Snagging Explained

Snagging, also known as snag fishing, snatching, snatch fishing, jagging (Australia), or foul hooking, is a fishing technique for catching fish that uses sharp grappling hooks tethered to a fishing line to externally pierce (i.e. "snag") into the flesh of nearby fish, without needing the fish to swallow any hook with its mouth like in angling. This is achieved by suddenly and vigorously pulling the line (either by handlining or with a rod) when movement is felt, causing the snag hook to "claw" into any fish unfortunate enough to be grappled by the hook points. Weighted multi-hook rigs can be used to increase chances of success,[1] and modern technologies such as underwater video camera can also be used to visually aid and time the snagging.

Some herbivorous/algaevorous fish species, such as paddlefish, are not attracted to normal angling baits or lures as they primarily filter-feed on plankton. While these fish can be caught using nets, spears or pole hooks, snagging is also used as a less strenuous and more versatile technique.[2] However, for fish species that can be enticed easily by baits or lures, snagging techniques are often discouraged or prohibited as it causes more mutilating injuries to the fish (which diminishes the fish's chance of survival even after catch and release) and is viewed as violating the principle of fair chase, and has been associated with overfishing (especially with multi-hook snag rigs) and other social controversies concerning animal cruelty.[3]

Technique

After first casting a hook into the water, a snagger will wait until a fish is sighted, at which time they will reel in the hook until it is positioned above the fish. Once the fish is in line with the hook, the snagger then yanks on the line to "snag" the fish before attempting to reel it in. When fishing in a clear river, most snaggers will be able to observe their target's shadow or wake in the water to determine where their hooks need to be and when. To keep view of the hook, some snaggers use a brightly colored ribbon or cloth near the hook.

Legality

United States

Snagging, like other methods of fishing, is controlled by the wildlife regulating agency of each state. A list of the legality for each state follows.

State Status
Alabama Prohibited, with exceptions[4]
Alaska Prohibited, with exceptions[5]
Arizona Prohibited, with exceptions[6]
Arkansas Prohibited, with exceptions[7]
California Prohibited, with exceptions[8]
Colorado Prohibited, with exceptions[9]
Connecticut Prohibited, with exceptions[10]
Delaware Prohibited, with exceptions[11]
District of Columbia Illegal[12]
Florida Permitted for certain species, except in certain areas[13]
Georgia Illegal[14]
Hawaii Legal, but prohibited in certain areas[15]
Idaho Illegal[16]
Illinois Legal for some species during certain seasons[17]
Indiana Illegal[18]
Iowa Prohibited, with exceptions[19]
Kansas Legal for paddlefish[20]
Kentucky Legal for some species[21]
Louisiana Prohibited, with exceptions[22]
Maine Prohibited, with exceptions[23]
Maryland Illegal[24]
Massachusetts Illegal[25]
Michigan Illegal[26]
Minnesota Illegal[27]
Mississippi Unknown[28]
Missouri Prohibited, with exceptions[29]
Montana Prohibited, with exceptions[30]
Nebraska Prohibited, with exceptions[31]
Nevada Prohibited, with exceptions[32]
New Hampshire Prohibited in freshwater[33]
New Jersey Prohibited, with exceptions[34]
New Mexico Prohibited, with exceptions[35]
New York Prohibited, with exceptions[36]
North Carolina Illegal[37]
North Dakota Prohibited, with exceptions[38]
Ohio Prohibited, with exceptions[39]
Oklahoma Prohibited, with exceptions[40]
Oregon Prohibited, with exceptions[41]
Pennsylvania Illegal[42]
Rhode Island Illegal[43]
South Carolina Legal, but prohibited in certain areas[44]
South Dakota Prohibited, with exceptions[45]
Tennessee Prohibited, with exceptions[46]
Texas Illegal[47]
Utah Illegal[48]
Vermont Illegal[49]
Virginia Illegal[50]
Washington Illegal[51]
West Virginia Permitted for certain species[52]
Wisconsin Illegal[53]
Wyoming Illegal[54]

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, the use of a stroke-haul or snatch, which includes any device designed to foul-hook salmon, trout or other freshwater fish, is prohibited by Section 1 of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975.[55] However, this legislation rationalised a number of previous Acts of Parliament, and the use of such devices was originally banned in 1851, although at the time it only applied to the taking of salmon and trout, but was subsequently extended to include all freshwater fish. The logic behind this was that foul-hooking was not a method that was legitimate either for commercial or sporting purposes, but was used by poachers, and this was reiterated by the Bledisloe Report published in 1961.[56]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Snagged . Fishbio . 28 November 2011 . July 27, 2015.
  2. Web site: Paddlefish - Questions and Answers . North Dakota Game and Fish Department . 2012 . July 27, 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150624063851/http://gf.nd.gov/fishing/other-fishing-information/paddlefish-snagging-season/paddlefish-questions-and-answers . June 24, 2015 .
  3. Book: 100 Weird Ways to Catch Fish . Snagging or Snatching: Subtle It's Not . 152 . Waldman, John . https://books.google.com/books?id=_bAWeHAHih8C&pg=PA151 . 2004 . Stackpole Books . 9780811731799 . July 27, 2015.
  4. Web site: Alabama Fishing Limits and General Regulations . . 1 September 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100830130403/https://www.outdooralabama.com/fishing/freshwater/regulations/ . 30 August 2010 .
  5. Web site: Sport Fish Regulations . . 1 September 2010.
  6. Web site: Fishing Glossary . . 1 September 2010.
  7. Web site: Alternative Fishing Methods . . March 30, 2018 . 2018.
  8. Web site: Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations . . 1 September 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100824213240/http://www.dfg.ca.gov/regulations/FreshFish/ccr-t14-ch2-art1.html . 24 August 2010.
  9. Web site: Colorado Wildlife Regulations Ch 01 . . 1 September 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100705123741/http://wildlife.state.co.us/NR/rdonlyres/279EA0CB-C63F-4B49-8150-8B1DD38FB390/0/Ch01.pdf . 5 July 2010.
  10. Web site: DEP: Inland Sport Fishing Definitions . . 1 September 2010.
  11. Web site: Gamefish and General Freshwater Fishing Restrictions . Delaware Division of Fish & Wildlife . 1 September 2010 . 10 November 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101110051356/http://www.fw.delaware.gov/Fisheries/Pages/Gamefish.aspx . dead .
  12. Web site: Regulated Fishing Activities . District Department of the Environment . 29 May 2015.
  13. Web site: Fish and Wildlife Research Institute . Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission . 17 February 2023.
  14. Web site: Freshwater and Trout Fishing Methods . Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division . 1 September 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100923025017/http://georgiawildlife.com/node/1299 . 23 September 2010.
  15. Web site: Fishing - Common Questions . Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources . 1 September 2010.
  16. Web site: General Fishing Season Information . Idaho Department of Fish and Game . 23 June 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120522175651/http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/fish/rules/generalFishInfo.pdf . 22 May 2012.
  17. Web site: 2010 Illinois Fishing Information . https://web.archive.org/web/20110719021140/http://www.dnr.state.il.us/fish/digest/2010%20fishing%20guide.zip . July 19, 2011 . dead . 5.
  18. Web site: General Fishing Regulations. https://web.archive.org/web/20100901174416/http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/5870.htm#snag . September 1, 2010 . dead .
  19. Web site: 2010 Iowa Fishing Regulations. https://web.archive.org/web/20100527143254/http://www.iowadnr.gov/law/regs/regs_fish.pdf . May 27, 2010 . dead .
  20. Web site: Paddlefish Snagging / Fishing Regulations / Fishing / KDWPT - KDWPT . Kdwp.state.ks.us . 2015-07-27.
  21. http://fw.ky.gov/pdf/2010fishguidefishingregs.pdf
  22. Web site: Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries . Wlf.louisiana.gov . 2015-07-27 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303185956/http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/fishing/methods-recreationally-taking-freshwater-and-saltwater-fish . 2016-03-03 .
  23. Web site: Laws & Rules: Maine IF&W . Maine.gov . 2015-07-27 . 2017-02-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170228184306/https://www1.maine.gov/IFW/laws_rules/fishing/pdfs/Laws%26Definitions.pdf . dead .
  24. Web site: Archived copy . 2010-09-03 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091211101723/http://www.dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/fishing_guide/2010_MD_Fishing_Guide_Final_LowRes.pdf . 2009-12-11 .
  25. http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/regulations/abstracts/hunt_fish_abstracts.pdf
  26. http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10364_52261_52262-211038--,00.html
  27. Web site: Minnesota Fishing Regulations 2010 . Files.dnr.state.mn.us . 2015-07-28 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141226033246/http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/regulations/fishing/fishing2010.pdf . 2014-12-26 .
  28. http://home.mdwfp.com/Fisheries/Default.aspx
  29. Web site: General Fishing Methods | Missouri Department of Conservation . Mdc.mo.gov . 2015-07-27 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120624092648/http://mdc.mo.gov/fishing/regulations/general-fishing-provisions/general-fishing-methods . 2012-06-24 .
  30. Web site: FWP Administrative Regions with Fishing Districts in Color . PDF . Fwpiis.mt.gov . 2015-07-28 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303172328/http://fwpiis.mt.gov/content/getItem.aspx?id=41950 . 2016-03-03 .
  31. Web site: 2015 : Information for Regulations . Outdoornebraska.ne.gov . 2015-07-28 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150413232145/http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/fishing/guides/fishguide/pdf/FishGuide.pdf . 2015-04-13 .
  32. http://www.ndow.org/law/regs/fishregs/nv_fish_regs_2010_lr.pdf
  33. http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Fishing/Fishing_PDFs/FW_Fishing_Guide.pdf
  34. Web site: License Information . State.nj.us . 2015-07-28.
  35. http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/publications/documents/rib/2010/10-11_Fishing_RIB.pdf
  36. Web site: 2015-2016 New York Freshwater Fishing Regulations – The Official New York Department of Environmental Conservation Freshwater Fishing Guide | New York Freshwater Fishing Guide | eRegulations.com . Pub.jfgriffin.com . 2015-07-27 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101203103152/http://pub.jfgriffin.com/doc/jfgriffin/10NYFW . 2010-12-03 .
  37. http://www.ncwildlife.org/Regs/2010_11/2010-11_RegsDigest.pdf
  38. http://gf.nd.gov/regulations/fish/pdf/2010-2012fish-guide.pdf
  39. Web site: ODNR Division of Wildlife - Hunting, Fishing, Trapping, Birding, Wildlife Viewing & Research in Ohio . Ohiodnr.com . 2015-07-27.
  40. http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/regs/2010fishguide.pdf
  41. http://www.dfw.state.or.us/fish/docs/2010_Oregon_Sport_Fishing_Regs.pdf
  42. http://fishandboat.com/fishpub/summary/z00complete.pdf
  43. http://www.dem.ri.gov/pubs/regs/regs/fishwild/fish1011.pdf
  44. Web site: Unlawful Actions & Penalties Associated with Title 50 Chapter 13 Protection of Fish . South Carolina Department of Natural Resources . 24 April 2014.
  45. Web site: South Dakota 2011 Fishing Handbook . Gfp.sd.gov . 2015-07-28.
  46. Web site: Tennessee Fishing guide 2015-2016 . State.tn.us . 2015-07-28.
  47. http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/nonpwdpubs/media/regulations_summary_2010_2011.pdf
  48. http://wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks/2010_fishing/2010_fishing.pdf
  49. Web site: 2015 Vermont Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Guide – The Official Vermont Fish and Wildlife Regulations Guide | Vermont Fish and Wildlife Regulations | eRegulations.com . Pub.jfgriffin.com . 2015-07-27 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101201065656/http://pub.jfgriffin.com/doc/jfgriffin/10vtab/2009120702 . 2010-12-01 .
  50. Web site: Virginia Marine Resources Commission : Recreational Fishing Regulations for Virginia's Marine Waters . PDF . Mrc.state.va.us . 2015-07-28.
  51. Web site: Washington State 2010-2011 Sportfishing Rules Pamphlet . Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife . 21 March 2011.
  52. Web site: Regulations - Other Methods of Fishing . Wvdnr.org . 2015-07-28.
  53. http://flipflashpages.uniflip.com/2/20432/50594/pub/
  54. Web site: Wyoming Game & Fish Department . Gf.state.wy.us . 2015-07-27 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120105205530/http://gf.state.wy.us/downloads/pdf/fishregs.pdf . 2012-01-05 .
  55. Web site: Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 . UK Government . August 13, 2020.
  56. Book: Howarth, William . Freshwater Fishery Law . Financial Training Publications . 1987 . 978-1-85185-030-3.

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