Back To Snagging

[gvanzant]

Once, a few years back, I had a high school angling class. To conclude the class we had a field trip to go fishing in a location where you didn't need a license. This was a time when the bonita ran up the San Gabriel river. I chose to take the class on the jetty to fish for these fast moving and powerful fish because they were perfect for learners. I called the Fish and Game to assure that a license wasn't needed to fish off any man made jetty. They confirmed it as OK. When we got to the jetty and started fishing the Warden showed up and was prepared to issue citations, for no licenses in fresh water fishing. Some of the kids were fishing on the east, or land side of the Seal Beach bridge which was designated "fresh water". Therefore you needed a license. I talked the warden out of the citations but realized that a certain group of fishermen were breaking the law and probably didn't know it. They are the Mullet snaggers that run up and down the bank two miles up river and cast giant snag gangs at jumping mullet.These guys probably don't realize that they are illegally snagging in fresh water, even though the water is salty.
[signature]