Foul hooking vs. snagging?

[mustardthetrout]

I was recently fishing for pinks in a small stream with upwards of thousands of fish crammed in a small area. As in any other situation involving large numbers of pink salmon, I caught lots of fish. However, I noticed that a good number of the fish I was catching were foul hooked due to the high density of salmon. I was trying to hook the fish in the mouth (and lots were), so I don't believe I was "snagging." However, I talked to some people later on who had differing views.

I was wondering what the general consensus about snagging vs. foul hooking is in this community. Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Yogidabear]

If you foul hook them you release them unharmed, if you snag them ON PURPOSE you should have your balls cut off and all your other gear taken away so you can never fish again. That's my 2 cents

 

[rogerdodger]

foul hooking is always possible when fishing, certainly happens now and then while trolling when a fish comings in for a look and gets hooked outside the mouth...

intentional snagging is a result of rigging and/or technique. if you are fishing with a normal rig (for example, not using an extra long leader) and normal technique (normal spinning method as opposed to ripping in line with the rod low to the water), then you are not snagging. you are fishing.

 

[sapo]

Yep..these guys are right.

Ya foul hooking is pretty much snagging the fish unintentionally..snagging is trying to hook them wherever possible on purpose

 

[Socaaron]

Also if you were fishing for pinks it wasn't in Oregon. I do know that in certain rivers in Alaska "snagging" is a legal form of angling as far from real angling as it actually is. As long as your intent was not to intentionally hook a fish in this way then you should feel at least partially free from guilt. But as mentioned rigging can play a part. The only times I've ever foul hooked a fish are while running a dry dropper on the fly(they come up to take the dry,miss then run into my nymph as the swim back down), or when using a spinner for steelhead. It's never intentionally but I always feel bad...