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[JoeW]

 
Hello all.
Let me start out by saying that I only started salmon river fishing 4 seasons ago. I've learned alot but still have alot to learn. I have a question for you all.
Last Saturday, I was out at a quasi secret spot on the Upper Vedder. Nice slowish pool at the end of a small tailout.
Closest other fisherman was about 150 feet downstream. As I looked over at him, I noticed something strange. He was standing in about 2 feet of relatively slow moving  water. He was holding his rod straight out in front of him. The float was in the air and the leader(weighted) sat in about 2 feet of water-no drifting , no moving, same spot. Every once in a while, he moved the tip of the rod forward a bit (6-12"). I thought he was trying to snag and I was going to give him hell but then he hooked a coho in the mouth and brought it in. He started again a few minutes later-same technique.
A few minutes later, he hooked another coho in the mouth. By this time, I'd moved in a bit closer to get a better look.
Finally, I went over and asked him what he was doing. He explained that he looks for fish runs in the water that many fish travel through as they move upstream-often between two rocks under the surface. He then holds his baited hook in the run. When he sees a coho approaching, as it gets near (1-2 feet away), he tugs the hook(bait) away from the fish. This infuriates the fish, and it strikes the bait. He sets the hook and reels another one in. He did take only hatchery coho, all in the mouth. He limited out in about 1 hour and went home.  I didn't know what to say to him.

So my question to you all is this: is he a master fisherman who knows the river and fish so well he can take fish at any time OR is he a meat fisherman taking advantage of some pretty dumb critters and their instinctive habits. Is this "flossing" that I hear so much about on this site especially at KWB. I don't fish there as I don't like crowds so I'm not really sure what it is.

Anyway, I'd like your feedback. I'm still learning. Personally, I don't think I could fish this way. It looks really boring standing there staring at a spot on the river bottom.  I think he is a meat fisherman but I wasn't sure so I didn't give him hell. Or, am I missing something here.
Comments appreciated!!
 

[Sterling C]

I've never heard of that one before. However, what I have seen is guys fish pocket water with thier polarized glasses then set the hook when they see fish in hopes of snagging them in the mouth.

[JoeW]

He was wearing sunglasses but it was sunny/bright that morning. Didn't  "look" like he was snagging but then again, I wasn't standing right there either. 

[Sterling C]

Some of 'these' fishermen are very adept at snagging fish in the mouth.

[cohokid]

ive read about that technique for steelheading its called dead floating. i dont know it u floss or snag or they bite. but i think ithis is a technique that is used in the states. correct me if im wrong

[Sandy]

I mostly fish pocket water and often wear sunglasses , I am not snagging , it's  pretty hard to see the fish even in quiet pockets I doubt there would be any great success in all but the clearest water. I would say that there are people that may try to snag fish while fishing pockets just the same as on most of the other runs.   

[buck]

Biffchan
Your right on the money on this one. I've been watching the jokers below the Limits Hole do this for days.They could care less who is watching, and when they do hook a fish they just turn around and smile at you.

[Floater]

LOL adapting to snagging a fish in the mouth that is just the funniest thing if heard. If you are good enough that you can set the hook every float and hook all the fish in the mouth i think you deserve to keep your catch lol.

[Barney]

From what I've heard is that they wear "polarized" sunglasses to see through the water as the fish move up.  Wait until they see the fish move in and then dead float with minimal casting required.  Keep hooks fresh and sharp and, have been told of some big fish being "caught"

[Gooey]

I have had coho on the chehalis hit a stationary bait when I had a birdsnest, it happened to me during steelhead season as well.  You dont need to be on the drift to get a fish to bite.  As well, flossing requires you to sweep your hook (and usually a long leader) across these travel paths.  If his float/weight wasnt drifting then its next to impossible to floss. 

He found a travel lane a suspended some bait in it.  The guy is doing nothing wrong IF he allows the fish to swim up and take the bait inside its mouth. How is this any different than BAR FISHING!

Boring - yes, illegal - I don't think so.

[longstone]

I have had coho on the chehalis hit a stationary bait when I had a birdsnest, it happened to me during steelhead season as well.  You dont need to be on the drift to get a fish to bite.  As well, flossing requires you to sweep your hook (and usually a long leader) across these travel paths.  If his float/weight wasnt drifting then its next to impossible to floss. 

He found a travel lane a suspended some bait in it.  The guy is doing nothing wrong IF he allows the fish to swim up and take the bait inside its mouth. How is this any different than BAR FISHING!

Boring - yes, illegal - I don't think so.

Spot on there Gooey.  It would be impossible to "floss" a fish with a stationary bait, unless of coarse those crazed coho were swimming madly back and forth across the current. 

[marmot]

This is what we do when we're fly fishing anyways....always try to present the fly above and behind the fishes line of sight, then retreive it forwards....maybe slightly different, but isnt it just the same?  If he wasnt catching any fish, would you still feel it was unethical?  When you see somebody attempting to snag, without a doubt, whether they are catching or not its unethical!  But I think this guy is just good at fooling fish...nothing wrong with that in my mind, im just glad not everyone has mastered it!

[Gooey]

Hey I would reather they do that than litter the river bottom with bouncing betties and 12 foot leaders 

"If he wasnt catching any fish, would you still feel it was unethical?"  While I dont think its applicable in this case (because the guy wasnt snagging): YES -  I do think even trying to snag fish is unethical and simply trying to snag a fish is enuff for DFO to write you a ticket....

[Headshake]

I'm not sure what or why "meat fisherman" has turned into such a negative phrase

 I think he is a meat fisherman but I wasn't sure so I didn't give him hell. Or, am I missing something here.
Comments appreciated!!
 

I don't see too many people releasing coho or sockeye. IF someone wants to eat everything they catch and be the hero on their block, then good for them. As long as they catch the fish legally, retention is allowed otherwise all fishing would be catch and relaease only.

[Gooey]

I think the mentality of the average "meat fisherman" puts his freezer BEFORE the resource. 

Case in point when sockeye stocks looked WEAK this summer, DFO asked us to use "selective fishing methods" ie DONT FLOSS. 

Hundreds of meat fishermen flocked to the fraser bars to try and floss a red spring, mean while snagging more sockeye than anything else. 

That type of mentaility is why the term meat fisherman has such a negative conotation now.