Flossing/Bottom Bouncing

[otter]

Im confused. Been sockeye fishing on the Fraser couple of times on the Fraser last few years.Completely new for me. Brother in law and i boated up to a bar and hooked up. Bouncing Betty they call them,no float,hook set up with short leader extension,bead attatchment.Sockeye we caught hooked in the lips..Gets more confusing as i try to describe this,is this unethical flossing?Thanks to anyone trying to explain this to my pea brain.

B Gibb

 

[otter]

OK what is flossing anyhow

B Gibb

 

[bigragu]

from Wiki...

Flossers are anglers who use the method of "bottom bouncing" to catch fish. Their catch is mainly from the salmon species.

Flossing is a controversial method, regarded by some as an unethical way of harvesting fish. It is also called "bottom bouncing", "snagging" or "ripping". The method employed uses leaders of between 10 and 25 feet (3 and 8 metres) with a 1 to 4 ounce (30 to 115 gram) lead weight called a "Bouncing Betty " (named after an infamously lethal landmine first used during World War 2). Due to angling regulations in British Columbia, Chile, Peru, and Argentina, hooks devoid of any dressing (whether artificial or organic) are illegal.

To work with this method, meat-fishermen often tie on long strands of green or orange wool or Corkies to their hooks. The technique of bottom bouncing is to position the long leader so that it flosses itself through the fish's mouth. The hook attached at the end of the leader then usually pierces the fish's mouth from the outside in as the weight pulls the line downstream. The fish is snagged in the mouth, this is considered by many to be unethical. Bottom bouncing is commonly practiced in the summer months on the Fraser River, when sockeye and chinook salmon run upstream to spawn.

Every year, numerous internet fishing forums are alight with flossing debates as the conflicting sides contest their view points.

 

[otter]

well thanks BR. guess theoretically i have flossed,but iam skeptical about that happening.Not to disagree with you but why would a extra long length of leader be drawn through a open fishs mouth till hook time? i got to think this one out some more.

B Gibb

 

[cammer]

this issue can be described to confuse the uneducated, flossing</u> is the deliberate/intentional hooking of a fish in the mouth without the fish actually biting. It can be done with the use of floats, lures and bottom bouncing. Its very difficult to prove this technique as actual snagging on the Fraser especially, the water is so dirty that you cant see the fish in it so the debate continues as to whether the fish is biting or is getting the line hooked in its mouth. Its easy to determine in clean water as drifts are made where the visual spotting of fish in a run, fish are hooked with extremely long leaders and distances between float and weights (too long for the depth of the run). The length of the leader increases the chances of hooking fish as more line means more line can get into the fish's mouth

 

[otter]

why would a sockeye open its mouth to allow leader to run through it? Leader is not food, prey etc.I am starting to doubt this theory however what bothers me is the hook been buried in the side of the mouth. That would explain the flossing aspect i guess Sorry still skepticle.

B Gibb

 

[Brisco]

When the sockeye are in the river they pretty much are stacked one on top of another. They find and hold incertain sections of water and while they are there they open and close their mouths flushing water through the gills. I will take you out there and catch fish all day on a bare hook. Yes all in the mouth. I am ashamed to admit it but I am quite good at it. I have not been out for 3 years now and don't agree with the method. Some justify it as a meat fishery but what about all the springs that are taken as well as coho and even steelhead.

 

[Rum Buddies]

Don't forget the spey and gay crowd and their 20 foot leaders, they love flossing coho on the stamp.

 

[otter]

OK im starting to get it

B Gibb

 

[cammer]

the Stamp is a complete conundrum to me, the coho have poured into that river in september , loaded in each pool and the Fuggers wont bite(coho remember), so like Brisco was saying, the flossing crowd is out in full force, that is a complete fact, the fish hardly bite in that river???, springs however at the same time are much better biters and peach wool combos do the trick, flossing in the clear water is usually a no no and is totally scorned but on the stamp its more acceptable IMHO

 

[Brisco]

I'm wondering what the next trick will be. Fish are getting fewer and fewer and here we are coming up with ways to get every last one of the poor suckers.Picture thousands of guys shoulder to shoulder on on the narrowest part of the Fraser casting and snagging fish. Sure its fun but once you step back and have a look its kind of disgusting. Sports guys are better than that.

 

[Luna]

Shut down salmon fishing in the rivers all together at the first sign of any conservation concerns. Once they make their migration and dodge the guantlet of gear along the coast they should be protected. Oh yea green whool is hot,lol. Snag, floss, and jig away, F'ers or should I say Nit Newbs. My 2 cents. Heard horny is coming out of retirement, he's gonna get ya boy!!