Quote 300 "Choose your next words carefully..."
JON-5-HILL...I strongly suggest you carefully word your post because although I myself am none to happy about BBing and only do it for Socks because it's not yet etched in stone that it is illegal.
If it has something to do with ethics of fishing then I can argue the same with what some people(not gonna mention names) on this site did this early spring on the Cap. I witnessed the same few guys using jigs on dark spawning steelhead, hooking them off their redds. Although many share the same view that it's not right to do that, it's not illegal so who am I to call those people out.
Choose my next words carefully...? Is that a threat?
Earlier this Spring I landed a Steelhead after a fairly long run in the Capilano and when it was docile I placed it on the shore to get a photo with my camera and off it went. Clearly placing a live fish on coarse wet substrate was a problem for some people on this forum as just about everyone and their dog lambasted me for several days. Mistake made, lesson learned, mistake never to be repeated again.
In comparing the above with intentionally foul hooking fish, by some warped rationale, you consider them morally equal enough to point out the error in my ways. This is both ridiculous and cheap. You are equating a one time incident which has no legal component to it with
a repeated and conscious exploitation of the subjective nature of the regulations. And from the regulations I quote,
"It is illegal to catch or attempt to catch salmon by snagging or with snares."
and,
"It is illegal to wilfully hook a salmon on any part of its body other than in the mouth. You may not retain any accidentally foul-hooked salmon."
You are illegally fishing. The subjective nature of the rules, on the other hand, indicates that using a piece of wool, corkie.. etc is all the evidence you need to suggest you are angling lawfully. Also, the use of the word "wilfully" in the regulations points towards intention. Since intent is not something discernible by anyone other than the person doing said activity, you can verbally state that your intent is to trick them and you are no longer fishing illegally.
You and I and everyone on this forum know that the entire bouncing betty fishery exploits the subjectivity in the regulations outlined above and that every single rod bouncing huge hooks is fishing illegally.
Lastly, you say you witnessed "the same few guys using jigs on dark spawning steelhead, hooking them off their redds". This is another shameless attempt to deflect attention from your dishonesty.
A friend of mine spent about an hour short floating above a spawning pair that were not even remotely interested in any of his offerings.. and that's all that happened. None were hooked off any redds. I carefully explained to him that he should leave fish alone if they are digging redds because it's not particularly productive anyway. The fish have one thing on their mind, sex. That error was part of his learning curve, and I'm sure he won't do it again. In any event, I remember who was there that particular day and know who you are. You have illustrated to me what type of person you are by your post, and it is consistent with your infatuation on said day with another angler and his ethics. Like I have said to you personally, I am interested in fishing for fishing's sake, I enjoy meeting other anglers and making friends as well. Nitpicking about someones handling of a fish is peanuts in comparison with a repeated conscious manipulation of the regulations to intentionally and illegally foul-hook fish.