Decided to head up to the baker today, the Indians had claened it out pretty good the last douple of day's. I plunked from my favorite spot for a few hours after it had reopened at two. Saw mabey ten fish jump the whole time. I noticed a guy on the opposit bank grab a second rod with what looked like a buzz bomb on the end, as a small school of sockeye came up river he started to rip it thru them. He ended up snagging one in the motor and brought it in backwords and hid it in his car. What he didn't count on was that I had my digital camera on me and had shot a video of the whole thing. I put my stuff back in my truck and yelled to him that I had taken pictures of his poached fish and I was going to turn him in. His buddies and him put out a few F bombs and a few threats. I drove to the Skagit county Sherrifs office just out side of concrete and showed the video to a deputy. He had one of the potroll cars meet me out there and again I showed the video to the officer. The last thing I saw was the deputy bagging the fish and the idiot trying to explain why there was holes in the rear of the fish. It's almost more fun busting poachers than fishing.

Way to go, Coyote!

Baker was shut down all late afternoon till about 6:30. I didn't see the fish jumping across from us tonight, or all day. I wonder if the run peaked yesterday?

Too many folks been poaching the Kings up by the Cascade, too. Heard about some that actually thought there was a "season" on them. They have been advised differently, now.

Good job Coyote!

Mike

Good Job

Nice catch Coyote!

Good job on getting the snaggers busted.
Too bad about the kings. They can't catch a break. I haven't been up there lately so I haven't seen the snagging or CnR (Catch n Run). I have talked to some people who have fished the Skagit and I've seen a few comments online, and a lot of people think it's ok to fish them as long as they don't keep 'em. That is NOT the case.

Nice work Coyote.

Donut make ya feel soooo good?

I wanted to call the Poaching hotline so bad on Saturday when I was there but I couldnt get a signal. Good job appreciate you calling in a snagger one less on the Baker

Thank you Wily!

I think when the state opens up fisheries like the sockeye on such a short stretch of the Baker or say the Samish River king season they should legalize snagging for those openings. When ever I have gone to see these fisheries it appears that over half the fish caught are snagged. Might as well make it legal. Could probably do the same thing for the chum season on the Skagit also.

Employing logic like this would be a dangerous precedent. I'm new to these boards--I can only hope this is a joke.

Zambi,

I don't truly believe that is what he desires...(not speaking for him, just an opinion), but I agree with you, the fact that "everybody" is doing it does not give any logical reason to make it legal.

I stopped at the Baker at lunch today,s aw one fish caught (flossed with a buzz bomb, of all things) and one missed that actually hit a sand shrimp a fellow was plunking right where I was standing.

Wife and I fished tonight, drifting flies, and I did get one righteous hit...missed him though.

We drove over to the mouth of the Baker and chatted with a few plunkers...one missed a bite while we were there, saw a few fish roll, but none caught tonight.

I believe the Upper Skagit'sa re netting the mouth on the 12th and 13th, but I have also heard they have already caught their quote...so why are they netting again, if that is true?

Mike

No, I am not kidding. Why stop at where we are? When certain fisheries are opened such as the ones I mentioned they might as well relax the regs for those certain fisheries. We all point to certain fisheries where snagging is prevelent. The only thing other then the snagging that is consistent is the *****ing about the snagging. Every year it is the same story about the same places. Damn snaggers. Lets turn them all in. Ok, fine. But, every year a few might get a ticket and the rest continue on. Why not legalize snagging in certain areas for certain fisheries and be done with it? It is legal in other states for certain fisheries why not here?

First of all what is the fun in snagging a fish. I think that you have some issues the reason why they dont allow snagging is

Have you seen the crowd at baker? If they legalized snagging do you know what the repocusions are of that. Do you still weant to fish for Sockeye I know I do. I have caught two so far and have all taken my bait. Snagging is for the ( parden my french ) Rednecks and Hicks that think they can get away with everything. If they allowed snagging it would be more crowded thatn what it is.

The reason snagging is allowed on other rivers is because the runs are much more substantial and can accomodate it. Do you think the Baker fishery cna accomodate to snagging. H@LL NO. You would have everybody and there brother up there throwing buzzbombs and treble hooks at them. That isnt fishing.

I think you are one of the Rednecks that sits up there with your two hook setup snagging fish and you disgust me.

Sorry to be so harsh guys but this guy needs to be put in his place he has issues.

stlhd_dreaming:

Hey..not all of us "redneck hicks" are snaggers..

Kerry,

For this fishery, that is a wrong approach to take. Again, just because "everyone" is doing it does not make it right! (and everyone is NOT doing it..saw 9 out of 10 folks fishing legally yesterday).

Snagging is UN-Sportsmanlike

Snagging TEARS UP a lot of fish that you don't get to the bank before the hook rips out.

Snagging can cause a fish to be damaged beyond "eatability"

NIMBY!

IMHO, It would be better for you (and the fish) to hire one of the tribes to go in and NET the fish, and just give them away to whoever is wanting them. Give everyone their limit of 2, send them home, get the nets out and let the rst of the fish head up-river.

Or better yet...how about we take a hook, bait and weight and see if we can catch one in a SPORTSMANLIKE manner????????????

And yes sir, you are entitled to your opinion...I just don't agree with it for the reasons above.

Mike

I am somewhat ambivalent to snagging. And no, I am not one of your so called rednecks sitting up there with a 2 hook setup. I don’t fish the Baker or any of the other fisheries I mentioned in previous posts because of the crowds and questionable techniques used by some at these fisheries. My suggestion of legalizing snagging was purely for discussion purposes only. I never said that everyone was snagging. I did say I thought that about half the fish caught were snag. I am probably wrong on the Baker but I bet I am close to or even under the number of snagged fish on the Samish during the king season. I am a fly fisherman and every year during the chum season I see fly fisherman and gear fisherman foul hooking chums. Whether intentional or not it is rampant on the Skagit. The primary reason I don’t fish for chums anymore is I don’t want to be associated with those that are snagging these fish. There are techniques of fishing for these fish that lessen the chances of foul hooking but that seems to be too hard for some. They would rather foul hook a fish then catch one legally.

Once again I am not for snagging and I certainly don’t snag fish intentionally myself. I don’t know what the answer is but I hear about snagging and witness it every year. Sometimes I figure why not just let them do it.

Your point makes much more sense the way you stated it, above.

I guess the difference is that we are SPORTfishers..in that were not out hunting meat for subsistance, but fishing for sport.

Meat fisheries, like on some of the rivers up in Alaska, help those folks pack their freezers with meat for the long winter ahead...right along with the elk, moose and deer is as much salmon as they can get. Meat is dang expensive in Alaska (I hear).

So, is it a meat fishery or sport fishery?

Chum sure aren't considered as top-notch groceries by most. Makes no sense to needlessly damage so many fish, IMO.

I can see your frustration, but making a bad practice legal just because some people are doing it is bad medicine.

Appreciate your opinions, Kerry. That is what makes the world go round.

Mike