# Is this a snag or catch?



## Ir0nMan (Mar 4, 2018)

Some people says if you hook a fish anywhere on its head its a catch not a snag. 

True or False?


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

The Pro's call it a catch. Outside the mouth is a snag to me. You will never know the difference when it hits the hot grease.


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## ezbite (May 25, 2006)

if the bait is not in the mouth, it's snagged and illegal.


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## SConner (Mar 3, 2007)

Maybe this will help you sort it out. Taken directly from ODNR regulations.


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## sixtyminutes (Jan 3, 2009)

Not if it is a rough fish such as a carp. They are blast to snag. As kids we used to snag carp all summer long. Nothing like wading the creeks in summer. Great memories.


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## Shad Rap (Nov 10, 2010)

False


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## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

Inside the mouth is hooked. Anywhere else is snagged. Fished w/my BIL below Devol's dam last dam before the Ohio) on the Muskingum. Snagged a couple of huge buffalo down there!


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

...Go and fish the walleye run and keep a fish hooked in the head… Then make your post...


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

even if the fish is hooked in the lip if the hook goes from the outside it is still snagged by the ohio laws and most other states. it must be hooked inside the mouth.
sherman


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## PapaMike (Jul 12, 2017)

And if you snag a fish by accident, it's 3 to 5 at the big house.


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## Shad Rap (Nov 10, 2010)

PapaMike said:


> And if you snag a fish by accident, it's 3 to 5 at the big house.


Bologna.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

Shad Rap said:


> Balogna.


yeah but it was a nice touch.
sherman


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## Shad Rap (Nov 10, 2010)

sherman51 said:


> yeah but it was a nice touch.
> sherman


This is true...am I gonna get 3-5 in the big house for running the stop sign at the end of my street?..I better be more careful...its a cruel world out there.


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## EnonEye (Apr 13, 2011)

OK story time kids... back in the day... up at 4AM to fish that stinkin milkshake they call the Maumee, bout this time of year, after shoveling 2 inches of snow from the boat was on the river at daybreak, partner caught one dink, I caught a dink bought 0830, nothing rest of day cept one big boy carp that made my other partner think he had a world record eye one until it surfaced, as in awwwwwww... back at dock around dusk was approached by ODNR, asked me to give him the 2nd fish on the stringer and proceeded to explain a fish hooked on the outside of the mouth (even when hooked underneath the bottom jaw) was a snagged $85 fish. He even had a drawing he made of where the fish would be show hook marks when he examined it. He was parked in the Meigs parking lot with a spotting scope that day and waited all day for me to come out of the water with my boat. All I can say is it must of been a pretty skinny day of pinching criminals to put that much effort into me for one borderline fish. Lesson learned although I'm still not sure how you snag a fish under the jaw unless he was swiping the lure to hit it??? But hey the ODNR got their man that day!


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## Shad Rap (Nov 10, 2010)

EnonEye said:


> OK story time kids... back in the day... up at 4AM to fish that stinkin milkshake they call the Maumee, bout this time of year, after shoveling 2 inches of snow from the boat was on the river at daybreak, partner caught one dink, I caught a dink bought 0830, nothing rest of day cept one big boy carp that made my other partner think he had a world record eye one until it surfaced, as in awwwwwww... back at dock around dusk was approached by ODNR, asked me to give him the 2nd fish on the stringer and proceeded to explain a fish hooked on the outside of the mouth (even when hooked underneath the bottom jaw) was a snagged $85 fish. He even had a drawing he made of where the fish would be show hook marks when he examined it. He was parked in the Meigs parking lot with a spotting scope that day and waited all day for me to come out of the water with my boat. All I can say is it must of been a pretty skinny day of pinching criminals to put that much effort into me for one borderline fish. Lesson learned although I'm still not sure how you snag a fish under the jaw unless he was swiping the lure to hit it??? But hey the ODNR got their man that day!


Easy...depends what you are using...even if they were intending to hit the bait they still technically missed it...you can snag fish in the head/outside of the mouth with a spoon that weren't intending to hit the bait...crank baits are the same...a lot of baits are like that...it's still snagged.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

Shad Rap said:


> This is true...am I gonna get 3-5 in the big house for running the stop sign at the end of my street?..I better be more careful...its a cruel world out there.


you just never know these days, LOL.

i think the laws on fragrant violations of the laws should be dealt with accordingly. we missed counted our walleye one day and got caught with 2 fish over our limit. we got fined 15.00 for each fish plus 28.00 court cost. which the officer said it wasn't a bad infraction of the law but it was an infraction. if we had been 20 or 30 fish over you know that wouldn't have just been a mistake when counting. and if a fish is foul hooked and its kept you know it wasn't a mistake. and why keep foul hooked fish when they can be caught legal. I've fished the Maumee when for every legal fish caught i foul hooked half a dozen. but i only kept the legal fish.
sherman


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## odell daniel (Nov 5, 2015)

I believe it is 110$ a fish now if caught with snagged fish on stringer, in Fremont you go to jail and have to pay fine before being released, that's a lot more than I will risk, unless i'm pulling the jig out of the mouth that fish is going back. I had a couple buddies get caught a few years ago.


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## Snyd (May 5, 2004)

Outside the mouth is considered a snag but taste just the same.


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## Shad Rap (Nov 10, 2010)

Snyd said:


> Outside the mouth is considered a snag but taste just the same.


That's a neat twist...


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## Gottagofishn (Nov 18, 2009)

Same story, the warden waited all day till we left and sorted through all the fish in the livewell and pulled one out... he said "this one was snagged on the outside of the mouth". They put my friend in the car and took him to the courthouse to pay the fine.
Whatever..... I think they was smokin crack...

I sure do miss fishing the run.... hehe

Yes, no question about it. It must be hooked on the inside of the mouth.


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## HawgHunter (Apr 13, 2004)

I understand the law and the need to enforce it, but who's to say that if I snag a fish, outside the mouth, and release it. The fish then swims downstream and someone catches it legally. There will still be a mark where I snagged it even though the person catching it later caught it legally.
just playing devil's advocate, I don't fish the walleye run so I don't have a horse in the race.

Scott Williams


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## zimmerj (Oct 17, 2014)

Umbrella rigs should be illegal for this very reason. Everytime I've seen one used one or more hooks is somewhere other than the mouth.


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## baiterben (Apr 8, 2012)

HawgHunter said:


> I understand the law and the need to enforce it, but who's to say that if I snag a fish, outside the mouth, and release it. The fish then swims downstream and someone catches it legally. There will still be a mark where I snagged it even though the person catching it later caught it legally.
> just playing devil's advocate, I don't fish the walleye run so I don't have a horse in the race.
> 
> Scott Williams


I was wondering the same. I've caught walleye hooked in the mouth that have had snag marks (so I thought) on them. On ice they go. I'd be a little upset if I got back to the dock and the dnr gave me a fine. Short story. I was fishing out of Geneva one time when I got checked for license while trolling. While being checked I caught a 7# walleye totally snagged outside the mouth with a reef runner. Wardens witnessed it all. Said nice catch and were on they're way??


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## Snyd (May 5, 2004)

Several Years ago I was walleye fishing near Fort Meigs and the guy beside me caught a few fish and put them in his basket he had tied to his belt. A little later that same guy busted several people around me for snagging fish. As he walked back to the bank I noticed that there was a hole in the bottom of his basket.


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## squid_1 (Jun 2, 2005)

The run for many fisherman is there only chance at walleye. 4 fish limit and the amount of effort to enforce is crazy. The captain limit should be enforced as enthusiastically. Quit going up many years ago. Saw too many people with one fish being hauled out by the man.


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## Ir0nMan (Mar 4, 2018)

Many states allow you to use only one hook. I think this is the best way to avoid snags.
Other states 2 hooks on a line. Better chances to snag a fish I reckon.


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