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Wallace River Report
Snohomish County, WA

Details

10/16/2015
Coho Salmon
Afternoon
10/16/2015
1
1126

I hit the bridge hole around 3pm hoping to catch evening bite. As I get down river I can the distinct snagger whip crack.. it wasnt just 1 or 2 guys doing this, no 6 guys down there floss/snagging balligerently... brutally. 2 snaggers left as me and a friend showed up, they had 4 coho each... for a total of 8. Every person there other than me and my friend had pencil lead, 8ft leader and hook.. not a corky or yarn just plain hook... we tried floating eggs. Then I saw one of the guys yard in a beat up firetruck by its back, pulled it out of the water by the tail, and grabbed a rock... as he did this I yelled across the river at him "arent you going to release that fish?!?!" After a minute of cross river staring he begrudgingly released the boot salmon... this is only the beginning. So there I was trying to float some eggs like a good american and I can see him yarding and yarding, cast let it sink set the hook reel it in repeat.... I got tired of it so I moved up the hole where the next couple snaggers were... so im kind of around the corner, but I can still hear the whip cracking and see them hooking up, which they did constantly. I saw them 2 yard in 4 fish in 20 minutes.. 3 of which where not anywhere near the head of the fish.... this is when I called 911.. poaching in progress. After nearly 40 minutes and 2 more retained snagged boots later, I call again. They said they "will choose when or if theyll show up) so after an hour of waiting for the police or wardens to show up, I gave up and went home... I think this will be the end of my wallace fishing this year. Not that many fish in. Horrible snagging, litter everywhere, no enforcement. This place is a disgrace.

Side bar.. this is no ones fault but the snaggers themselves. Us fishing reporters shouldnt have to worry about snaggers over running our rivers if we report. We should be able to report without scrutiny. The ones that deserve the scrutiny and harrassment are the snaggers themselves, and the wdfw for being an impotent joke, that doesnt put enough of its budget towards enforcement. If you are on the river call the snaggers out, put them in their place. Wdfw isnt going to help.. you can try, by all means do try to contact the authorities... but expect disapointing results.


Comments

Mike Carey
10/17/2015 1:04:00 PM
Thanks jonb. If enforcement and wdfw aren't going to follow through and deal with these issues, then I would suggest the next thing to consider is contacting news agencies. There is a story to be told and they are always looking for human interest stuff to report. Plus there is the save the salmon side of the story. I really think King 5 would consider doing a story on the problem. It fits into the kind of human interest stories they look to do. Having video would be even better, if you could obtain it without putting yourself at risk.
jonb
10/17/2015 5:34:00 PM
Good ideas
66kma
10/17/2015 5:41:00 PM
Ok,mr John! With all due no respect to me, from previous your's statement , you are so right about those stupid idiots who is doing that,like you described above! That is so sick!. I was there a little bit later than you, wasn't that many snaggers but still a couple of morons who is going with 8 f leaders with nothing at the end, just hook and lead?! Man , that is so sick! They need a doctor! How could you do that with water so low and clear? My problem is that I am getting tired and sick of those stupid idiots like that, and I have know Idea how to react on those actions, beacause from all previous reports looks like nothing much you can do. I am kinda lost ! By the way I 'be never been at Rotary and I 'll never go!
Just my fish from my this Sa outing on Skykomish!iPhone
riverhunter
10/17/2015 6:09:00 PM
Same story I saw this morning. Decided to try and look for more solitude but with water levels and clarity it made it difficult. Ended up trying the sky where I ran into you but with nothing to show for. Might have to find new waters to try!
riverhunter
10/17/2015 6:10:00 PM
Btw nice meeting you!
66kma
10/17/2015 6:24:00 PM
Water is clear and low now, but tomorrow it is going to be a little bit diff story! I love rain banging my windows!!!!!! I really love that! Good luck all of you tomorrow!
makscoot
10/17/2015 6:42:00 PM
Mike, I hate to say it, but calling in King 5 might bring ALL the fisherman down with bad publicity. I would rather wait for the DFG then have us all over the news. We just might all be profiled as cheats and poachers.

Just my two cents.

Regards,

Makscoot
jonb
10/17/2015 7:16:00 PM
Good point also makscoot. ill continue to call in poaching reports if I see it happening. We cant just let these people ruin this fishery...something must be done about this.
iwnt2retire
10/17/2015 7:21:00 PM
I would suggest using your phone to video and post pictures of them on the internet. Once they are exposed for all to see maybe they will change thier ways. You made a reference to Good American ways. Were the snagger asian? I am Japaneese and have been told by an employee of the Game Dept. they are having big issues with a paricular group of SE asian community. As a result I have was checked 3 times in 2 weeks this summer and I was vey offended to be targeted. Especially becuase I am a law abiding fisherman and am being lumped in with a bunch of asian poachers. I too wolud like to see those idiots ticketed. By the way did you get any with eggs?
iwnt2retire
10/17/2015 7:35:00 PM
One last thing according to the game regulations any fish hooked in the head infront of the gill plates is considered legally hooked. Maybe we all need to petition for a change to the regs.
Freshwater206
10/17/2015 7:42:00 PM
iwnt2retire i think for the most part asians are fishing properly on the river, the ones i always see snagging fish are russians or eastern bloc folks.
Goldrigger1
10/18/2015 8:48:00 AM
This is when we need a Dirty Harry to show up. Since we don't have that and yelling will only cause possible violence, I'd suggest a camera on tripod. Start what looks like filming or actually film it. Turn it over to the wfdw. I also think the news might carry a video while doing the story justice.

As bad as this always is, it isn't as bad as closing the Skagit cause the tribes net it out.
jonb
10/18/2015 10:52:00 AM
Ill start by sayimg im not a racist, and ive seen ALL ethnic groups snag and poach. Ive seen my fair share of redneck americans getting drunk and snahhimf fish too. I find a distur ing amount of eastern european guys snag, bit ive also seen a few eastern europen guys who (nearly violently) deffend and go by the rule book. In this case, yes they were asian. Ill also say some of the best and most respectable fisherman amd anglers I know are asian. Chwong, ilvcassidylakes (yen) and huli isda to name a few good law obiding asian american anglers. I say good american, because im law obiding and not a criminal not intended to be racial or ethnic slur.
fishwish
10/21/2015 7:26:00 AM
One of the game wardens has actually shown up on the Snohomish twice but rather unfortunately it was in the afternoon and when there were few people fishing. I would also like to also add that those Eastern European snaggers have been seriously dogpileing on the solo people fishing the river as soon as they catch a fish or two. They seem to almost be preying on the older and physically smaller fishers and take over their spots. I have had it happen to me and watched it happen to three others.
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Available Guide

Available Fishing Guide:
Website: Ross Outdoor Adventures

Phone: (509) 750-7763