So I am at the tackle shop and....

[Cudz]

I was buying some rod tips for a friend and this guy asks the owner if she has any marshmallows? I look at him and ask him what kind of fish he is trying to catch with marshmallows. He tells me salmon. I shake my had and laugh. Then I ask him if he is flossing (obviously) and he answers yes. I tell him that cigarette buts work just as well and that isn't really fishing.

 

I must admit that I did not know what flossing was until about 2 or 3 years ago and I never did it as a kid fishing on the river. Now I know, I would never even try it. Maybe people who do it don't realize it is kind of like cheating or snagging. Is it possible if they were more informed that they would stop doing it?

[skinny]

what is flossing

[timmeh]

Honestly I suspect that a significant percent of people who are flossing don't realize they are snagging fish. Since they are hooked around the mouth often, many believe the fish are hitting every time. It can be hard explaining to someone that they're snagging.

 

As for stopping, I would bet that even if most people realized what they're doing, they wouldn't stop. A salmon run brings out some of the most ridiculous anglers (apologies to those who legitimately fish for them, I know some of you do). It's there one chance a year to catch them and catching them is all they care about, technique is not relevant.

[k-max]

what is flossing

 

letting the current float your line into the mouth of a salmon that is stationary in the river with it's mouth open, when you pull on the line you can hook the salmon in the mouth, but its really snagging as the salmon is not feeding.

[k-max]

Honestly I suspect that a significant percent of people who are flossing don't realize they are snagging fish. Since they are hooked around the mouth often, many believe the fish are hitting every time. It can be hard explaining to someone that they're snagging.

 

As for stopping, I would bet that even if most people realized what they're doing, they wouldn't stop. A salmon run brings out some of the most ridiculous anglers (apologies to those who legitimately fish for them, I know some of you do). It's there one chance a year to catch them and catching them is all they care about, technique is not relevant.

 

If people could bring big gill nets to the river and dredge anything swimming out of it they would....i think flossing is at least a smaller problem for the ministry to manage. Though I do believe if they catch anyone intentionally snagging a fish they will be fined. Guess with flossing its harder to prove.

[markiemark70]

Are you sure they were doing something wrong? A few years ago I tried my hand at salmon for the first time. I asked around at a few tackle shops and on this board and was told that marshmallows were good bait. I was certainly not "flossing"

 

I tied the marshmallow on a 3 way swivel with a heavy weight on the bottom and let it sit there. I got a few hits in the couple of times I went, and I can guarantee you that the line didn't just fall into a salmons mouth: it was a hit, guaranteed.

 

Are you saying that anyone who uses marshmallows is a snagger or poacher?

[Cudz]

Are you sure they were doing something wrong? A few years ago I tried my hand at salmon for the first time. I asked around at a few tackle shops and on this board and was told that marshmallows were good bait. I was certainly not "flossing"

 

I tied the marshmallow on a 3 way swivel with a heavy weight on the bottom and let it sit there. I got a few hits in the couple of times I went, and I can guarantee you that the line didn't just fall into a salmons mouth: it was a hit, guaranteed.

 

Are you saying that anyone who uses marshmallows is a snagger or poacher?

 

I asked him if he was flossing and he said yes. I don't think anyone said he was poaching or even that it was illegal.

[vinnimon]

This flossing thing and rods laying out flat on the peir,seen it this morning with my own eyes.Weight below and 2 hooks set above with ear plugs attached!!!!!!Set up for snap fest!!!!!!!

I prefer to use lures,its the anticipation of a hit!Not waiting for my rod to make a mad dash off the peir!

[12 Volt Man]

I like lures too. the other day at Bronte I had a big salmon hit my spoon so hard it almost pulled my rod from my hands. set the hook and it broke off instantly.

 

still, it was quite a rush.

 

salmon hit moving lures like a ton of bricks.

 

its awesome.

Edited September 11, 2010 by 12 Volt Man

[k-max]

You can also snag salmon casting off the pier, not just "flossing" but I guess its less intentional. More than a couple times of Port Credit, I've "lined" a salmon, but the hook was never set and after a brief thrashing on the surface they swam off.

[markiemark70]

I asked him if he was flossing and he said yes. I don't think anyone said he was poaching or even that it was illegal.

 

Ok I thought you meant because he was using marshmallows.

[fishinguypat]

there is snagging apparently ...purposely hooking a fish in the gills or mouth... or by letting the salmon swim through your line and get hooked in the mouth... or there is the drifting method where you drift with roe or skein and when it gets within close range of the salmon it gets hooked either by the line flowing through its mouth or because the salmon sucks in water and it happens to get hooked... so there is no possible way other than this to catch salmon on marshmellow other than this?

[BillM]

Ok I thought you meant because he was using marshmallows.

 

Guys who use marshmellows are usually flossing fish, whether they are doing it intentionally or not..

 

Chinooks also don't 'suck in' giant chunks of skein, because for the most part the skein is fished vertically under a float, a marshmellow not so much...

 

Also, when people almost get their arms ripped off by salmon hits, you're usually racking the lure across their backs and are feeling a quick snap of their tail... I've have them bust off 10lb braid like this with ease...

 

Salmon fishing at it's finest!!!

[fishinguypat]

Guys who use marshmellows are usually flossing fish, whether they are doing it intentionally or not..

 

Chinooks also don't 'suck in' giant chunks of skein, because for the most part the skein is fished vertically under a float, a marshmellow not so much...

 

Also, when people almost get their arms ripped off by salmon hits, you're usually racking the lure across their backs and are feeling a quick snap of their tail... I've have them bust off 10lb braid like this with ease...

 

Salmon fishing at it's finest!!!

 

braid has no stretch so it would brake easier in these situations

[ctranter]

My last outting, I watched a salmon go out of its way to HAMMER a small fly. It was all the proof I needed to see that salmon feed or at least attack in rivers. That being said, when people show up to a popular eastern trib, casts past a wire into a dam area clearly marked as NO FISHING with a white and red bobber and 6 foot spinning rod, you kinda know something is up.

[GoneFishin]

Most opinions on here come from people reading other peoples posts.. I use to do a lot of salmon fishing when I was younger and I can guarantee salmon will feed in the rivers. Flossing does happen for sure but just because something is floating by a salmons mouth doesn't mean it's going to go in there... If they don't want it they will avoid it plain and simple. I use to fish with large groups of people and we would use flies, roe, worms, artificial eggs, marshmallows (scented and un-scented) sponge, you name it. Some days nothing works, some days it would be everything and others you would need a certain bait. If you could only catch them by flossing then it would be the same pattern day in and day out.

[fishinguypat]

My last outting, I watched a salmon go out of its way to HAMMER a small fly. It was all the proof I needed to see that salmon feed or at least attack in rivers. That being said, when people show up to a popular eastern trib, casts past a wire into a dam area clearly marked as NO FISHING with a white and red bobber and 6 foot spinning rod, you kinda know something is up.

 

how small of a fly we talking here?

[timmeh]

 

 

I tied the marshmallow on a 3 way swivel with a heavy weight on the bottom and let it sit there. I got a few hits in the couple of times I went, and I can guarantee you that the line didn't just fall into a salmons mouth: it was a hit, guaranteed.

 

Are you saying that anyone who uses marshmallows is a snagger or poacher?

 

I'm just curious, but how can you guarantee it was a hit? Did you actually see the underwater salmon chase down the stationary bait and hit it? W\ Or was it just because the hook was in the mouth?

[Afraz]

Not all marshmallow users are snaggers, the marshmallows they sell at Lucky's with "trout Bait" written on them isn't there for no reason. And flossing only works if you are using a float i seriously doubt anyone could floss using a Pickrel rig with 2 marshmallows and a heavy sinkeron bottom fishing out of a deep harbour.

 

 

[Cudz]

Most opinions on here come from people reading other peoples posts.. I use to do a lot of salmon fishing when I was younger and I can guarantee salmon will feed in the rivers. Flossing does happen for sure but just because something is floating by a salmons mouth doesn't mean it's going to go in there... If they don't want it they will avoid it plain and simple. I use to fish with large groups of people and we would use flies, roe, worms, artificial eggs, marshmallows (scented and un-scented) sponge, you name it. Some days nothing works, some days it would be everything and others you would need a certain bait. If you could only catch them by flossing then it would be the same pattern day in and day out.

no doubt. i used to fish salmon in the rivers and i can remember catching a nice 15 pound female on a ratltrap in the mouth. No accident there. It was probably a reaction strike but she was also still pretty silver.

I believe that fish do still eat in the rivers but that is not what I started this thread for. My issue was that when I asked the guy if he was flossing for salmon, he said "yes".

[asdve23rveavwa]

 

I prefer to use lures,its the anticipation of a hit!Not waiting for my rod to make a mad dash off the peir!

 

You've got it Vince! I will not fish for salmon in rivers, however early in the season from a couple of the piers I like (not on Lake O) casting Cleos or Fat Raps/Wally Divers can be a blast. Not too mention the odd early steelhead you can latch onto.

As for flossing, fishing marshmallows, catching salmon in rivers/streams as wide as a living room...no thanks!!

[danbouck]

[Fishnwire]

I'll admit that when I was about 14-16 I used to do it (flossing, snagging, whatever you want to call it) every year. I was a stupid kid, what can I say? The thing is, I grew up and realized it was wrong. People either get it, or they don't.

-

At the time, I also didn't understand the concept of catch and release. I'm not saying people who don't C&R also illegally snag fish, but it wasn't until I viewed the fishery’s sustainability as something that my actions had an effect on did I see the error of my ways.

[markiemark70]

I'm just curious, but how can you guarantee it was a hit? Did you actually see the underwater salmon chase down the stationary bait and hit it? W\ Or was it just because the hook was in the mouth?

 

Well I can guarantee you that I wasn't snagging. My line was underwater with no float, it was 30 meteres or so out in the muddy river and it was dark out, so I would need some pretty good eyesight to snag the fish. You can't tell me that a fish can hit a moving lure doing 20 knots or so in the water, but they can't avoid a marshmallow bobbing around in the current. That just doesn't make sense.

[swampash]

Hot n Tots work great in the river also, if there isn't too much debris to get stuck on. I've fished these straight off the back of my boat while anchored above a hole and they nail them. I also cast them from shore and have had alot of luck.