# maumee river snagging



## PARK92

How many fish do you think are taken illegally each year from guys that snag fish? I know 
There's no way to get an exact number but I'd like to hear what everyone has to say. I always
.thought hell there are upwards of about a million walleye in the river(I'm just throwing a 
Number out) and if you can't catch one in the mouth then you shouldn't even be aloud to buy
A fishing license. What do you guys think?


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## fish4wall

this will be my 22nd year fising the river and i think your 100% right!!! if you can hook them in the mouth you don't need to be fishing!!! but i think the snagging has gotten better.but its still BAD!!! i do remember a day when youd feel the fish hit you in the leg there was so many on the river. good luck to you all this year...i do think we'll have a better run this year..


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## Jdivence

Not sure about all year, but I know that during the run I see tons of DNR officers watching for snags and for limits. I have even heard of DNR officers in plain clothes fishing along side everyone and busting people who keep snags.


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## PARK92

i wasnt saying all year, during the run. and yes they have field officers dressed in waders fishing the river like the average joe and when the not so in intelligent joe keeps a snagged fish they get a hefty fine.


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## AvianHunter

Just hit the fish before your rig gets to 12 o'clock and they'll never be "snagged" :T


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## Fishing4the Lamb

AvianHunter said:


> Just hit the fish before your rig gets to 12 o'clock and they'll never be "snagged" :T


Thanks for the tip. 


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## PARK92

yea when you see a guy that has his arms in the water up to his shoulders you can put a safe bet on hes keeping snagged fish because he doesnt want anyone to see him unhook his rig from the dorsal fin.


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## kprice

I fish the run pretty hard from the beg of March to late April and I see close to a dozen illegally kept fish every year. Most guys play by the rules IMO but there will always be guys that never learn. Sometimes I wish there was some type of class people could take to be able to write up tickets during the run. That would definitely stop people from snagging. There are simply not enough game wardens...


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## BFG

You should define what you believe to be a "snagged" fish. 

I'd wager that about 90% of the fish I see kept in the river every year are hooked outside-in on the opposite side of the fish's face that the angler is standing, with the hook going through the thin skin between the cheek and the lips. If you ask a CO about that, you will get a different answer every time as to whether or not that fish is foul hooked. 

Most of the fish are hooked at a 45 degree angle downstream from the angler. Like AH said..if you hook 'em before your rig gets to 12:00, you likely have a fish in the mouth. The further downstream, the greater your odds for a foul hooked fish.

The exception to this rule is the guy who uses the black streamers. He fishes directly downstream, and he uses forceps to get the hooks out of his fish. 

If we are snagging them, we must be damn good at it. I typically will land a dozen or so fish every year that are hooked through the nostril...what are the odds of that happening? 

I haven't seen a fish kept that was hooked anyplace away from the face in a long time. Not since they busted those guys in the Tracker boat a few years back. The use of floaters had drastically reduced the number of belly-hooked and tail-hooked fish. 

And before all the lake guys start chiming in about the "river snaggers" ruining the fishery and such, trust me....from what I saw on the big pond last year during the jig season, what happens on the river pales in comparison to what happens on the big pond. We have one hook...you all get one really big hook...and that little gem called a stinger, which just happens to come into play on most catches. 

To each his own...that is how it is, and that is how it should be left alone. Nobody walks out of that river with more than four fish on their stringer.


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## 21579

Couldn't have said it better myself. Very well put BFG.


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## Harbor Hunter

I haven't fished the Maumee or Sandusky run for several years now,I'm pretty much just into bass fishing these days.Back in the day,snagging was way more intentional than what it appears to be now,it was very easy to see a guy's intentions just by watching the way he fished.Again,I don't fish the runs at all,so I have no vested interest about what goes on at either place.I tend to agree with what BFG said,if I understood it correctly.If a guy is fishing legally,which means no intentional snagging,and he accidentally foul hooks 4 fish,and keeps them,those 4 fish will be leaving the river the same as with a guy that removes 4 caught in the mouth.I wouldn't do it,and most of you wouldn't do it,so why worry about some guy that does? It happens on the lake,the bay and in the rivers every spring to some extent,I wouldn't let it lessen my fun any by worrying about what others may be doing.If I saw someone intentionally trying to snag fish,that would be different-to me.It's the same thing in bass fishing(other than sight fishing),sometimes you'll get a solid hit,and the bass may be hooked somewhere other than in the mouth,and in a lot of states that is considered a legal catch.This happened at a big Bassmaster TX a couple of years ago,many bass were foul-hooked,but were legal to keep because they were unintentionally snagged.My opinion on the walleye runs,if you're intentionally trying to snag fish,you're an a-hole and should be busted to the fullest extent of the law,if you keep an unintentionally snagged fish,you're incredibly stupid considering all the LEO's present,but if you do either,I could care less you're not going to ruin my day.


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## PARK92

i didnt post this thread because im worrying about what other people are doing, i posted this thread just to see what other fellow maumee run fisherman thought about the subject, i simply said if you cant legally catch a walleye during the spawn and catch your fish legally then you shouldnt even be fishing the run. and to the guys that go down there and intentionally snag fish, you shouldnt be fishing at all. because on most days you can go down there and snag 10 fish before you legally cath your 4.


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## 9Left

fish4wall said:


> !
> 
> " i do remember a day when youd feel the fish hit you in the leg there was so many on the river. "
> 
> 
> Those days have not gone anywhere my friend..i feel them bumpin my legs at least once or twice each spring in the river..still a lot of fish there!


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## Redhunter1012

I honestly cant remember the last time I seen people that were attempting to snag. There used to be "crews" down there that worked together. The floater has made it so easy to get fish most of the guys have gone legit. I do see a few of them that still keep a "close" one if given the opportunity.


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## PARK92

i know of one group of guys that still work together and keep every single snagged fish caught. they fish at shroeder farms religously. i fished next to them a couple of times and couldnt even believe that they never get caught. the one guy refers to himself as "one of the only maumee river outlaws left" and it might sound stupid but im not making that up. hes a true dumbass. he brags about snagging fish.


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## spikeg79

PARK92 said:


> i know of one group of guys that still work together and keep every single snagged fish caught. they fish at shroeder farms religously. i fished next to them a couple of times and couldnt even believe that they never get caught. the one guy refers to himself as "one of the only maumee river outlaws left" and it might sound stupid but im not making that up. hes a true dumbass. he brags about snagging fish.


Why not turn them in then?


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## PARK92

Last year when I walked out of the river I walked past a DNR and I said watch those guys down there. 
Whether they did or didn't is beyond me.
And I don't know all of there first and last names. I know most of them
by "hey dude"


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## JimmyZ

1543 snagged fish kept


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## firelands

More than are legally caught!


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## Redhunter1012

firelands said:


> More than are legally caught!


wrong. ......


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## Redhunter1012

spikeg79 said:


> Why not turn them in then?


The DNR wtaches them do it and know they are snagging. But when a guy keeps a fish down the whole way in and unhooks it and stringers it up with the fisher never being seen, they cannot do anything about it. The few guys that still roll that way are very good at what they do


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## PARK92

redhunter i agree with this statement. they have been doing it for years and are pretty good at it


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## BFG

> 1543 snagged fish kept


In all honesty, the hypocrisy of the regulations for the river and maumee bay in comparison to what can be done on the lake is laughable to say the least. Blade baits with two treble hooks, 1 oz. pancake shaped jigs with hook gaps 3/4" or more plus a stinger treble hook? C'mon... 

But...I pretty much believe that the CO's spend the majority of their time looking for guys that are double/triple dipping limits. One year at White Street, there was a guy who was standing beside me who was struggling to catch fish. He wasn't using heavy enough weight to get his rig down into the trench. I had my four, and noticed his issue. I gave him a 3/4oz. egg sinker and told him to shorten his lead a bit and in no time at all he had his four. A voice from above called down and he was asked to exit the river. When I left, he was standing at his car with the CO...and a cooler that had probably 15 walleyes in it. Ooops...that had to be expensive...

I remember the 5/8oz. leadhead days....handling 40-50 fish in a couple hours and having to toss them all back. That...was snagging. 

In today's world down there, I don't keep 'em if the hook doesn't penetrate a lip or go from the inside-out. I don't have the jack in my pocket to pay for a stupid snagging ticket when I can toss a questionable fish back and keep at it. Regardless of what anyone says, the situation down there is light years different than it was only 15 years ago. 

Myself and a few others that I know were some of the first to start using floating jig heads down there and everybody laughed at us when we made the switch. People can say what they want about Gary Lowry from Maumee Tackle, but that guy drove the train when it came to influencing the switch to floaters. I'm glad to see the change, if for no other reason I rarely see fish that are dragged through the current with a hook stuck in their belly.


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## BFG

> redhunter i agree with this statement. they have been doing it for years and are pretty good at it


And in the grand scope of things, it probably doesn't matter. There are liars, cheats, and crooks everywhere in society and the river is no different. I am not going to potentially risk my personal safety by being the nark at the end of the line. 

Let the guys do their jobs, and kudos to them when they catch someone breaking the law. They'll never get them all, but I would think it is getting more difficult for guys to get away with such things, given that the vast majority of fisherman that I see down there are at least attempting to do it right.


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## Fishing4the Lamb

BFG said:


> And in the grand scope of things, it probably doesn't matter. There are liars, cheats, and crooks everywhere in society and the river is no different. I am not going to potentially risk my personal safety by being the nark at the end of the line.
> 
> Let the guys do their jobs, and kudos to them when they catch someone breaking the law. They'll never get them all, but I would think it is getting more difficult for guys to get away with such things, given that the vast majority of fisherman that I see down there are at least attempting to do it right.


Ultimately accountability fall on the individual. And if you break the rules, eventually things catch up to you. But if you do as you are allowed then you never have anything to worry about. In all reality anyone can lie cheat and steal their way into their bag limit. By I takes a real fisherman to get it legitimately. I'd rather go home empty handed every day, than know I had to snag a fish to catch one. But then again I have character. And so do the rest of you guys. I'd be interested to hear when you guys are going out to the run and where you guys are gonna be fishing it at. 


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## PARK92

I'll be trying it in a couple weeks. Depending on the water level
I'll either be at Orleans or buttonwood. All of the guys I normally
Fish with hate the run so 90% of the time I go down there alone. 
I love going down there I think of it as a northwest Ohio past time.
And the fact that I meet someone new every time I go to the river.
Hell two years ago I was fishing next to an entire family from Tennessee
that came up just for the run. I think its cool how many people it attracts
from all over.


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## flyfishingman

I'll be trying at the end of February. I hit the river at Side Cut Park to get a feel for the river. I've never fished there but was throwing some flies to possibly fly fish for walleye. Call me crazy but you can pretty much catch anything on the fly. I'm addicted and cannot go back to a spincast rod no matter what I try to do.


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## anglermama

I agree it will catch up with you! Play by the rule you have nothing to worry about. I always get a kick when someone asks if the DNR are at the campground alot...
I think the best part of running the campground is all the people I get to meet and all the friendships made! And they do come from ALL over!


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## KaGee

DNR brings in re-enforcements from around the state to assist during mid-March through April. Seems like every year you always read in the paper of an arrest or two and the accused take a pretty good hit. Never stops somebody else from trying the following year.


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## DeathFromAbove

flyfishingman said:


> I'll be trying at the end of February. I hit the river at Side Cut Park to get a feel for the river. I've never fished there but was throwing some flies to possibly fly fish for walleye. Call me crazy but you can pretty much catch anything on the fly. I'm addicted and cannot go back to a spincast rod no matter what I try to do.


Dude, you bring a fly rod to the run and you're gonna be "That Guy" that everyone talks about on here.After the run for the jacks, and follow "em all the way up to Grand Rapids, I'm doing that myself this year. First time you get about 3 guys with braided tangled around that expensive fly line you'll probably wish you hadnt brought it down there.


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## Fishing4the Lamb

DeathFromAbove said:


> Dude, you bring a fly rod to the run and you're gonna be "That Guy" that everyone talks about on here.After the run for the jacks, and follow "em all the way up to Grand Rapids, I'm doing that myself this year. First time you get about 3 guys with braided tangled around that expensive fly line you'll probably wish you hadnt brought it down there.


I second this post. I lost quite a few cheap lures last year that way. Stick to the spin caster and you won't be hurting your wallet. 


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## BFG

> I'd be interested to hear when you guys are going out to the run and where you guys are gonna be fishing it at.


A couple days after the water stays in the 40's, I'll give it a go. I never expect to catch fish on the first trip, but last year we did and that was March 7th. 

This year is different...


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## Redhunter1012

There is a new GW for Wood County. Marty retired last year after the run. I seen the new guy during Gun and ML season buthe just watched and never checked us. Was actually hoping to stop and BS with him


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## REEL GRIP

Any where else in the US and Canada, if you get caught fishing 
in a river during the Walleye spawn, you will go to jail, the Ohio DNR
is out of their minds,by letting the go on. Snagged or Caught
its BS. We are talking spawning fish here, leave the alone.


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## jiggin'fool

REEL GRIP said:


> Any where else in the US and Canada, if you get caught fishing
> in a river during the Walleye spawn, you will go to jail, the Ohio DNR
> is out of their minds,by letting the go on. Snagged or Caught
> its BS. We are talking spawning fish here, leave the alone.


so does that mean you don't fish in the spring when most fish spawn?


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## KaGee

In Ohio It's a legal activity. Biologists are confident nothing is harmed and I choose to believe them. There is also no reason to abuse the right by harvesting in a way deemed not legal.

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## Bad Bub

REEL GRIP said:


> Any where else in the US and Canada, if you get caught fishing
> in a river during the Walleye spawn, you will go to jail, the Ohio DNR
> is out of their minds,by letting the go on. Snagged or Caught
> its BS. We are talking spawning fish here, leave the alone.


Port Clinton is still considered the walleye capital of the world, and most of the fish come from these runs. I'd be willing to bet it's not destroying the fishery...

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## weight forward

I don't get the opportunity to fish during the spawn very much, but when I do it's always from a boat on the reefs. It is definitley a LOT of fun. I have heard a lot of people say the RIVER fishing should be banned during the spawn. I disagree with a spawn ban, but if they did consider that, then the lake should be included too. Most of the walleye in the lake spawn on the lake, not the rivers. The problem with fishing during the spawn is that's the time the big females are concentrated into smaller areas and more prone to being caught...in big numbers. IMO, there should at least be a slot limit. Nothing under ?", and nothing over ?", with maybe an exception for an exceptionally huge fish of over ?" or ?lbs. Leave the females alone, especially during the spawn. However, taking a big girl out of the lake at any time means it won't be laying eggs the next spring...period.


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## rutnut245

REEL GRIP said:


> Any where else in the US and Canada, if you get caught fishing
> in a river during the Walleye spawn, you will go to jail, the Ohio DNR
> is out of their minds,by letting the go on. Snagged or Caught
> its BS. We are talking spawning fish here, leave the alone.


Obviously you haven't seen what goes on in the lake during the spawn. This subject has been beat to death and if it seriously affected the numbers, changes would have been made a long time ago.Even though it is the largest walleye migration east of the Mississippi, the majority of lake Erie walleye spawn in the lake. Also a large percentage of the fish in the Maumee were found through telemetry studies to come fom lake St. Clair and the Detroit river.


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## KaGee

Rutnut is correct about where the fish come from.

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## 9Left

REEL GRIP said:


> Any where else in the US and Canada, if you get caught fishing
> in a river during the Walleye spawn, you will go to jail, the Ohio DNR
> is out of their minds,by letting the go on. Snagged or Caught
> its BS. We are talking spawning fish here, leave the alone.



really man?? No where else in the entire united states has a run consisting of hundreds of thousands of walleye in a single river either..and that being just a small percentage of the walleye population..thats why its legal..and we have terrific populations that are sustained EVERY year..consistently..i think there are WAAAY more ethical fisherman up that way that legally catch fish than there are that snag them..


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## B Thomas

I'll say it again.....the monster hatch of 03 wasn't due to the overabundance of females!!!!! The stars lined up.....as for keeping fish during the spawn....EVERY fish caught is a spawner no matter when its caught so if you don't want to fish them in the spring how do you justify taking them after? I'm sure the DNR guys know better than us about managing the fishery

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## yonderfishin

This thread has been an interesting read. Thanks for all the info. 


Seems like the large amount of spawning walleye are a direct result of management of the species through one way or another. There probably wouldnt be as many without it even if there was nobody catching them. In other words the fishery is indirectly man made , as large as it is. I cant say for sure but the fish population what it is seems artificial to me , a direct result of mans influence. Part of that management though is thinning them out to a point so that other top predator species have room to exist and enough available food. Theres steelhead and pike and lake trout and others out there too. Even with all the walleye caught , there are fish in excess. Looks like taking some spawners is a good thing to me , its worked for a lot of years now. Snagging or taking fish illegally should never be tolerated but taking fish legally is a part of the management process.


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## Fishing4the Lamb

That's one of those things. If you feel inclined to throw the females back, then do so. By if you want to keep them, go ahead and do that too. I think the main thing that people need to do is respect the bag limit and clean up after yourself. But I think I am preaching to the choir here. If there was a danger of hurting the spawning run by keeping the females, there would be a regulation for it, and signs posted. Plus it's hard enough to catch a walleye most days, they aren't going to be an endangered species anytime soon. 


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## sherman51

i havent fished the maumee in years. but when i did i snagged 2 or 3 fish for every fish i caught leagle. i have made some trips that the only thing i caught was snagged. i have come home without a fish at times. and that can be alittle hard on a guy thats just drove 185 miles each way. but for me its in the fishing and not how many i bring home. theres just no reason to keep a snagged fish.

as for keeping legal fish i dont see anything wrong with fishing the spawn as long as its legal. i fish the central basin of erie now and most of the fish thats caught are big females. whats the difference when and where you catch them if your taking the big females out?? the dnr uses limits on the fish to adjust for the human factor on the fish population. im sure if the fishery was in danger they would cut the limits. and if needed they would stop fishing all together during the spawn.

if you really want to stop the taking of big females then they should close the central basin for a couple of years. there is alot more big females caught in the central basin each year than in the river or on the reefs. but to close the river to fishing would be like putting a bandaid on a bruise. its not going to help anything its just going to look like it is.

as long as the population of eyes is at a leval where its not in any danger then theres nothing that should be done. i would really hate to see them cut the limits. because i have to drive 335 miles each way to fish the central basin. it would just be hard to justify the trip if the limit was 3 fish. even tho i consider it a good trip if everybody on my boat gets 3 fish each. but its nice to know 6 fish is possable.

we have been fishing the spawn for as long as i can remember and this subject has been at the top of the list for as long as i can remember. but we are still catching eyes every year and there still there. the limits has changed a few times but the dnr hasnt seen fit to close river fishing or fishing on the reefs. things would have to be very bad for them to close fishing all together when they can control the fish with limit changes.

the walleye fishery in ohio is a billion dollar income for the state of ohio. if fishing the spawn put this money in danger they would have closed fishing the spawn many years ago. so lets all just enjoy the way we like to fish and have fun. and keep it legal
sherman


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## Fishing4the Lamb

sherman51 said:


> so lets all just enjoy the way we like to fish and have fun. and keep it legal
> sherman


Amen Sherman. 


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## Jmsteele187

I like the idea of a slot limit. Slot limits have done a lot in the way of improving the quality of fisheries in other parts of the country. I just don't see a need in keeping the big hogs, weather it's a female or a jack. The big fish aren't the the best table fare anyways. If its a trophy you're after, a good option is to take some measurements and weigh it, then take a couple of pics. You can take the pics and info to your taxidermist and have a replica made. If your taxidermist is good the replica should look just as good if not better, and it will last longer than a skin mount.


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## watchout_walleye

I remember the first time a fish bumped my leg. I thought it was halarious. As far as snagging goes. Completly unsportmanship thru and thru! Just cause they have no skills to catch walleye. I personally never keep any species of snagged fish!


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## BFG

People can say whatever they want, but I've watched several walleye jigging videos on the 'net over the past week or so and without a doubt, there are a lot of fish that come to the net with the hooks outside-in, or the fish is hooked only with the stinger, not the primary. 

It is what it is...reactionary strike or whatever...both on the lake and in the river.


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## Jmsteele187

BFG said:


> People can say whatever they want, but I've watched several walleye jigging videos on the 'net over the past week or so and without a doubt, there are a lot of fish that come to the net with the hooks outside-in, or the fish is hooked only with the stinger, not the primary.
> 
> It is what it is...reactionary strike or whatever...both on the lake and in the river.


Stinger hooks? On the river, those are very illegal during the run. Same with treble hooks.


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## idontknow316

BFG was referring to the jig bite on the reefs. And I agree with him that more fish are snagged on the lake than in the river.


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## 9Left

sherman51 said:


> so lets all just enjoy the way we like to fish and have fun. and keep it legal
> sherman


..this is pretty much the bottom line +1


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## Flathead76

I think that more snagged fish on the lake are kept compared to the river. I have witnessed people ripping blades as hard as they could possibly rip them. You think to yourself wouldnt it be easier to try to fish for them? Its alot harder to enforce on the lake compared to the river. On the river fisherman are bunched up shoulder to shoulder. Its easier to focus on a group of fisherman there. On the lake the boats are drifting over the reefs. So the DNR would have to take a boat out there and spot check them while pretending to fish. Its easier for them to focus on the ramps and check for over bagging and double dipping.


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## watchout_walleye

fish4wall said:


> this will be my 22nd year fising the river and i think your 100% right!!! if you can hook them in the mouth you don't need to be fishing!!! but i think the snagging has gotten better.but its still BAD!!! i do remember a day when youd feel the fish hit you in the leg there was so many on the river. good luck to you all this year...i do think we'll have a better run this year..


Hey FISH4WALL I gotta remember your motto this spring " ask your wife....s*x or fishing? Take a sweater its cold outside!" Too funny! I'm sure my wife will have the same reply. As far as this years run goes I feel its will be better. The river had to of froze more this year than last. Buttonwood is one my more productive spots especially at the end of the run! Good luck this year!


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## walleye..dan

snagging should always be illegal any where


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## DeathFromAbove

I'd like to start a poll here. Do you really think a walleye caught on the outside of the lips is a snagged fish? Did that fish go for the bait or was he lined? I'll step out on a limb here and cast the first vote. I do not believe that a fish caught in the lips should constitute a snagged fish. I think it was going for the bait. Ive watched my kids and grandkids eat and they're lucky to hit their mouth half the time. A walleye in a fast moving cold muddy river is doing good to eat it at all. Your opinion?


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## Bad Bub

DeathFromAbove said:


> I'd like to start a poll here. Do you really think a walleye caught on the outside of the lips is a snagged fish? Did that fish go for the bait or was he lined? I'll step out on a limb here and cast the first vote. I do not believe that a fish caught in the lips should constitute a snagged fish. I think it was going for the bait. Ive watched my kids and grandkids eat and they're lucky to hit their mouth half the time. A walleye in a fast moving cold muddy river is doing good to eat it at all. Your opinion?


I agree.... but.... the rule comes from the need to draw a line somewhere. Imagine if the rule was "any fish hooked behind the eye is a snagged fish". The arguments over that description would be daunting to say the least....

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## BFG

> "any fish hooked behind the eye is a snagged fish"


C'mon now...they swat it with their tails to stun it first, then turn on it...that is how they get hooked in the belly sometimes.


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## fisherboy

Quite a long time ago (back in the day) the local game warden (John M decreased) said it was ok to keep anything hooked in the head. How times changed. But back then almost everybody used lead, a lot of lead.


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## homerun

2 Years ago friends and I were fishing the Sandusky. We snagged at least 6 walleye which we promptly released. When we left the river we were checked by the ODNR. I told them that we released all the snagged fish and that's why we were skunked. The ODNR officer confirmed everything I said because they were spotting us. He also mentioned that the 2 fishermen across the river from us were going to be ticketed as they kept their snagged fish. They could tell even though they were netting under the water. 

The ODNR spotter was in a deer stand in a tree at least 100 yards from the river. Be careful and, if in doubt, release the fish.


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## Fishing4the Lamb

homerun said:


> They could tell even though they were netting under the water.
> 
> The ODNR spotter was in a deer stand in a tree at least 100 yards from the river. Be careful and, if in doubt, release the fish.


 Yeah, if you're trying to hide the fish from sight, you're gonna get ticketed. It's best to just throw them back. 



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## Flathead76

homerun said:


> 2 Years ago friends and I were fishing the Sandusky. We snagged at least 6 walleye which we promptly released. When we left the river we were checked by the ODNR. I told them that we released all the snagged fish and that's why we were skunked. The ODNR officer confirmed everything I said because they were spotting us. He also mentioned that the 2 fishermen across the river from us were going to be ticketed as they kept their snagged fish. They could tell even though they were netting under the water.
> 
> The ODNR spotter was in a deer stand in a tree at least 100 yards from the river. Be careful and, if in doubt, release the fish.


Brian Bury writes more tickets than any game warden in Ohio. He is fair but if you cross the line you can bet he will be taking his pen out.


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## Erie1

Park
A lot of guys snag up river. Some throw them back and others play a game with the ODNR CATCH ME IF YOU CAN. Oh yes they are very proud when they get away with it. But when they get caught they cry like babys when they pay that (I think it's over a $100.00 now) fine.
Hmmmm I wonder what else they could have used that money for?


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## Erie1

If someone comes up to you wanting to buy your fish never ever say ok because they could be DNR. I understand they are doing this alot more up the Maumee.


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## jiggin'fool

I thought it was $125 per fish... that they kept snagged.... you know someone on here has got busted for it so what is the fine?


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## DeathFromAbove

homerun said:


> 2 Years ago friends and I were fishing the Sandusky. We snagged at least 6 walleye which we promptly released. When we left the river we were checked by the ODNR. I told them that we released all the snagged fish and that's why we were skunked. The ODNR officer confirmed everything I said because they were spotting us. He also mentioned that the 2 fishermen across the river from us were going to be ticketed as they kept their snagged fish. They could tell even though they were netting under the water.
> 
> The ODNR spotter was in a deer stand in a tree at least 100 yards from the river. Be careful and, if in doubt, release the fish.


They sit up on river road in a truck on the maumee. you can walk up and talk to them. Theyll usually let you look thru their glass, and if you do youll never think about snagging again. very high end stuff. They know if you shaved that morning or not.


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## KaGee

jiggin'fool said:


> I thought it was $125 per fish... that they kept snagged.... you know someone on here has got busted for it so what is the fine?


There has been instances of boats and vehicles seized, offenders hauled into court for snagging and over harvesting.... 

Here is an instance that happened 6 years ago, there have been others since, I just can't find them.


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## Capt. Crude

I think that occurs(seizure of boats/equipment) when the anglers in question.. Are from out of state and cant afford the fine then and there.


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## BadMouthFishing

TOUCHY,TOYCHY ANYONE WHOS PUT THERE TIME IN THE RIVERS OR SHORELINES WITH ROAMING SPAWNERS KNOWS TOUCHY, TOUCHY just saying west branch brian!%[email protected]:B:C YA ITS LIKE THAT AND LIKE THIS AND LIKE THAT


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## the_waterwolf

I've spent time on the Maumee and the Sandusky and I've only witnessed snagging on the Sandusky. Legitimate, throw a lead head out and start ripping. I almost couldn't believe my eyes! lol

I really wish the dam would come down... according to historical records the walleye run on the Sandusky was more impressive than the Maumee!


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## Erie1

the_waterwolf said:


> I've spent time on the Maumee and the Sandusky and I've only witnessed snagging on the Sandusky. Legitimate, throw a lead head out and start ripping. I almost couldn't believe my eyes! lol
> 
> *I really wish the dam would come down... according to historical records the walleye run on the Sandusky was more impressive than the Maumee![/*QUOTE]
> 
> I DON"T THINK THE SANDUSKY EVER PRODUCED MORE WALLEYES THEN THE MAUMEE!!!!! Nope never happened!!!
> Just having a little fun..


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## the_waterwolf

@Erie1

HaHa hey ya never know

It would be nice to see the dam come out and see a muskie fishery return


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## Erie1

Need Fishing NOW!!


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