There is a anti snagging rule from lewis st. to wallace r. What I am understanding it seems any hook with a weight you can NOT use. This would be a jig,spoon or spinner and any weight must be at least 12 inches above your hook am I correct in my understanding? Wdfw is not calling me back i am confused and want to comply with the rules as i am honest and do not want any trouble, can't use a jig or spoon?? It does not seem right?? There are more areas with this restriction just want to get it correct.

"Single-point hook attached to or below the lure or bait"
of course you can use jigs or spoons, no trebles from shore,or dual hook set-ups...

Ok I was not reading the rule correctly to me they word it a bit confusing a buzz bomb slides up and down the line can you use these or not??

"Weights may not be attached below ... the lure or bait"

On the other hand, under this phrase of the new rule, plunking rigs are now illegal (since the weight is below the lure or bait).

Mouth to Lewis St.-Aug 1- Nov 30th
Lewis St. to Wallace-June 1- Nov 30th
Wallace mouth up including North and South Forks of Sky-Aug.1- Nov 30th
(anti-snagging rule applies on these dates)

That is the easy part to understand.

Problem is with many of the rule changes.....made by people, that either don't fish much or only fish a certain way....

Plunking----anyone that knows or uses this method knows it would be impossible for 99.999999999% of the people to ever snag or even think about snagging a fish while using this method.

Duh...another rule thought up by the bored WDFW personnel, that are trying to justifiy staying on "the public dole".

Yeah, the above/below distinction isn't really clear. When it's dangling down from the tip of my rod the weight is "above" the hook. When it's actually in the water the weight is "below" the hook if the hook is floating from a corkie/spin n' glo, etc.

The whole 12" part is what confuses me. The anti snagging rule says the lure has to be 12" below the weight.... does this then make jigs entirely illegal, float or no float???

I don't get it. The wording in that rule is completely bogus. I have yet to meet one angler that understands precisely what the hell they actually want.

that's exactly the same wording that was used in the "non buoyant lure restriction" we've had forever.

the way i've understood, anything that your hook is attached to is considered a lure.

now, to shoot it full of holes, it's legal to wing a 3oz pt. wilson dart out into a hole full of salmon, while it's illegal for me to put a split shot 6" above my eggs.

When they say weight below I think the mean literally attached to the line below the hook not while it is fishing.

A common snagging rig I see in some rivers attached to chinook backs is a huge treble and a weight tied a foot below it. This way the weight follow the bottom and the hook is right when it needs to be to hit the fish's side.

So when fishing off the bank you cannot use a double hook setup with a corky in between or above the hooks? I guess I better read the regs closer. I thought they just changed the name of the non-buoyant rule.

+1

Snagging is an Art.

If you are not flying a piece of 3/16" hollow core threaded above an IggleClaw Lazersharp 5/0 treble,so she flies true on the sweep of say a 8'6" Loomis HSR1025C...then you assuredly ain't an Artist.(grin)

You'd think the vast hordes "fishing" on the Kenai for Reds would have figured out this art long ago.

Nooooooo.

If you float past the mouth of the Russian the lines of people look like a field of wind turbines with their one fan blade making huge repeating circles with a "hiccup" on the bottom rotation as they "sweep" the water and repeat.

They making flossing a fish look hard.

If you want to see snagging as Art, you gotta watch the little tribal kids on the Skok with their short tuna rods, spinning reel with 100lb. dacon, and their infused lead 6/0 trebble hook, painted neon green.

Once cast, one chinook. Every time.

I'm beyond Ninja and sorta relish in it,if only to rub Purists wrong.

Few things better than a horde of Catalog Cookie-cutters in their pristine attire and brand new wares,getting the look on their collective faces akin to having just swallowed a turd,as they watch the Show in utter disdain.

Helps them to remember the encounter vividly,when you frost same with a rhythmic bluestreak and plenty of volume. It's the gift that keeps on giving.

Love it!

That was almost as good as this gem:





My photos suck. I must have the palsy!

Curiously enough,they'd not be able to discern the relative tablefare of those victims,from those strangled,clubbed or simply played to death.

Until you mentioned same,but not exactly in passing.(grin)

i once took a friend to look at the kings stacked in purdy creek. we parked at that old burger stand there on 101, crossed the highway and walked the trail in a bit. we could hear those fish rolling before we even got close to the water, there were several hundred crammed into the creek. when we got back there a couple hundred yards we ran into a couple guys "fishing", don't think either of them had slept in a couple days let alone shower or brush their teeth. it was the end of july, it was indeed open at the time, but it was only for trout and of course selective gear. after getting a giggle off of listening to these yahoos for a couple minutes, i asked them if they were aware of the regs. naturally neither had a clue so i asked if they were familiar with selective gear rules and the guy says "sure, these fish are partying dude, and it's select whatever gear you want". nothing to do with "sky anti snagging rule" but what the hell. the rule needs to be revised and clear. and even then it won't stop the inevitable.

IN my opinion, the rule just needs to be snagging is illegal and will result in an enormous fine and loss of license for a certain period of time. Then, have enough officers to be able to enforce the rule. All the fancy wording and changes in gear rules will not effect how people are on the river. It's a bummer to want to have more game officers in the field, but that's a want that comes from a need out of necessity from watching the frustration on many a river.