Bass Pro Shop Training Customers to "Floss" Salmon

[Mike Stroud]

Salmon in the American River are having a tough time as it is, with low flows, questionable fisheries management practices, etc... but for goodness sake, don't offer a clinic on snagging salmon! A friend saw a bulletin board notice at Bass Pro in Rocklin. It was advertising a Salmon Fishing clinic on how to use beads for a popular technique of "flossing salmon".

I couldn't believe what I was hearing, so I went to the website. Sure enough, the first clinic is tomorrow, Saturday, 10/10 @ 3:00pm.

We have seen this practice for years with gear folks. Most our incidental salmon hook ups are a result of flossing. Is it illegal? No. Is it controversial? Yes! Is it unethical? Yes!

Now Bass Pro Shop is going to teach people how to perfect this art of snagging. I'm not sure that I'm okay with this.

Anyone else feel the same way, or am I off base?

[johnb]

The fact they actually use the term "flossing" is funny, every serious fisherman knows it's a euphemism for snagging.

Anything they can do to sell long leaders and lead I guess. I suspect it will be a really short, really small clinic, the people that want to fish this way have been doing it long before they had classes.

[Ed Wahl]

The reason it's 'allowed' by DFW is that it just doesn't matter. No matter how many salmon are caught each year as long as the hatchery get's it's quota filled there will be another healthy run. Just a numbers game, and unless the salmon run really crashes there's no reason to crack down on flossing.

My favorite euphemism is 'jigging'. That's where you yank up on your big treble hooks with big 3 foot yanks.