snagging illigal?

[kid with a rapala]

i took my little cousin fishing and when i was fishing i looked over and saw him try to snag a bass i told him to not snag it cuz its illigal i dont know if it is or not but just so he wouldent do it. so can someone tell me if it is or not thanks.

[basspro48]

It's illegal in some states but I don't do it because it is plain bad sportsmanship

[Ben]

It's illegal in Georgia, but as mentioned, not very ethical either.  Maybe if you were stuck on Survivor and needed it for your next meal, it might be ok.

[sinker48]

Not sure in your state but in New York state snagging is illegal, In the fall they also limit hook size and type in some waters mainly Lake Ontario and its tributaries.

                               Good  Luck  !

                                       Sinker  48  

[preach4bass]

Way to teach a youngster to be a good sportsman

[Guest bigtex]

In Texas it IS ILLEGAL.  I have seen a lot of people get caught and I have seen people taken to jail.  Some of the people I personaly booked into jail.  It's not very fun and law enforcement take it very seriously. DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS!!!!!

[Marty]

Check your state regulations. It's illegal here in NY and it's hard to imagine that snagging bass isn't illegal everywhere.

[kid with a rapala]

ok thanks i will make sure that he reads this forum

[BigCheese]

Very unsportsman like....

This is a sad thing but three years ago I was fishing the same cove with another boat on Santee Cooper. The fish were on the bed and I was praticing for a up-comeing tournment. I watched him pull 4 fish off beds with a rattle trap with #2 trebbel hooks. Everyone of these fish went in the livewell. I was absoulty furious. I approached him and asked just what and the @*## he thinks he's doing. His reply...A mans gotta eat somehow. How a guy running a newer modle Nitro can afford food is beyond me. I said a few more choice words and got the finger from hiom on his way out of the cove. This was probally the single most unethical thing I have ever seen in my life, and it still upsets me to this day.

[Minuteman]

I wonder if some people confuse snagging with foul hooking. Sometimes with tournaments on TV you'll see an angler land one that is foul hooked with a crankbait, they usually point out that this is legal, but maybe not why. The last time I saw it happen on ESPN, McKinnis did explain why though.

I should add that, I realize we are just talking about snagging here, but someone not paying attention could see a foul hooked fish on TV and not realize that it wasn't intentional.

[Guest avid]

I have fished for bass in alot of states and always read the rules carefully.  I am not aware of ANY state where snagging Laregemouth bass is legal.

I agree with everyone who says is it unsporting.  But the fact that you can be arrested, fined, and lose your fishing priviliges should dissuade any one having trouble resisting tempation.

[Guest bigtex]

I wonder if some people confuse snagging with foul hooking. Sometimes with tournaments on TV you'll see an angler land one that is foul hooked with a crankbait, they usually point out that this is legal, but maybe not why. The last time I saw it happen on ESPN, McKinnis did explain why though.

I should add that, I realize we are just talking about snagging here, but someone not paying attention could see a foul hooked fish on TV and not realize that it wasn't intentional.

I'm glad you brought this up.  In TEXAS as long as their is a bait attached to the trebbel hooks then it is okay if you "FOUL HOOK."  This is a way that people can get away with snagging.  Theirs not much the law can do about this unless someone turns the people in or if they admit it.  I don't see that happening.  This is something that we all just have to deal with.  I don't believe that snagging will ever end.  All we can do is teach the younger anglers great ethics and morals.

[sinker48]

In New York State all foul hooked fish have to be released.Game wardens have the right to inspect fish in your possesion and will write tickets if they find fresh marks from foul hooks.

                                 Good  Luck  !

                                            Sinker  48  

[Guest bigtex]

In New York State all foul hooked fish have to be released.Game wardens have the right to inspect fish in your possesion and will write tickets if they find fresh marks from foul hooks.

                              Good Luck !

                                          Sinker 48

I sure wish they would make that law for Texas.  That would cut down on a lot of illegal snagging or "foul hooking."

Is there another name for foul hooking?  I think I have heard it called something else but I don't remember.

[Marty]

In New York State all foul hooked fish have to be released.Game wardens have the right to inspect fish in your possesion and will write tickets if they find fresh marks from foul hooks.

                                 Good  Luck  !

                                            Sinker  48  

Sinker, that's not quite true. Foul-hooked trout and salmon must be released, but other species may be kept, with a couple of special exceptions.

[Ben]

Back in the mid 80's I was stationed in VA.  The was a Naval Weapons Station outside Yorktown that had some monster bass, but was almost impossible to catch one.  During the spring bedding I watched a guy snag one very large bass off the bed, the bass were so used to seeing boats they would not move away when a boat was over them.  The Ranger Station (you had to rent their boats and that's where you rented them) was only a couple of blocks from this pond so I went and got them.  We (me and a SP) got back just in time to see him snag another.  SP used my boat, went over to him, escorted him back, had him load his stuff in his vehicle, and follow him.  

How would have liked to have been in that guys shoes, he was an active duty navy officer and was on a federal installation, where they had big signs at the Docs of each lake saying fish may only be caught on artificial lukes, NO live bait, No spear fishing and No snagging, plus a few other NO's.

[fishingrulz]

It's illegal in Georgia, but as mentioned, not very ethical either. Maybe if you were stuck on Survivor and needed it for your next meal, it might be ok.

well if its gonna die anyway cuz your gonna eat it it doesn't matter. i don't snag its not right its just cheap

[sinker48]

Marty

  I guess I should have read the regulation book better you are right. Sorry about the wrong info.

                                     Sinker  48  

[Yankee_Bassman]

From the New Hampshire 2006 fishing regs:

"Snagging fish in freshwaters is prohibited. Any fish accidentally snagged must be immediately released to the water."

Definition:

"Snagging, snatching, or lifting: The taking or attempting to take of any fish by foul hooking;that is, hooking the fish in any part of the body other than inside the mouth. "

My abstract of Mass laws says snagging is prohibited, but this short version of key laes doesn't have any definitions. I'm guessing it's pretty close to NH's law, though.

A big "Attaboy" to Kid with a Rapala, though, for knowing instinctively that it wasn't fair, even if legal, and passing that info on to a young fisherman.

[Redtail]

I don't think think I have ever gone fishing without Snagging!

Unfortunately it's usually boat docks, trees, boat covers, stumps, pads, my partner, myself, you know the usual stuff.

But never would I snag a Fish!!!!!!

Good Job Young Man!

[Aaron]

I am not completely sure about this but i believe it is legal in KY.  There may be species restrictions though.

When i was younger my mom and dad ran a tackle store between KY and Barkley Dam and we sold snaging set ups.  A lot of people would use this method for spoonbill and maybe catfish or carp.  But i have never seen anyone intentionally snag bass.

I'm not sure of actual regulations though

[janalon]

Could this be where bed fishing got it's bad name?

Last summer on a Lake in Florida I was with a partner. He pointed to an angler ( not in our club) on the other side of the cove. "That's why I am against bed fishing!"

I looked over and saw the guy pitching and snatching, there was no way that the fish he was attempting to catch was trying to bite the bait that often, he was trying to hook the fish in the side or something.

This was the first time that I had seen conduct of this nature.

Now please don't anyone get me wrong, I am not against bed fishing, but I will not throw to a bedding bass very long just because of that experience, sometimes not at all.