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[silver ghost]

At one of the notorious fraser flossfests today, I witnessed some funny behaviour among flossers - catch and release. This is because guys get their sockeye limit but keep fishing for springs. and so catch and release becomes commonplace, as the meat mentality makes everyone stay until they have caught every species the freshwater regs allow them to retain.

but seriously - DONT DRAG THE FISH ONTO THE BANK IF YOU HAVE YOUR LIMIT ALREADY! I think, most times fish are dragged p and even KICKED back in the river they might as well be bonked and fed to the sea birds, as the likelihood of them recoverig is slim to none
------------on this note, there was a study done at grassy, where DFO researchers looked at te C and R recovery/mortality rate among sockeye. what I dont like about this is they hand pick their anglers - I think there was even an ad on here for volunteers at one point --------this biases the study because the anglers who volunteer/are chosen know what theyre doing and treat the fish with care. and so this study is basically garbage because we all know what really goes on - dropping, throwing, unecessary handling, picking up by the gills, kicking, etc - and these are the things that affect the C and R mortalities the most. I stand by my belief that there are significantly high morts following c and r of sockeye

poaching: IF YOU LAND THE FISH, THAT IS YOUR FISH. no giving fish away, that counts as over your limit if you yourself keep two. CATCHES ARE NON TRANSFERABLE - you cannot legitimately tell a consevation officer your 3 year old son caught a 10 pound sockeye on a levelwind. Please. i've seen families of 5 wait on the bank until the father catches the limit for the whole crew. But that didn't go without notice - I made a few calls to the poaching hotline today and only hope someone came out after I left.

garbage: if you can pack it in, pack it out! i yelled at a guy today for throwing his plastic bag into the water only for him to give me a dumb expression and shrug his shoulders like he didnt know what was wrong with it. you can really pick out the seasonal meat harvesters from the whole bunch. and im not saying im NOT a harvester - I am one, but I get my limit of delicious sox and get out, and dont 'sport snag' like the other spring-hungry ''anglers''. show some respect for the f'ing river. and fish.

[bcguy]

Frustrating to see, yes. Anything new, nope.

[MIKE1]

I saw this happen yesterday morning, some lucky flooser probcuaght 7-8 sox in the time I got my 1.

No one was saying anything until I said "isnt the limit 2". He gave me the stink eye as an older guy started lecturing him on the same thing lol.

[adecadelost]

So I'm not trying to debate the mistreatment of fish or those that are keeping limits for the whole family.  I think you make very good points there but I'm trying to understand your thoughts on flossing and C&R?
To start off let me say I very rarely bottom bounce. (I can't say I never do it as I have done it a couple of times in the past for Soc's but I can't stand this type of fishery so don't partake)
But are you saying if you're flossing/bottom bouncing then after you catch your limit you should leave?
Some of us rarely ever take our limit and often just go to catch fish, is there a difference in C&R regardless of fishing style?

[alwaysfishn]

So I'm not trying to debate the mistreatment of fish or those that are keeping limits for the whole family.  I think you make very good points there but I'm trying to understand your thoughts on flossing and C&R?
To start off let me say I very rarely bottom bounce. (I can't say I never do it as I have done it a couple of times in the past for Soc's but I can't stand this type of fishery so don't partake)
But are you saying if you're flossing/bottom bouncing then after you catch your limit you should leave?
Some of us rarely ever take our limit and often just go to catch fish, is there a difference in C&R regardless of fishing style?

If you recognize that that bottom bouncing is a meat fishery where you snag your fish, why would you continue to catch and release when all you are doing is harassing the fish and likely stressing them to the point of preventing them from reaching the spawning grounds?

[adecadelost]

I do not bottom bounce, and mostly catch and realease when i do go out.
But my question is why would bottom bouncing be anymore stressful to a fish then most other techniques.
(speaking of course to fish that are caught in the mouth and not dragged out by their my friend)
Wouldn't a fish caught through legitimate means have the same stress as one that was flossed.
Again I'm not trying to argue bottom bouncing I refuse to practice it myself, but I'm trying to understand why you guys think that someone shouldn't be allowed to C&R based off their fishing method.

[BwiBwi]

C&R using bait.  Isn't that even more stressful to fish? 
Isn't that also why bait ban is in place where endangered species are present and to prevent high mortality rate in C&R?

[Bently]

The sad thing is , is that when the "F" gang get there limit of sockeye and continue "F-ing" for the chinnook their allowed, the sockeye they continue to catch is usually given to another angler {some just pass their rod to the guy/gal at the last minute who wants the sockeye and lets him/her land it} who doesn't have their limit yet.

 A bend in the rules if I ever saw one 

Pretty hard pressed to practice C&R when you got a bunch of meat hungry rod holders a few feet away looking at you drooling, saying "Are you gonna keep it", "I'll take it !!", "Can I have it" etc. etc. 

Quite the so-called fishery boy, makes one want to go up country and do some trout fishing instead 

[Stratocaster]

Its time to manage this fishery for what it really is;  a recreational harvest.  Catch your 2 socks and your done.  No C&R.  This may alleviate some of the crowding on the bars because the sockeye heroes won't be sitting in their spot all day.  Also, this "harvest" needs to differentiated from the other "sports" fisheries and the notices should explicitly say so. 

[troutbreath]

Yep snag your two socks and then your done for the day. Those people fishing after the two should be fined. Just being a sore sight hogging after fish.

[Shifter]

Seems a lot of people confuse or associate bottom bouncing with flossing, I catch more fish bottom bouncing then I ever have with a float.
Just a style I am more comfortable with, I also use under a 3 foot leader, usually anywhere from 18 inches to 2 feet, anything longer and it never gets in the zone.
99% of the fish I catch are hooked in the front of mouth, not hooked on the outside corner, I get the odd foul hook but they always go back.
People can floss just as easily with a float so lets not get an elitist mentality here because you use a float your not flossing, or bottom bouncing.
Unless your short floating, your bottom bouncing, if your weight hits the rocks on the bottom on a regular basis, (like it's supposed to) your bottom bouncing.
Whether you have a float or not, floats are just indicators, remove the float and your bottom bouncing.
When i fish I use just enough weight to tick the top of the bigger rocks on the bottom, not dredge the bottom, loose way to much gear if you have to much weight.
I also don't fish for sox, so my methods apply to all species I fish for, pinks, coho, springs if I ever catch one.. lol
Call me a flosser, god forbid I bottom bounce, but lets not judge simply by the way a person catches a fish, I release 10 times as many fish as I take, and I also get skunked more often than not...
If someones fishing with an unusually long leader they are flossing, whether it be attached to a float or not.
All I'm really saying here is lets not paint everyone with the same brush based on the setup they are using, I bottom bounce but I would not say I floss.

[troutbreath]

If your fishing for for sockeye and your bottom bouncing you are usually flossing. If your using that technique for some other fish it can be legit. I'ts just the way it is, so you will have to get use to the handle "snaggart" when fishing like that.

[Stratocaster]

Sockeye Flossing Gear is usually different than that of traditional bottom bouncing gear.  Those that use bottom bouncing as a legit sportsfishing method normally don't fish with 12 foot 30# leaders, a 4 oz betty with a 5/0 hook.  Problem is, I see this gear all time on smaller rivers like the Vedder and Chehalis.  Why would you need a 5/0 hook on the vedder?

[Shifter]

I would say that  any method (float/bottom bouncing) with a really long leader would be flossing/snagging no matter what species
However applying the term "snaggart", with any body that bottom bounces would be an error, for lack of a better word.
As you say there are legit ways to bottom bounce.
Personally I use rubber worms, unscented eggs, different color wools, spin n glos, spinners, spoons, all on a short leader, no bait cause I'm on the island, I definitely wouldn't say that's flossing/snagging.
I also see what you mean strat, heaviest weight i have to use might be 1/2 oz, I also use 1/0 hooks, like i say longest leader of 3 feet, and that just doesn't get down on the smallish flows I fish.
I've seen all kinds of gear out there, huge buzz bombs, to guys snagging every ten seconds loosing miles of 30 lb line, etc, but I usually catch more fish than them...
I have never seen sockeye madness like you guys have though, never did get to be one of the many at the somass this year, and I'm sure that doesn't come close to a busy mainland flow.
Cheers!

[RainbowMan]

Those people fishing after the two should be fined.

This is not what the current regs say. You can retain 2 sox and still fish and retain springs and pinks. I am 100% against abusing the fish but let's keep our emotions to ourselves when there are clear regulations in place to protect resources.