I live 5 minutes from the Fraser and I've put more hours lining sockeye than I'd care to admit. Bottom line is that I've hooked fish after fish on a bare hook, or a hook with only a tiny bead, or tiny piece of wool. And yes, lots of these were hooked on the inside of the mouth.

We actually used to fish floats and <5' leaders for the sock a number of years ago before the fishery peaked in popularity and we still hooked fish, although there is no doubt in my mind that 99.99% of htem were flossed, as are the majority of hte Springs that get caught bottom bouncing each year. Sockeye will bite, but not on a bare hook in poo brown water.

oK, iAM NOT SOCKEYE SPECIALIST, BUT i caught a couple 2 years ago on the Sol Duc from a drift boar. we were pulling small blue spin-a-glo's with sand shrimp.

Bang, fish hit the hooks hard, drove the hook from inside the mouth up thru the eyeball.

Jim, the guide, rowed back up and bang again, same spot and a 2nd fish, in the mouth. lines straight below the boat. Did have a bait diver to wiggle the shrimp, but these 2 definately hit the bait.

Now as to what happens, just look at chums in shallow water. They always have their mouth opening and closing, due to the fact of the change in water, from salt to fresh, they have trouble breathing enough oxygen out of fresh water, so they gasp.
I know every one has seeen a chum bite, but also most have seen a chum line itself onto a hook. If the mouth is open, well it will go into the mouth and set the hook, viola a good hit.

It is not rocket science, yes some due, at times,*******************************************************

Like I said at the top keep it to whether or not sockeye bite, J. Garcia.