Conference wahoo::fishing

    Are you looking to discuss snagging specifically, or the general
    issue of catching spawning fish?
    
    Guy

    I was rather surpized to hear someone talking about snagging salmon
    a few weeks ago.  He said he was going up to Salmon river to SNAG
    some salmon... Since salmon shut down there digestive systems and
    do not eat at all (correct me if I'm wrong, for I do not know much
    about these fish) before the spawn, I'd guess that snaging them
    has to account for most of the catch during the spawn...?
    
    Don Mac 

    Salmon can be induced to strike. It is the same principle as shad
    fishing (I think). Shad also do not feed on their spawning run.
    For shad fishing, the lure used is a shad dart and the theory is 
    they strike out of agitation. I think this is a great sport. They 
    are great fighters and much fun to catch. Some people eat them, most 
    simply release them to continue on their way. 
    
    For salmon, an egg sack or salmon egg is baited on a hook. The fish 
    are hooked in the mouth. They are also some lures that can be used.
    Some people release the salmon. Some people eat them.
    
    I just think its important to distinguish between this method and
    snagging. Snagging is only allowed on certain sections of the river. This
    is the process of sinking a weighted hook to the bottom and attempting
    to drive the hooks into any salmon that happens to pass by. Not very 
    sporting. 
    
    As was mentioned in a previous note, the flesh from such a fish is 
    marginal. Most of the guys I know that take fish back, have them smoked.

    I'll be going next week (NOT TO SNAG). I guarantee that once you tangle
    with one of these fish, you'll be hooked (not snagged).
    
    Cheers,
    
    Guy Fisher

    This is an interesting subject.  When I was much younger my friends 
and I would snag large white suckers in the shallow pools of a stream
entering a reservoir and had a blast!  That's the extent of my snagging
adventures.   Getting back to the salmon, mature salmon that are ready
to spawn are very healthy and are probably at their prime in power and
energy.   I like to troll in open water with lures and some like to still
fish with a salmon egg or some kind of bait.  I find the latter to slow
for me but that's OK.  I do not see snagging salmon in holding pools or
wherever they snag them as being a sport.  I never witnessed the activity
and can't speak for those who do, but I suspect that it is done by many
for the purpose of food.  In another state, I knew locals who would "jack"
deer.  They weren't sport hunters at all and did so only to eat.  They 
were taking their share of the "crop".   As you mentioned the spawning
Pacific salmon die after spawning, the legal taking of these fish by
individuals doesn't have much consequence.  I'm not talking about commercial
fishermen.  I hate to think they are wasted by those who catch them by any
means.  Atlantic salmon on the other hand can spawn several times before
they die.  If one is not going to eat it or mount it then release it.

As Guy said a lot of the salmon are smoked.  I've never ate smoked salmon
    myself to answer an earlier question.

Steve

RE.1
 I have nothing against fishing for spawning fish ...except it helps to depleate
the speicies numbers . And in New York most spawning seasons are CLOSED .
 I have gone after spawning Pickrel caught them and released them but what I do
find interesting is snagging .
 what brings this up is that last week on my way home from a fishing trip
to the Thousand Islands I stoped by the Salmon river which runs into lake 
Ontario and there must of been a few hundard people snagging Salmon standing
shoulder to shoulder falling in etc. and I ask one of them about using the 
egg sacks and was told that they all ate their last meal on the lake and 
now snagging is the only way to get one . Granted the fish are VERY large (av.20lbs)
but I just couldnot see the sport in snagging, even tho it was one of the 
funnyest things i've seen (the humans) . 
 Well this weekend i'm going up to lake George to do some salmon and trout
fishing the old fashioned way..troll in circles..freeze my ### off and have
a good old time .
..WELL MAYBE NOT THAT GOOD..Enjoy the Bassing IN N.H.
-CARL-

    
    I, hiv red this wi 'utter dismay' fur the followin reasins!,.an
    no related tae oany writers!.....
    
    In the British Isles, the Atlantic Samin cums unner the protection
    o the 'realm' an alang wi ither 'gamefish' any violation o the 
    statutery rules concernin anglin (commercial & leisure) may be 
    subjict tae 'criminal law':-
    
    		* It issa offence tae "snag" fish wi rod&line *
    
    	( A, fin it hard tae beleeve that the diffrinces here atween
          oor countries is sae vast!,..."snaggin allowed oan this streech
    	 o river"?,.."shooder tae shooder"?...this isnae sport!!,..a
    	 caw it blatant "poachin" , a cood accept the Indian tradishin
    	 o harvest, bit nuthin ootside this!)
    
    		* offence tae fish wi  'eggs' (Natural Roe) *
    	
    	( agane poachin!, evin imitaeshin roe wid be discernt by non-
    	  poachin fishermen ower here! ) .
    
     A'm no sayin that poachin disnae happin ower here cause there ar
    owerminny courtcases an convictions evry yeer!,.. i cood sae much
    mair aboot the samin bit times pressin!,..later 
    
    		i hope yese unnerstaund that it is hard fur masel
          accept these practices!
    
    				cheery the noo!..Trapper

    re .6
    
    Understand that we are not talking about atlantic salmon. They are 
    afforded the same protection here.
    
    There are important differences in the salmon family. I understand
    that Atlantic salmon do not die upon spawning. I think we're speaking
    of Pacific Chinook Salmon (also called king salmon?) transplanted from 
    the western United States. Upon completion of spawn they die.
    
    So I think the only two issues here are: should these fish be available
    to anglers during their spawning run (atlantic salmon are). And
    secondly what methods should be allowed (ethics etc.).
    
    Cheers,
    
    Guy
    
    The only reason I object to snagging is because it dosen't
    discriminate. You may well have every intention of only snagging
    these salmon, but these rivers also hold healthy populations of
    Brown trout, Steelhead, Cohos etc.
    

    
    Guy,..
    	 The Atlantic Samin huz a 'high' mortality rate!!,..mibbe no
    as seveer as that o the Chinook!
    
    	Oan yer furst pint!,..a can agree wi ye!..theeze fish shood be
    availabul tae anglers lik their Atlantic cousins,..secontly.. the
    methid.... shood the 'rod, line & hook' in whitever permutaeshin
    no be used in the mannir fur whit it wis designed??...here i hink
    that tae discriminate atween fish species in freshwater is totly
    oot o oarder
    
    			cheery Trapper.