I recently moved to Puyallup from the Peninsula. I've been fishing for steelhead for years, but this I certainly never thought I'd see. I went to the Cowlitz for my first time (Blue Creek) and there were 20 or so guys on the bank throwing 1.5 oz lead with 12-20 foot leaders. Needless to say, they caught fish. I DIDN'T. WHY DO THEY DO THIS AND WHY ARE THEY SO SUCCESSFUL? HELP....Also, what should I bring down there for a future trip in the way of gear. Thanks so much for your help.

They're doing what's called lining. The leader travels down the river and gets caught in a fish's mouth. It drags downstream untill eventually reaches the hook. It looks like a legal caught fish but in my opinion it's snagging. People have many different views on this issue.

Flossing!!!!!!!

Snagging!!!

It's a head shot and it's snagging.
Sorry zozo, but thats the way I see it.
I used to work with a guy who fished the cowlitz religiously, with 80in. leaders.
Yeah, it's flossing, oh yeah!!!!!!!!!!

That's OK, Flickyourjig. You are entitled to your opinion. It's stil a head shot and that, my friend, is all that really matters.

A "head shot" is the only thing that matters? Zozo, you can go suck on a monkeys nipple. If a fish doesnt voluntarily take your bait/lure than you are flat out malesting fish. Linning is another form of snagging fellas.

Sorry Zo for the monkey b.s, i just couldnt help myself...you dont line fish do you?

keek your hooks sharp fellas...

There are still some open sores around here regarding the whole lining/flossing issue. Some raise the question "How am I supposed to know whether it is flossed or not", which is valid as long as you are using common sense fishing tactics.

I'm not the brightest bulb on the tree, but running more than 36" (I'm being generous here) of leader while casting from the bank on a small stream tends to make me think that you are trying to floss a fish. After all, drift fishing is all about feeling the fish take your offering and how can you do that if you are running 6' of leader?

What it comes down to is morals. You flossers know that you are using a loophole in the current regulations that likely will get tightened up soon. If you can live with your actions, then bravo.

Flossing is Snagging in my book.

The boondoggers in boats on the Cowlitz have a reason for using a 6 foot leader.....it's necessary to get the proper presentation as you drift downstream. There's no reason to go longer than 3 or 4 feet when bankfishing. The ONLY reason to do it is to floss. If you think I'm wrong, then explain to me why a leader more than 4 feet is needed for bankfishing, and I'll retract my statement.

They're flossers, I'll tell ya, flossers!

[ 08-19-2001: Message edited by: Dan S. ]

Sorry guys, I can't help it if I don't think that there's anything wrong with lining fish..... Yes, I do it all the time and I regard lining as a valid tactic. If a fish is hooked in the mouth, it's going on the grill,simple as that. I could care less if the fish intentionally bites my junk or if it gets hooked soley because it was unlucky enough to have it's mouth open as my 10 foot leader comes drifting down to it. I know, I know, this is going to piss you guys off, but I really don't see the difference between a biting fish and a lined fish.

Zozo, I don't know you from squat but you have some very , very, very, low morals. I would definitly teach my children and grand children to stay away from people that have no morals. Jim Marquis The Duck

Zozo, if you think lining is OK, then how come your apologizing to us for doing it?

The mentality your using here seems more inline with commercial netters then sportfishing. Isn't the sport in sportfishing derived from tricking a fish into taking your presentation. If you really don't care wether they bite or not then why don't you just buy your fish from the market? In the long run it's probally cheaper then buying licenses, tags, gear, etc...

Good luck...you may need it.

My appologies are for for the fact that you all seem to take offense to what I am saying, not from the fact that I find no moral wrong in lining a fish. This is a board of opinions, and my opinion is that there is nothing wrong in lining fish. Ultimately, it is up to the individual to decide for himself what he feels comfortable doing.... If a lined fish makes you feel like you're doing something wrong, then don't line fish. There's no way I'd ever line a fish if I thought that there was somehow something wrong with doing it. Evidently, I am in the minority here.... That's OK. I've been the minority before. I really do not mean to ruffle any feathers with the whole lining thing.... I just really don't see the wrong in it. I don't see how lining a fish is akin to snagging a fish..... I've never, ever gone out and purposley snagged fish, but on the other hand, I have gone out and lined them. Maybe some of you guys out there have a problem with that, but from the guys I see out there with ten foot leaders (not just on the Cowlitz) I'd say there really aren't that many of you. It's OK to disagree on things, it's what keeps me coming to this board. If any of you havbe been following my recent posts, you'll know that I've posted on this topic before, and you'll also know that I AM NOT A SNAGGER.... At least not in my book.

Hey Zo Zo:

I have a loaded question to ask you.

Is the morality of lining a fish (because the law allows it) for sporties, any different than the morality associated with the tribal netting (because the law allows it)? Seems to me that the answer lies in who ends up with the self serving gratification.

Zozo, you're a very sick unit to defend flossing. Everyone is trying to do what they can to help the resource, than there you are trying to destroy the fisheries by flossing.
You should be ashamed of your self.
Don't you have any pride? Whats the purpose of wanting to floss? Do you need the meat or do you just enjoy traumatizing fish?
Jim Marquis (Duck In The Fog)

Just curios. 99.9% of the sockeye caught in Alaska are lined. There are 1000's of fisherman partaking in this on a daily basis and it is widely known and accepted.

The ? is, do all of these folks have no morals and are they all terrible people like you say zozo is?

Saltine,

The difference is, it's legal there......it isn't here. That's all.

For the most part Zo,I agree with most of what you say.

But on this point......Sorry no,not this time!!!
Flossing is just a kinder word for snagging
it takes very little skill,that's why a lot of those gubbers do it....because they can't get a fish the real way.................Os

Hey ZoZo, I think it's time to change your moniker.

Duck In The Fog, I have a question for you. You switched the "d" and "f" around and seperated one word into two on your moniker, didn't you. Clever, I just noticed that. F***in the dog! :p