A legally hooked fish is hooked anywhere on the head forward of the edge of the rear gill plate.
Go to #26. Which is on page 16

http://www.wa.gov/wdfw/fish/regs/proposals/2004final_proposals.pdf

Well that sucks but the proposal#27 at least should keep people (if you can call them that) from dragging them up on shore prior to release. (see the "how not to release fish" post).

So they make it easier to keep snagged fish and tougher to photograph one prior to release?

Hey, great.

Don't forget guys, this is only a proposal...send in your input, or better yet, go and testify in Port Townsend next weekend.

Fish on...

Todd.

well, i figure the beaching fish rule is gonna be a real pain in the ass. looks like i'm gonna have to get muddy when landing those ripe chums from now on since you can't take them outta the water

Sorry All for bringing back to the front an old topic, but in reading the rules proposals, I noted a possible snafu....see what you think.

The rule concerning not removing fish from the water that are required to be released seems to lack something. Do I read it correctly that a wild steelhead can be dragged up on the bank and then tossed back in, providing that it is caught in an area open to wild steelhead retention? Same applies of course to hatchery (and non hatchery in some areas) coho. It seems that a guy/gal could fish all day, drag everything up the beach and turn everything loose or kill what he/she wanted, and never break the law, providing that the area being fished is open to the option of retention.....true?

I'm not promoting this behavior, just pointing out that there appears to be a flaw in the proposal.....it appears to me that a possible solution might be to require that any fish removed from the water be killed and retained. So if there is a wise one with a satisfactory wording, perhaps the proposal needs a little work???

On the Snagging/Hooked in the head issue and "what is legal". I called the WDFW 3 or 4 years ago to ask the question after hooking a King in the nose using eggs on the Samish. The "RULES" lady stated that is a good question and no-one had ever asked her that. She did some research and faxed me the WAC that said legal is in the head. In my view it will be a good thing that they match everything up between the WAC and the Regs pamphlet we all get. Eihter way is fine with me, My experience/observation is that it becomes an issue when you have a lot of fish in a small area. Question. For those of you who fish Salt or Fresh water with 2 hooks "A Stinger". What do you do with a fish you catch that has the 2nd hook outside the mouth but the other hook is not inside the mouth(but in the head)? Keep it or throw it back? Just curious.

One last thing. Just because they say "IN THE HEAD" is legal does not mean it opens everything up to SNAGGING. Snagging will still be judged by INTENT. I've foul hooked Salmon in the Samish, Solduc etc over the years. I have never intentionaly Snagged a fish. Waste of my time and I hate putting the stress on the fish.

Thanks

Sadly, yes. You can still drag a fish up on the beach if that species is open for retention.

I suppose it's up to us to inform others what impact it has on the fish if they are not being kept.

Alot of "Fish Facts" I have learned, were from other fishermen tactfully informing me.

IE, I no longer "Bonk and Release" Dolly Varden since I was informed by a biologist of how important they are to the health of the river. They don't eat as many eggs as I was told by other Varden Haters.

Since you don't have to take a test to obtain an license, no knowedge is required to catch a fish.
Let's inform the in-informed