First stop I made was at the guard rail. It was 5:30 am or so. I looked down the embankment and saw 3 fisherman. I asked if it was ok to throw a drift past and beyond thier lines, they were still bottom fishing. They were very kind and said sure. I floated the far seem and had a couple good pull unders. No real success though. I noticed that alot of folks started showing up and packed my gear. I had been clipping skein all morning and was very stinky lol. I took some time to find some ground moss to wipe my hands. I noticed in this time that every person fishing was using just pencil lead and corky rigs.
I knew right away that the folks I had been talking too and having a good morning with were just floss lining. I drove to the marsh hole and hiked in. I asked two float fisherman If it would be ok if I fished about 50 feet downstreem on the slot. They said absolutely and good conversation and jokes ansued. The each caught 1 dark salmon a piece in a matter of 30 minutes. They released them carefully and went on fishing. I was stoked. I knew I would get bites. None though. It was a good time. I skunked and went up to the bridge. Once again the water was beautiful. Then 3 guys showed up and asked if i would rat them out for using corkies. I told them to just look ahaid and read the sighn. On the pridge pillar it clearly read. NO SNAGGERS. So they started floss lining and started catchin native ho's and askin if they could keep them. I told them that they were not legal to keep and fifteen minutes later and no bites on the roe I left to hit up the tackle box hole. I was amazed at the things I whitnessed. People leaving with native coho. Blood on the bank and 3 guys floss lining. I floated the boiling water trough for a bit as one guy snagged 3 coho and because he was sick of catching them, he drug them up the bank and dumped them in the falls downstream. This was the first and last time I will ever fish the salmon river system for this reason. Never in my days of fishing many rivers, have I ever seen such a disregard for law, ethics, and just plain disrespect for nature and the reasons why we fish.I had to vent and I am sorry for making such a long thread. I just had to get it out. Thanks for your patience.
