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

[ctranter]

how small of a fly we talking here?

 

 

Tiny, whats your point?

[daryl0815]

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".

 

 

That is a good point, you seem to have pissed off a few people here! if people would have read your post they would understand what it is all about. I cant beleive that the guy you talked to didnt think that was wrong, its not fishing to line a fish, its cheating.

 

I have used marshmallows, and I have observed fish actually moving over to hit them, just last night I caught a 12" rainbow on a mallow fished on bottom. At the same time, I am sure that a certain percentage of the fish swim into it, or swim into the line by accident, but to do it on purpose isnt right.

 

The past 2 days I have been Salmon fishing twice, and I have caught no salmon, the fish were right in front of me, I could have easily flossed them, but I chose not to, actually I much prefer to catch trout anyways!

[BillM]

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.

 

Go to any pier this time of year, that's exactly how people floss fish

 

It's not the marshmellow that gets them initially, it's the 30 meters or so of line you've got strung across the river they run into.

[markiemark70]

Ok I get it now: your issue (or some peoples) is with fishing in the river period. Because the same thing you just described is true of anything you throw in the river.

 

If so then I guess its a case of to each their own. I have no issue with catching fish in the river, and I know what I am doing is not illegal or unethical. I am a 100% catch & release guy, so if I thought I was abusing the resource I would never do it.

 

I totally agree that flossing or intentionally snagging is wrong, but I have no issue whatsoever with this

[BillM]

Ok I get it now: your issue (or some peoples) is with fishing in the river period. Because the same thing you just described is true of anything you throw in the river.

 

If so then I guess its a case of to each their own. I have no issue with catching fish in the river, and I know what I am doing is not illegal or unethical. I am a 100% catch & release guy, so if I thought I was abusing the resource I would never do it.

 

I totally agree that flossing or intentionally snagging is wrong, but I have no issue whatsoever with this

 

Huh? I don't have an issue with fishing the river. If I want to catch chinnies, I'll toss J13's or float big hunks of skein in the frog water (Which I've been very successfull this year at doing FYI)

 

Keep telling yourself it's not unethical to float marshmellows above a 3 way rig with 30 meters of line strung across the river. And you are comparing this with casting or floatfishing? LOL!!!!!

 

I'm happy most of you guys are gone once the bad weather gets here so I can steelhead fish in peace..

[ctranter]

 

 

I'm happy most of you guys are gone once the bad weather gets here so I can steelhead fish in peace..

 

My thoughts as well, except 1 problem

 

When the salmon neanderthals leave, the pompous know-it-alls show up for steele. Sometimes I have to stop myself before being embarrassingly rude, like some of them.

[Roy]

Careful dudes...this one may head south as well.

[aplumma]

Careful dudes...this one may head south as well.

 

 

No point in sending it South Roy we don't have the Salmon issue. But if it gets here I will be happy to lock it down for you.

 

 

Art

[SRT8 smoker craft]

Hey Art have you ever seen picks from the catt river never been there myself but from the pics its like fishing a Lake O trib times a million LOL. I was gonna stay out of this 1 but can't resist LOL Afraz quick ? How do ya figure flossing can only be done under a float ? The real question involved in this debate is will a salmon hit a bait legitematly because its true they Do Not eat while in the river and even though a lot don't believe it the answer is absolutely they will HIT out of aggresion,instinct because they can I really don't know why they do but they do. Salmon fishing isn't for everyone heck I only go once or twice a year (not at all last year) I hate the crowds and after a couple nooks its boring to me but if for a second I thought what I was doing was unethecal I wouldn't do it. I'm heading out early monday to hit a lake O trib and if I foul hook a fish I shake it off or break the line if its in the mouth I haul it in for a pic and release it this topic will always be a touchy subject. BTW Afraz and Art I'm just being a PITA not tryin to start anything

[fishinguypat]

Tiny, whats your point?

 

Because I have some some small flies I found in a pouch once that had nymphs and egg imitations in it and I have never used them before

[spinnerbaitking]

I've caught quite a few Salmon in Lake Huron rivers & harbors years ago on a Ping A T, slow retrieve & they hammer it Kwik Fish & Flat Fish also, either a reaction bite or a pissed off bite, I have no patience for sitting & watching anything, need to cast

Richard

[ctranter]

Because I have some some small flies I found in a pouch once that had nymphs and egg imitations in it and I have never used them before

 

Sorry, I assumed you were implying something else. I was using a small black fly (I'm new to flies so I'm not 100% about details), but I guessed the hook on it was about size 16, super small. The eggs I've never used. I don't think I would when I have a freezer full of trout roe

[markiemark70]

Huh? I don't have an issue with fishing the river. If I want to catch chinnies, I'll toss J13's or float big hunks of skein in the frog water (Which I've been very successfull this year at doing FYI)

 

Keep telling yourself it's not unethical to float marshmellows above a 3 way rig with 30 meters of line strung across the river. And you are comparing this with casting or floatfishing? LOL!!!!!

 

I'm happy most of you guys are gone once the bad weather gets here so I can steelhead fish in peace..

 

So my stationary marshmallow on a single hook is a problem but you ripping a rapala with two sets of treble hooks is the ethical way? And exactly where did I compare anything to casting or floatfishing? Totally missed that part.

 

Anyways I don't really care to get into it with you. To be honest I went that one year like 3 years ago and have not been back. I prefer casting for Bass or pike to that. But I don't like having words put in my mouth and I don't like being accused of harming the fish. If you knew me you would know that I am about as ethical as you can get when it comes to natural resources.

 

You can have your Steelhead all to yourself as far as I am concerned. Good luck.

[Twocoda]

lol..the salmon issue is like a rerun of Gilligans Island...

 

Ill say it now .....Salmon DO eat in the rivers especially this time of the season ....they are top predators... just because they enter the river system does not make them forget they still have to eat to survive....a BUCK that goes into a rut stops eating too ....but he isnt stupid enough to starve himself to death...

the hens will act on aggression once they start spawning to protect their eggs from bait fish...hence the reason chucking body baits is a good thing and will catch fresher run fish ( they are still in predator mode)

 

Marshmellows is no different then blowing up a worm or putting floaties in your tied roe bags...bait is bait ...to each is his own ...its the presentation that is in question ...not the bait...

 

there is my 02 cents worth ...

[cwpowell]

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.

 

Dan from lot?

[BillM]

So my stationary marshmallow on a single hook is a problem but you ripping a rapala with two sets of treble hooks is the ethical way? And exactly where did I compare anything to casting or floatfishing? Totally missed that part.

 

Anyways I don't really care to get into it with you. To be honest I went that one year like 3 years ago and have not been back. I prefer casting for Bass or pike to that. But I don't like having words put in my mouth and I don't like being accused of harming the fish. If you knew me you would know that I am about as ethical as you can get when it comes to natural resources.

 

You can have your Steelhead all to yourself as far as I am concerned. Good luck.

 

The fish has a choice to eat my J13, it doesn't have a choice when it swims by and gets caught up in your 30 meters of mono

[ctranter]

Sometimes I walk my dog down by the humber and watch the salmon move up the fish ladders at a few dams. Spend 5 minutes watching them and you will see 100$ worth of rapala and other various lures stuck in their backs when they jump. If people are going to intentionally snag fish then they probably will use tackle with more hooks.

[4thgen]

Back when I first started pier fishing, I couldn't figure out two things: why I always had teeth marks in my egg sinkers, and why I had to reel in a bunch of line after feeling a "hit", before actually feeling the fish.

 

Having spent countless nights out on piers now, I can tell you that 99 out of 100 salmon that are caught on bottom rigs didn't bite. When marshmallows work just as well as ear plugs, styrofoam and cigarette butts, you should know something is up.

 

Although the occasional salmon might bite in the small pools up river, once again 99% of them are lined or flossed. Totally unsporting and not much fun either.

 

I haven't fished for salmon anywhere but a pier in years and I can tell you that lures are quite capable of outfishing flossers. The hits are awesome and you actually get headshaking. Being able to turn a fish when it runs -- priceless.

[BITEME]

Well here is my take on this I have fished salmon this way ever since I was a kid marshmellow and when they came along earplugs

I troll em I spoon feed em, flies flat fish j-plugs you name it but this time a year if you want to call it flossing so be it .

In my opinion even at this time of year chucking spoons you are still flossing them there might be the odd buck that actually hits the spoon but if you take a really close look at the fish you are getting on spoons you stick them in the outside of the jaw or deep in the corner inside Im sure there will be people that disagree and are purist in some weird way and may wind up with a few people not liking me Oh well to each his own I will fish this time of year this way until I cant walk anymore

And for all the people that know best put on a diving suit hop in the water with a camera and prove it wrong when the ministry comes along and says no more I will abide until then it will be business as usual the way I have fished them my father fished them and his dad and he used a piece of drift wood and a nail for a weight.

 

my 2 cents

Peter

[Swan_Dive]

So what do you guys say to the kid or new salmon guy who wants to fish for the salmon right now? I started this year, but have only been out once but when I was out I was using the same setup as I would for steelhead. So if Iam float fishing is that what you guys are calling flossing? It seems that if your floating a bait vertical and the salmon don't want to eat it they would move. Do they let leaves and branches float in their mouth too while they are sitting with their mouths open? My understanding of flossing (before this thread) was when you can see a salmon and you try to time your bait to fall in his mouth as he opens it, not floating a bait down a muddy/deep pool where you can't see them. I don't want to stir things up more with this but I want to get an understanding of the ethical way to do things and if what I was doing was "flossing" well I would change my technique to what would be proper.

[dobee]

The fish has a choice to eat my J13, it doesn't have a choice when it swims by and gets caught up in your 30 meters of mono

 

exactly

[misfish]

Hotshot kwikfish baits at the bend, for many years in Angus.It was a rush when they hit. And that aint no Bull.Yes salmon do eat in the river.

[Lunker777]

why is it that EVERY YEAR @ this time, this site turns into a salmon/trout fishing pissing match ?

[BillM]

So what do you guys say to the kid or new salmon guy who wants to fish for the salmon right now? I started this year, but have only been out once but when I was out I was using the same setup as I would for steelhead. So if Iam float fishing is that what you guys are calling flossing? It seems that if your floating a bait vertical and the salmon don't want to eat it they would move. Do they let leaves and branches float in their mouth too while they are sitting with their mouths open? My understanding of flossing (before this thread) was when you can see a salmon and you try to time your bait to fall in his mouth as he opens it, not floating a bait down a muddy/deep pool where you can't see them. I don't want to stir things up more with this but I want to get an understanding of the ethical way to do things and if what I was doing was "flossing" well I would change my technique to what would be proper.

 

Cast the estuary water (slow frogwater river mouths) with J13's, spoons etc.. If you want to float fish, giant chunks of skein on big single or even treble hooks (Trebles work great for keeping the skein on)...

 

If the fish are on, you'll get bit using both methods.. If they aren't, you won't catch much of anything...

[12 Volt Man]

why is it that EVERY YEAR @ this time, this site turns into a salmon/trout fishing pissing match ?

 

 

probably because this is the time of year that the salmon are running..