Dont be so sure Ypoesco...I saw lots of people with short leaders and a float but none the less they were flossing and snagging springs right left and center. Generally speaking though, I did find the crowds co-operative and respectful on Saturday...I dont see any fish being dragged up on shore or booted.
Charles, you said: "Actually, they were hooking the large springs legit.....I have no doubt that they hooked them in the mouth or at least close to it."
I have to disagree with this statement. What the heck does "close to it" (ie the mouth) mean. I use a saying: close only counts in horse shoes and hand granades (don't ask me I picked that up when I was young
) If we relax the rules ie hooked IN the mouth to allow flossing, were so we draw the line...when is "close enough", not good enough.
With all these biting fish which are very numerous right now, there is no reason to floss a fish and especially retaining fish that are foul hooked. I saw a guy with a spring hooked in the top of the head...I told him it was snagged and he said no, anything in front of the gills is OK!!! I hope thats not the way you think too but your statement makes me wonder?
Where were you fishing anyhow charles? you described an area that sounds identical to what I fished on Saturday...I was in the same area as Merc, Jet Boat, Big Steel, etc. were you in that same run?