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Floss anything that swims, as long as its hooked in the mouth its all good.

7 (7.6%)

I like flossing, I even head out and target fraser springs when sockeye are closed.

18 (19.6%)

Sockeye don't bite, so I don't mind flossing some for the BBQ each summer.

38 (41.3%)

Flossing isnt for me but the resource can handle it so have fun boys and girls

6 (6.5%)

Flossing is snagging and should be banned on every river.

23 (25%)

Total Members Voted: 86

[Gooey]

I am curious to see the tolerance levels for flossing amounst memebers here, where do you fit in:

[BigFisher]

floss'em for the food! I cant find any better method to catch sockeye on the Fraser, just to big of a river. But I also take conservation into measures, if the fish stocks are healthy enough, why not catch some. But i disagree with bottom bouncing on smaller river and streams, as they just clean the fish out, with not chance of many fish making it to the spawning grounds.

[Geff_t]

As long as flossing is kept to the fraser and people do not bring this kind of fishing to other rivers then I am fine with it but if people continue to bring it to other rivers then the only solution is to ban it all together.

[2:40]

GT, Id probably agree with you in the manner that Id probably not put up as much as fuss as I do now about it. Contridicting of me and my beliefs? Possibly. 

The mess and environmental damage is one thing, but if guys left it at the Fraser, Id have a lot less to debate even though Id still disapprove of any snagging done in the name of fishing.

[lucky]

just a question for the fishing elite, back east I used to hunt carp with a bow, even though the fish dont "bite" we considered it a very challenging and rewarding sport, we also would spear fish for northern pike, the fish didnt bite, we would just stick a spear throught them, we had alot of fun doing this
and also put meat on the table. question is are both these practices unsporting and unethical?  I think not.

[liketofish]

I'll say to the fishing elitists that if you hunt with a rifle and not set a baited trap, you are contradicting yourself. You are not supposed to take anything that does not bite. You can of course say that is irrelevant comparison. Ah, that is the problem when some one always think only his point is valid. 

[liketofish]

That is the point about flossing. It is personal. DFO does not issue ticket to any fishermen for flossing. COs are patrolling the bars much more than before and yet no one gets the ticket for flossing. They open the fishery knowing it is mostly flossing. They write the legal codes governing illegal fishing techniques. COs have never been kind to fishermen if they are caught doing illegal or unlawful fishing. That is good enough for me. If it is not good enough for you, so be it. That is life. Floss for those who wants to floss. Stay home if you don't enjoy it. It is a personal choice. It is none of other people's business. But to ease the concern on smaller systems, I support a leader length restriction on them.

[chris gadsden]

I'll say to the fishing elitists that if you hunt with a rifle and not set a baited trap, you are contradicting yourself. You are not supposed to take anything that does not bite. You can of course say that is irrelevant comparison. Ah, that is the problem when some one always think only his point is valid. 

Gosh we will soon be wondering if we can eat a chicken, any red meat or a vegetable because of how they are dispatched or harvested.

I am going to go and look for some golf balls and pick some blackberries. The former will be ok as they are just hiding dead in the grass but the blackberries, that could be another story.

[2:40]

I'll say to the fishing elitists that if you hunt with a rifle and not set a baited trap, you are contradicting yourself. You are not supposed to take anything that does not bite. You can of course say that is irrelevant comparison. Ah, that is the problem when some one always think only his point is valid. 

You said it. It's irrelevant.  Hunting is different than fishing and the methods, values and standards are also different. You might be interesting to know that there are also debates among hunters not all that far from the flossing debate.

You cant compare apples to oranges, although Id be interested to see someone try to 'land' a 800lb moose. 

Liketofish, you are right in some of what you say, but also be aware that laws do not make right. You can't hide behind laws that quite easily can be seen to be full of holes if anyone can see through the BBQ's smoke. 

Randog, Im sorry you see my stance to divide anglers and be 'against' other anglers and treating the flossers as bad guys. No, not all are 'bad' but when one see's the effect that this flossing epidemic has caused to our rivers and to the spirit of angling, all who snag are unfortunately supporting and validating this problem IMO and I think it's very unfortuante.

Of course, purely my opinion.

A question I frequently ask, yet I havnt had an answer to date.

The question:

Given the reasons given to snag sockeye in the Fraser, why CANT these reasons be applied to any other river system and for any other species?

Other river systems get muddy like the Fraser.
Other fish species, by their nature, can be difficult to make bite for various reasons.

Has anyone considered that the reasons given to snag sockeye in the Fraser can be applied to other systems and since DFO couldnt be relied on to deal with flossing in the Fraser, why will they deal with it on the Vedder et al? They currently dont and it happens all the time there.

Do you think someone snagging steelhead under the KWB is going to listen to you any better than you guys listen to me in regards to snagging the Fraser? Remember, their reasons for flossing steelhead can be almost the exact same as yours for flossing sockeye.

This is why I believe some standards and core values of some things must be followed or you risk chaos.

This question, of course, relies on the idea that people still wish to see some of the values and standards of angling retained. Many flossers indicate their concerns about flossing going beyond the Fraser for sockeye and chinook (it's almost bad enough to include chinook now) and I wonder if they've considered how other 'anglers' who were introduced to 'angling' by flossing see flossing as a whole for how they choose to fish.

[Big Steel]

Many flossers indicate their concerns about flossing going beyond the Fraser for sockeye and chinook (it's almost bad enough to include chinook now) and I wonder if they've considered how other 'anglers' who were introduced to 'angling' by flossing see flossing as a whole for how they choose to fish.

Well, I for one was introduced to angling in BC via Flossing the Fraser.  Do I floss any other pieces of water??  NO!!  The first time I ever headed to the Vedder, about a month after learning how to "floss" I had with me a drift rod, and a float.  Didn't catch much, but hey, It was my first time out.  I saw the flossers under KW Bridge, in fact that is the first place I fished.  Did I take on the methods used by the other "anglers" there.  No, I was new, but something didn't seem right about it.  For one simple fact, I was told that the fish will bite.  That the fish can see straight ahead and up, so to my thinking, I couldn't understand why these guys were dragging bottom.  You could ask GT or Searun, I met them on the river about 4 years ago, and Searun gave me a few tips and  helped land a nice 11.5 lb coho a couple mins later. 
 This is why when out on the river and I see someone who may be frustrated, or just doesn't really have a grasp of the concept as of yet, I try to help out and show them the ropes so to speak.
  That has gotten a bit off topic of course, but I was just trying to say, that not all people who start out on the Fraser Flossery take it to other river systems.  I know this is becoming a problem, one that probably won't go away in the near future, but until something is done with the regs, of perhaps a test of some sort is introduced  ( this so that some can't just say they were ignorant to the rules and I 'm sorry it won't happen again),this isn't going to get a whole lot better.  So instead of the endless debating on here, whenever the opportunity arises, try to help and educate new anglers, or perhaps even older ones.  Then if given the opportunity, take them fishing and show them how it should be done.
  As for myself, how do I feel about the flossery?  I think everyone already knows that.  So I am not gong to bother typing out and even longer post to try and "justify" myself.  I feel fine about it.  That is all I am going to say on this, as I usually don't get into these discussions anyways.  Just felt the need to make a comment of 2!

[THE_ROE_SLINGER]

well said BS,besides its not like you floss many fish on the fraser when ur out anyway

[Big Steel]

well said BS,besides its not like you floss many fish on the fraser when ur out anyway

That is affirmative!!

[chris gadsden]

BS, this is what we try to do in our posts, explain our concerns about this fishery. I know you and many others from this forum would not dream of fishing other systems this way but there is many that do carry this practice over to most rivers these days and that is why the problems as we see them are being posted by a few of us. In my mind one can not really choose what river it is ok to floss in and then not another. In my mind it is plain and simple, an angler should be fishing by a method where you are doing everything you can to make a fish actually track down your bait or lure of choice and bite it, not catching a fish just by chance. This is what I was taught for many years what sports angling is about. Getting a fish to take home is great but is not the most important thing to do, maybe I think that way as age does that to you.

I would be naive to think that this fishery now will ever end other than if sockeye openings are stopped by the ones that will do it, FOC, it is in their court. I for one do think this will happen in the years not too far away.

Of course there is no need to say much more, (most likely I have repeated myself here) as I feel the reasons why a number of us raise concerns where this fishery is leading us has been well stated by many. Of course it is a difficult thing to do, tackling this, as it can strain relationships with many that we treasure as friends, including you.

[searun17]

The Biggest Problem with this fishery as was stated earlier is the over flow of this type of fishing onto our smaller systems,systems of which i have grown up fishing and have seen many changes over the years ,some good some not so good and year after year the negatives are starting to over take the positives,i  have taken part in this fishery and i can say that it is not my cup of tea,i fish  mostly because i enjoy a few sockeye as much as any fish lover but i don't see the need to fill my freezer every year after all there are many other fisheries that are much more enjoying were i can get as much fish as i need.BS you are right not all fisherman that fish the Fraser sockey take these methods to other systems but with the  large numbers of people that do fish the Fraser sockey it will only take a small percentage of them to fish this way on the smaller systems to make a negative impact,i  don't know what the answers are but   i wouldn't be sad to see the Fraser sockey open either regulated differently or even closed all together because i personally am pretty tired of seeing some of the sockey mentality over flowing onto the systems that i have enjoyed fishing for a long time,it hasn't allways been this way and i know we cant turn back the clock but if something doesn't change soon the only enjoyment these systems will bring to me will be the memories of better times.

[Fish Assassin]

So instead of the endless debating on here, whenever the opportunity arises, try to help and educate new anglers, or perhaps even older ones.  Then if given the opportunity, take them fishing and show them how it should be done.

Very well said BS. You're not going to get people to change by calling them names, bittling them, sarcastic comments etc. Take some time to educate the people, show them a different technique whether it is bar fishing, float fishing, casting spoons etc. invite them fishing.