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[Chuck]

I was talking to a new guy at work yesterday and mentioned to him that I was a very novice but keen angler.  He told me he fished a fair bit so we got into a discussion about what to fish for and locations etc.  He said that when the pinks started to run I should go with him as he knows a few quieter spots that are very productive.  I asked if he fly fished as I only use a spinning rod and lures/spoons,  he said that they just use a bait caster and drift fish with a piece of wool.  Is this snagging?   

[Fish Assassin]

You will get a lot of differing opinions to your question. Here's mine: if he is using wool on a short leader (18-24")and the fish is hooked in the mouth it is not snagging. If the fish is hooked anywhere else than the mouth it is foul hooked. If he is using a long leader (several feet) and yanking on the rod on every cast, it is snagging.

[BNF861]

It comes down to set-up and intent.

If using a float with less distance between the float and weight than the water depth, and a reasonable length leader (18-24") i would say no. Pink salmon are pretty aggresive and often a small tuft of pink wool will work to catch them just fine.

If he has more room between his float and weight than the river has depth and a four foot leader, and giving it all a big yank at the end of every drift, I would say his setup is not optimized to fairly hook fish

EDIT: you beat me to the same answer FA

[Rodney]

In small streams where the water flows moderately, pink salmon stage and will attack anything that floats by them. A piece of wool suspended off the bottom as it drifts downstream will trigger a bite on almost every cast if there are lots of fish around. A jig works even better, but just more expensive than threading a piece of wool on the hook.

[Chuck]

Thanks.  He did say this was his favored method for pinks as a piece of wool is cheap, and he also said that the spot he fished produced a fish nearly every cast, to the point that it's almost frustrating!  I think I will give him the benefit of the doubt, and maybe quiz him further.  We did have a discussion on catch & release, as well as hunting, and he certainly didn't come across as an individual who hunts and fishes for the hell of it.  I just heard him say drift fishing and thought it was snagging. I think i will just let him take me to this freakishly productive secret spot of his and observe him 

[adriaticum]

You will get a lot of differing opinions to your question. Here's mine: if he is using wool on a short leader (18-24")and the fish is hooked in the mouth it is not snagging. If the fish is hooked anywhere else than the mouth it is foul hooked. If he is using a long leader (several feet) and yanking on the rod on every cast, it is snagging.

X2

[wizard]

if he mentions using a bouncing betty or long leaders it would be pretty obvious how he's catching fish. Also there's a big difference between "ripping" and mending, people who rip probably don't even know what mending is...
Also if he's short floating or atleast staying off the bottom he's probably not snagging them.  I've personally never drifted wool for pinks I prefer jigs, spoons or small pink flies but like Rod said if he's presenting it properly he'll most likely be catching lots.

It's infuriating seeing people resort to snagging any salmon or fish especially Pinks.  They'll readily hit nearly anything within reason presented properly in all types of waters.  Chuck it's good to see you're concerned about the methods you've been told by your friend, regardless how he fishes take the time to learn things the right way it's way more rewarding. 

[mvelasco]

find it funny how some people put wool and snagging together.ive used the entire and time most species hammer it.

[zap brannigan]

well in all reality how many guys are gonna go through the trouble to cure or buy roe to "bait" up to rip some fish when wool is cheaper and easier, how many guys put on a jig or a blade to rip fish? wool just has that rep even though it can be effective when fished properly.

[adriaticum]

find it funny how some people put wool and snagging together.ive used the entire and time most species hammer it.

Because wool is cheap and most flossers will use it to attempt to hide the fact that they are wrapping their long leaders around the fish.

[MoeJKU]

Wool doesn't mean their snagging as said before its set up and intent. I know a guy that has been short floating wool on the vedder, cap, and other streams for 10 years, he is great at it, and maybe fouls one a season when a massive school of chums go through. Which is a good ratio for someone out on the river 100+ days a year.
Thats how i started because i learnt from him. Now i tie my own jigs and they work just as good if not better.

[adriaticum]

Wool doesn't mean their snagging as said before its set up and intent. I know a guy that has been short floating wool on the vedder, cap, and other streams for 10 years, he is great at it, and maybe fouls one a season when a massive school of chums go through. Which is a good ratio for someone out on the river 100+ days a year.
Thats how i started because i learnt from him. Now i tie my own jigs and they work just as good if not better.

Right wool doesn't mean snagging. I use wool a lot. I like the colour choices I have when fishing. Some of my best days were on wool because I could change up colour when everyone is fishing roe.
Welcome to FWR by the way!

[Chuck]

i guess i'll be encouraging the wife to start knitting again then 

[Ian Forbes]

It is easy enough to use spinning tackle with Pink salmon flies tied exclusively for these fish. The technique is to use a rod light enough to cast just one split shot and one fly. It all depends on the water you are fishing, but most often the Pink salmon are in shallow water. Wool may or may not catch the fish and very often the Pink salmon are colour conscious to a point where they choose one fly instead of another. The Campbell River is often VERY crowded during the Pink salmon season and I leave the better spots to other anglers I have a spot under some trees where I can use flies, but no fly line. I just use just enough weight to get the fly down and strip off enough monofilament to make my cast.