^^^I call absolute BS on this.
You SHOULD worry about things even if they're legal. USE YOUR MORAL JUDGEMENT AND ETHICS.
Do you feel what your'e doing is ethical? Can you sleep at night doing what you're doing? Then good for you, go ahead.
If you answered NO to either of the above questions, then take another look at your motivations and maybe reconsider.
Happy fishing and good luck!
Tex
What fish assassin is saying is that flossing is not "immoral" because it is "legal." ie: If you are not breaking the law, then it is not unethical. The question for you is why are you fishing? If the reason you are fishing is to catch fish for the BBQ (and you would use a net if they would let you), then it is it is fine and you should not care if people around you call it bottom bouncing, because bottom bouncing is not illegal as long as the fish is hooked in the mouth. This is of course "wrong" and the law should be changed to reflect that, but as long the law does not distinguish between a fish snagged in the mouth and and fish hook willingly in the mouth, we have to live with it. However, if you are a "Sport" fisherman (that is, if you are interested in being "sporting" about catching fish, then you want to make sure the fish is chasing the fly, or at very least is moving to intercept a drifted fly and taking it willingly. If this is the case, you should avoid using this method. While the use of the split shots alone does not make this method questionable, the use of the longer (6 foot) leader does. A 6 foot leader is necessary when fishing moderately to slow moving currents, even longer in still back water if they are clear. When you are fish currents so fast that you need 4 spit shots to get the fly down, then the 6 foot leader is counter productive as the flies rides up higher than the weights. When I find myself attaching a split shot or two to my fly line (and I have done so on many occasions), I would have already shortened my leader to 3 feet or less. For you to use both, I can only suspect, as would others on the river around you, that the only reason you are using the longer leader in conjunction with the added weight (and 4 shots is a lot of weight) is to hope to long line a fish. So if that is your intention, then I think you just need to ask yourself that question. Why am I doing this? Fly fishing is the ultimate "sport" fishing, where you are not only fooling the fish into taking the hook willingly, but doing so by fooling it with a fly you tied up yourself. Why would you want to floss a fish with a fly rod, when a drift rod would be so much easier.