Northwest Fishing Reports

I just left the natetreat issue about rud duds and have to admit - I dont have a clue what flossing is, I'm guessing that a flosser is someone who tries to slip his line into the mouth of a fish and then rip it's lips off???? My problem is this. If I use a corky and yarn on a three foot leader and a lil weight am I flossing??? I also use eggs and sometimes spinners, I'm a lil confused here as all these techniques involve down river movement. So....what am I missing here, can I get somebody to explain what this feared and dreaded flossing thing is all about - -and thanks

There is another thread from a month ago asking the same questain. I'm locking this thread for now as I'm VERY tired of the crap and arguing over 'flossing'. I'll look for that other thread and link it.

It is still up for a discussion to maybe make 'flossing and snagging' taboo topics due to all the arguing.

read here;

http://washingtonlakes.com/forum/viewto ... 15&t=13503" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Every year we have the same discussion. It's an age old ethical conundrum for salmon fishermen. Read the old thread, and then ask your questions. Otherwise this will turn into a flame topic and there are heated opinions on all sides. Just keep an eye on Jens posts Oops, there I go, I did it.

ah nate, you're too quick. I was going to open the thread and post a comment, then thought better of it. OK so now it is open, so please people, maybe we can keep it civil this time? Amx, sorry, I couldn't resist!

At Hoodsport we cast into large schools of roaming chum for three hours and got no bites, then suddenly everything turned on great guns. If flossing existed there would be no such thing as a "bite", at least doesn't that seem to make sense? Do fish swim around for three hours with their mouths shut tight and suddenly go slack-jaw in order to be flossed?

Just my observation, as I couldn't help but think about the flossing issue as we suddenly started catchign all those chums - in the mouths.

That's ok. The mods will maybe have to take a vote on whether or not these 2 topics should be taboo. I locked it untill the other mods can come on and give their opinions and hopefully before any arguments start up, was my thought.

MY TURN. So lots of people have different views on this. Yes you can "floss" fish. Just because you use a corkie, bead, yarn doesn't mean you are every time. I have felt fish slam a corkie set up. It doesn't matter how long you leader is, it can still drift into the mouth of a fish. Sure they don't always swim with their mouths open but they do do it. Yes flossing is easier with longer leaders and more effective. I have fished with a 8 foot leader and have had the entire hook all the way down the fishes throat. That doesn't happen when the fish is flossed.

The thing is who cares.

It isn't illegal, so don't listen to anyone. As long as you are following the regs, it doesn't matter.

It starts getting polarized when there are guys that insist that ALL drift fishing is flossing and that it's bad technique. Sometimes you're going to floss fish regardless of what you're trying to do. Saying that fish don't bite corkies is equivalant to saying that fish don't eat eggs. Because that's pretty much what they're imitating. I'm out on the water a lot and I've watched angry silvers move across a large section or clear water to get at what I'm throwing.

Is it more productive to floss fish? Sometimes. When there are a lot of fish in one spot, that know that you're there, being lockjaw and uncooperative, yea you'll have a better time of it if you try and line the fish.

But you don't need to set the hook every time you feel the bottom bump. You don't need to set the hook at all most of the time. Just keep your leader pointed at the far bank. I think that the irratation come from the guys that are hook-set crazy and keep bringing fish in sideways. That's snagging. When there are a bunch of fish loaded up in a hole you're going to bring a fish or two in sideways on accident while drift fishing, but you would throwing a spinner, twitching a jig and I've seen bobber guys bring fish in by the back too.

I hate bobber fishing. I do it when I need to to catch fish, but I find it boring, less tactile and less productive. I don't see it as an alternative to flossing at all, just another productive technique. If you're planning on releasing fish, flossing is probably better for 'em because they don't have a mean hook down their gullet, it's usually on the side of their mouth. If you do snag a fish, point your rod at it, hold your drag and walk backwards and bring it in fast so you don't kill it.

Agree with Nate 100%

Good to see thread open again I am always curious to see everyones opinion. I drift fish yarn and corky most of the time I usually use 6ft leader I wait for my line to stop moving and I set my hook most of the time they bite it every once in a while It will floss a fish it happens. Personally I have never seen anyone intentionally trying to floss and if someone was it wouldn't bother me because its legal. It's not cool if your setting your hook every 5 seconds.

I love flossing!

The first I heard of flossing was up on the Frazier River System in B.C. many years ago. Huge runs of Sockeye would be running and that was the only way to get hooked up since they weren't biting. It was very common practice. I know for a fact like most of you that the Salmon I'm catching aren't flossed. There's guys on the Skagit crying that anglers are flossing those little hatchery Steelhead by boondogging down the river with long leaders I commonly use longer leaders in the summer and shorter in the winter. I think we've all inadvertently snagged Salmon but flossed, not me

guys this topic pops up every freaking salmon and steel head season. Snagging is snagging and flossing well I don't think it exists. As long as the hook is in the fishes mouth its a legal fish. You want the real definition of snagging. Take a heavy weighted treble hook and drag it through the water. good example of this and for all you wanna be purists or think your purist this is a legal form of fishing for certain species like paddle fish. I am really tired of people who think that every form of fishing that doesn't involve some form of skilled technique is the wrong way, for those who will try to break me with your sermons your not a true fisherman then you know what try growing up with no one in your family who fishes I spent 23 years perfecting my techniques. while I don't condone snagging when its illegal when it is legal say when your paddle fish fishing its fine. Now on to flossing. the use of long leaders can be found in every technique of fishing out there. if you can basically thread a a needle from 30 yards away then your a pro. now dragging a leader of any length through a huge school of fish trying to hook on in the mouth I would call snagging. so what have we learned from this. snagging is snagging flossing doesn't exist. some times you need a longer leader so your not spooking the fish.

So yanking back every tick I feel is not the correct way to fish. I been doing it all wrong..... Man ole man what am I going to do!


But on a serious note lol from the Joke above!

I think there is a Big difference. Atleast from some of the Serious Snaggers I seen in the water. I use Different methods to bring fish on the shore. But none of them are by Illegal means I snagged fish on accident all released (to me cheaper to buy in the store then to pay the ticket). but thats me and my logic of fishing legally...

but I was drifting aka (Flossing) I guess. and I had a couple next to me a little asian lady and her husband a White guy. fishing just up river from me. I was not catching (snagging) no where near the amount of fish they were then again I was not wasting my time chasing down foul hooked Pinks. the lady asked me how am I fishing and what amd I fishing with, I just stated a 2 peach beads and a number 2 hook she says move to a 1/0 or maybe a 2/0 and you will start to catch fish just yank on the line you will get something...I kindly informed her I rather catch a legal fish then to foul hook a fish every 2 minutes. She kind of looked at me with the A$$ _-ole look and kept snagging fish. no more than 5 mins after that I hook a nice silver and bring it to shore and on the stinger. she looks at me and began to ask how did i do that i informed her I waited til it took my offering once i felt a hard tug i tugged back harder and began to reel in. 30 fish I watcher her snag and release all humpped out pinks but I actually fel kind bad for the fish after a while. To me I was drift fishing and she was snagging and to me thats a big difference in fishing... snagging is intentional act and more so not in a legal area to catch a fish...

I have foul hooked on spoons and reeling in not yanking but just reeling in on the end of my cast a nice fat King also released I do know who the Gamies are nor care what the ticket book looks like....

I keep legal fish and toss back the accidental foul hooked fish!

driftercn83 wrote:guys this topic pops up every freaking salmon and steel head season.

This reminds of the parties I used to go to while in high school. The record player would have a LP on it and someone would shout out, "Hey, someone fix the record, it's skipping again!!"........flossing is snagging, snagging is flossing (click) flossing is snagging, snagging is flossing (click) flossing is snagging, snagging is flossing................

Marc Martyn wrote:

driftercn83 wrote:guys this topic pops up every freaking salmon and steel head season.

This reminds of the parties I used to go to while in high school. The record player would have a LP on it and someone would shout out, "Hey, someone fix the record, it's skipping again!!"........flossing is snagging, snagging is flossing (click) flossing is snagging, snagging is flossing (click) flossing is snagging, snagging is flossing................

I've seen you snag those trout with your floating flies. You wait for them to come up and as they look at your fly you yank it into their mouth - SNAGGER!

Record player how long ago was that ? Marc are you saying flossing and snagging are the same thing ?

Mike Carey wrote:

Marc Martyn wrote:

driftercn83 wrote:guys this topic pops up every freaking salmon and steel head season.

This reminds of the parties I used to go to while in high school. The record player would have a LP on it and someone would shout out, "Hey, someone fix the record, it's skipping again!!"........flossing is snagging, snagging is flossing (click) flossing is snagging, snagging is flossing (click) flossing is snagging, snagging is flossing................

I've seen you snag those trout with your floating flies. You wait for them to come up and as they look at your fly you yank it into their mouth - SNAGGER!

No, Mike, that's not how it is done....sorry.

this reminds me of the Monty Python skit about the Crunchy Frog. (people pop it into their mouths and sharp steel barbs spring into their cheeks.) The poor fish...