tend to use exceptionally long leaders and use a bit of a sideways hook setting techinque. I think 24" leaders are more than adequate for most legal situations. I think the longest I've ever used is 30".

Keep doing what you're doing and with a few minor modifications and experience you'll get it right. :cheers:

[dampainter]

first,....question.....the guy that caught the 71lber on a fly, some may consider that a snagged or flossed fish was it?....was that a legal catch? sure it was! you think that leader was long enough???
I feel and believe that as long as I or anyone follow the regs (synopsis) you or I are legal.
than there are those that feel ethically?correct doing it there way, example would be like not fishing at all if your not going to keep the fish... to not catch and release....with as much dough as we fork over for the right to fish as long as I obey johny law I`m ok your ok... just my .o2 cents

[ 11-09-2002, 09:01 AM: Message edited by: dampainter ]

[brshooter]

I get a bit puzzled by all this talk that anyone who fishes corkies is a snagger myself. :rolleyes:
My wife must really have it down to a science. We go down to the N.F. Nehalem so that she can fish from the disabled platform. Somehow, with a corkie on a 24 inch leader, she is able to snag those winter steelhead on the inside of the mouth all day long. :grin:
Those fish must be really stupid. On low clear days, I have actually seen them shift their position in the drift and open their mouth to take the, I mean get snagged by the corkie. :rolleyes:

[Straydog]

Brshooter says it well.....

If everyone fishing corkies is a snagger at least know you have literally thousands of co-conspirators.

Ex-tex, general rule of thumb, when in doubt, set the hook. If ANYTHING seems 'different' about a drift, any hesitation, line jump, anything feels or looks out of place set the hook, I don't care what the 'experts' say, set the hook!

In time, you will learn the differences but not until you have landed several fish and set the hook on nothing for about a gazzilion times! :grin:

Then, once you get the feel down, you will have people ask "how do you tell it is a steelhead biting?" If you are like me, you will say something like, "I don't know, all I can say it is much like seeing a rattlesnake under a rock........ you just know."

[Up-4-Air]

As I read your post my thoughts were that you're doing everything right except setting the hook. Seem you are overly concerned about other people snagging. You are probabaly missing fish by not setting the hook! Remember the corky is usually down stream from the weight until the fish picks it up and hold it long enough for the weight to pass the corky and tighten the line. By that time the fish may have decided he doesn't like the thing in his mouth and simply lets go. You might never know he was there. If your trying to do the right thing, set the hook whenever you feel anything that's different. You should start catching alot more legal fish. :smile:

[Keta]

Several people are right here about when to strike. I couldn't tell you how, it's just something different in the drift. Sometimes it is a hard hit other times it is just a hesitation. I still hook an ocasional stick or rock but I also get the hook into fish. I feel the bottom and bites better now that I am using braided line (20lb Power Pro w/10' of leader) and a high quality graphite rod.

[Thumper]

Having fished for a quarter of a century in Alaska, with all manner of drift gear, hardware and flies, I am convinced that about a quarter of all fish that we catch drifting, flyfishing and certainly boondogging are in fact snagged. I don't think you can help it. Who cares.

Bill Herzog wrote in one of his columns that the fewest fish are snagged with spoons. I thought that was curious as thousands of sockeyes are snagged in Alaska each year on Pixies and other spoons. In fact I am quite good at it, though I don't do it on purpose.

If you want to see a real snagfest, just head east to the salmon/steelhead rivers in the Great Lakes fisheries.

Anytime you are drifting a sharp hook on invisible line through water that has breathing fish in it you are likely to snag a few. Don't lose too much sleep over it.

[ 11-09-2002, 10:37 AM: Message edited by: Thumper ]

[Kruechief]

Don't let a few dummies cause you to miss fish.

I grew up next to the Santiam and have fished it my whole life.

I have caught and landed about a zillion steelies on well...steelies at Foster deadline(green w/a silver back and dark blue and silver). Each was fished with a gradual retrive as the lure would bump bottom about every second to third crank. While I have accidently snagged a few (all of which were released) most of that zillion were absolutly in the mouth...period.

When drift fishing, I am sure I look like a spastic weightlifter, or something worse...but I rarely miss a fish. Every time my drift changes I setup. To many times in my 30-years-+ I learned the hard way, just as you will, that ol' Mr. Steelhead will do many different things. Some hit and run, some pick it up and gently hold it, some will pick it up and slowly head up river...and each one will cause your line to react different.

Your post says that you caught A steelhead, trust me that is more then most of the know-it-all jerks will catch.

Lo
Kruechief
Team Eddie

[tag-a-long]

If you foul hook a fish, release it.

[TheTexan]

Thanks for all the great info. It sounds as though I am at least attempting to fish leagally. I will take your advice and start setting the hook on anything that feels out of the ordinary and release the fish that are foul hooked! :grin:

[Flatfish]

Hi I'm Mark,and I have a tackle box full of corkies and birdies(no I wont sell them).I have not practiced driftfishing hard in a few years.My wife started steelheading and I figured there are too many easy ways to hook fish other than drift gear.Now that was 5 years ago.She can pitch spinners,freedrift,bobber n jig,front seater extrodinaire for plugs,and she is now learning how to drift fish.Many methods lend themselves to snagging.Some people are not real kind and snag.They snag cause they don't know how to fish.Fishing is usually more productive than snagging.Its cheaper too after I call the police.Bad guy tickets are not cheap.Corkies are.If I thought for even 1 minute drifting was snagging I would never teach my better half how to do it.It is an artform that has to be practiced to be mastered.I hope you master it.i am still working on it.
Mark and the duckinator.

[Amerman]

As one of the people that have slammed the corkie snaggers let me clear up a couple of points. We in no way are talking about people that are cast and drifting corkies in current and are not talking about steelhead fisherpeople at all. We are talking about the people that go into the holes in tidewater where fish get kegged up at low tide and cast a corkie out to sit it on the bottom in water with no current. Tight lining to the lead and snag or line the fish that run into the line ( or get the lines caught in there mouth) as the mill around the hole. If the fish stop running into their lines they run a boat around the hole or throw rocks to get the fish to start running around again. This is the Corkie snagging we are talking about and yes go to the salmon river and see what we are talking about, any year in early Oct. , You too will be sick.

[riverrat]

it is very plain and simple to me....snaggers intentionally go out to snag fish by whatever means possible, or put themselves in a position to snag fish......fishing is just that, fishing legally by all the rules in the synopsis.....means and methods are up to the individual, wether it be by corkie and yarn, spoons or bait and a rod & reel in our great outdoors......good luck learning.....i have been at it for over 40 years and still have a lot of learning to do.....i better get going or i will be late for school (upper trask) today.......

[TheTexan]

kruechief,

You said:

I have caught and landed about a zillion steelies on well...steelies at Foster deadline(green w/a silver back and dark blue and silver).

Are you talking about the smallest wart size the steelies?