SAMISH RIVER (Skagit/Whatcom Co.)
from mouth to Farm-to-Market Rd.
Bridge

ALL SPECIES - Aug. 1-Nov. 30: night closure, only one single-point hook allowed, and bait or lure must be suspended below a float.


What the *%*$*$ is this? I can't even fish a spinner, spoon, or buzz bomb? This is dumb, dumb, dumb. I can't believe I have to use a float. WDFW is so bizarre.......

I honestly think this is a new low for WDFW. They won't consider fly only regs, bait bans, mandatory wild steelhead release.........but they will force me to use a bobber. Gee thanks.

Pretty strange regs, I must agree.

Time to perfect the art of bobber flossin.

Could be fun to fish there again if the water and fish aren't all stired up. 500 guy snaggin fish with jigs that swear the Kings are diggen em up out of the mud has turned the place into a zoo. I would love to go back if it was like the old days again. Kings under a bobber are awsome but there will be a ton of wasted fish up at the hatchery without 95 % of the fish being flossed out of the river. Hey maybe lower Skagit sockeye will hit jigs on the bottom.

Plus, they are forcing me to use a bobber to catch hatchery kings of a non-native strain on river that had few of them historically, that are going back to a hatchery that does not have a problem reaching its egg take goals.

I think it is great.

You can actually fish a spinner under a float . Seen a guy doing this year for winters on the coast. It was a slow morning for fishing, this guy showed up with a center pin reel, float and spinner and he put on a clinic. Rat bastard caught like 6 fish in a hour or less.

At least it doesn't say you have to have the hook "inside the mouth" like some areas.

I agree with the regulation due to bad fishing practices/behavior in the past.
The river is still open considering a possible closure if I remember right.

They do that up on the Vedder in BC, go way to fish slower water and not lose spinners.

I don't fish the river but, Jason, I think you are one of the few people that doesn't like this rule. Everyone I know that fishes that river LOVES this.

haha...Spoon under a float,ala' Dan Little:) worx!!!

Well my preferred method doesn't involve a float but I typically limited out in less than a half hour, sometimes in minutes, and all the fish are in the mouth. There is no way to fish this method with a float. There goes hundreds of pounds of meat that I like to eat.

Guess how many I snagged in the back last season? Zero. That is the honest to God truth.

I also went to this area at high tide and threw Vibrax and Buzz Bombs to jumping salmon at times with some success. This is now illegal.

Aaron, your friends clearly like to fish floats. Those guys will like this reg and that goes without saying.

Also, if anyone thinks this reg will make is easier for them to fish afloat they are dead wrong. Now every devolved inbreed down there is going to be float fishing too. This will negatively effect the float guys I guarantee it.

Is this method a big secret or are you afraid the "inbreeds" will catch on?


Does it involve a special color of yarn or beads?

The number 1 rule is DON'T SET THE HOOK. Wait until your line is swimming away. Your fish will be in the mouth every time.

The problem is you have an unnaturally high density of fish in a ditch. You can snag them with any method including float fishing. The problem is not only intentional snagging, you will accidentally snag fish constantly unless you have a lot of patience and wait for your line to swim away.

Jason B:

Seems to me that YOU need to get actively involved in setting river regulations in your area.

If you don't like a regulation, then work hard to get it changed...

Easy to "gripe", tougher to affect change!!!!

I had the same thought. I think it is.

I've been fishing the Samish for years, in one of the more populated areas.

Some observations;
-I didn't believe the Jig thing when it started. Checked other peoples hooked fish myself. Surprised how many were hooked IN the mouth. Had 1/2+ hr discussion with WDFW biologist about it. He had NO answer other than they were picking it up as to why fish were being hooked IN the mouth. Asked me how low on the river we were.

-I have NEVER witnessed anyone getting a ticket, warning etc for snagging. Talked to 1 guy who got a ticket for non-movement.

-Asked the Game Warden why he wasn't down checking us more (he was in the parking lot). He said he knows we do a good job at policing ourselves. He indicated that wasn't the case in other places.

-I foul hooked far more fish and have witnessed far more fish being foul hooked using eggs, corkies etc.

-Biggest problem I have seen is the increase over the last 5 years or so of people who have NO clue. They show up with Mooching rods, 50lb test etc and have no clue what a bite is. Pretend they don't understand the rules. Some don't know them and could care less.

-I have fished eggs under a float . Hooked a couple. I think the dirty water from all the people above being in the river hampers this method. And yes, I do hook other fish using a float & eggs.

-I have no doubt this will cut back on the people and it will also cause problems. The state got over 8,500 fish back to the hatchery last year.

-The Wardens better have extra tickets for this one.

float fishing for kings is super fun. If you got what they want, they'll hit it. I'd rather catch a fish that bites willingly any day. I've never seen this fishery other than one time I stopped to have a look under the old hwy 99 bridge and found old toothless Cletus snagging kings in the back with a swim bait. I'd imagine the fish may bite pretty well on some eggs under a float without having to dodge flossing gear all the way up the river.