09-27-2003, 03:34 PM
West Coast salmon are supposed to die in the streams from whence they were spawned. Some species of salmon will take a bait in fresh water, but most quit eating. I watched a bunch of shore fisherman fishing in the Rogue River out of Grants Pass, Oregon. They were using slip, pencil lead sinkers that kept their terminal tackle close to the bottom. Their leaders were 3 feet long, the hook was a Siwash #2 to #4 with red bead sliding down to the kook. The idea was that the leader slipped into the salmons' "breathing" mouth, as they open and closed. The current slips the bead into their mouth allowing a hookup. The hooked salmon did not intentionally take the bead. Yes, there are many fish that get snagged but the law says you have to release them if they do. Treble hooks are illegal.In Arizona they have a snagging season for the Kokonees that migrate out of their lakes. They are going to die anyway and probably don't stand a chance of reproducing.
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