Final Word on Foul Hooked Fish

[Mike Giusti]

I just got word from Sacramento that the hooks must be in the fishes mouth. The regulation says the bait or lure must be in the fishes mouth and this is being enforced as the hooks must be in the mouth. See Fish and Game regulations 2.00 c or page 9 in the booklet.

Sorry for the confusion.

Mike

[Jim V.]

CALIFORNIA CODES
FISH AND GAME CODE
SECTION 1-89

15. "Angling" means the taking of, or attempting to take, fish by
hook and line with the line held in the hand, or by hook and line
with the line attached to a pole or rod which is closely attended or
held in the hand in such a manner that the fish voluntarily takes the
bait or lure in its mouth.

[big_gorilla]

Thanks Mike.

That how BASS described it on tv as California law.

Now should all circuits follow this cuz none of the tournament I have fished brought this up.

I know we go by honor system but should TD be bringing this up?

Thanks!

[CharlieS.]

Wow..Jim V,,Ive never actually looked it up before ,thanx...pretty cut and dried huh. Doesnt leave much room for questions . Henry ,tough call...like I said before Keith and I threw 2 back this year , felt it was the right call-yea..cost a ck or two ,.. I would feel pretty bad if we weighed either one in ,and was asked where was hooked .,Then ya have another call-lie and say nope,was inside the mouth and stand ground? Or say-well ,the "intent" wasnt for the fish to miss and get foul hooked? Or what the heck..just say yea...since its ok outside the mouth I thought the lateral line was a nice target? Kidding..Charlie

[Guy Williams]

Looks like I'm going to have to be a worm fisherman from now on. Anyone want to buy 10,000 bucks of worthless reaction baits that might hook the fish on the side of the head when the bass crashes the bait with the intent to kill and eat it. I wonder if I shoot someone with the intent to kill him and just grase him in the head, will the cops let me go because I have poor aim?
Guy Williams

[some guy]

I have 10,000 dollars worth of worms i can sell you.

[big_gorilla]

Charlie just think about all the topwater and crankbait fish that swiped the bait and got hooked on the outside of the mouth.

It happens we all know it does.

[CharlieS.]

You two need to make adds in the classified area

[some guy]

yeah but if you post them here you tend to get better results. Its a good source of entertainment when trying to kill a slow day in the office.

[Ray L.]

my my my..... well.... doesn't this rule blow donkey turds. This needs to be amended because bass so often just try and kill. So do stripers. All of us have seen fish just slash at baits just as a reaction.
So often a fish eats a bait but it comes free and ends up hooking the fish on the outside of the mouth.

[big_gorilla]

Not to worry Guy we know you have poor aim, Pete told us.

[CharlieS.]

Ha..yea..someguy...I been on this thing too much (while at work) lol..actually the tourniment rules are more "up to date" for what ever thats worth. And yes..I do understand that originally was meant against "professional snaggers" which the columbia river up where I lived in Portland was poulated with guys and basically rock cod rigs snaggin salmon behind those that were on the troll.

[Guy Williams]

Hey big gorilla, I hit Pete in the mouth every time.
Guy Williams

[Noluk]

I wonder how many times a fish hits the lure with it's mouth and the back hook gets caught on the outside edge of the mouth. Not a well written or interperted law. So what do you do if it has one treble inside the mouth and 1 outside the mouth? Half credit for the weight?

As a former TD I will tell you why I never brought this up. It is impossible to police. Even if I see visible damage outside the fishes mouth, that could have been from a different time and angler than the one submitting it for weigh-in. BASS can enforce that rule with a pro-am format and tv cameras all over the place but as a normal team tournament director I HAVE to assume that all anglers are trying to fish honestly. There are tons of "rules" only semi adhered too. Anyone ever gone say 26 mph on Diamond Valley? Or 5.2 mph at night? Yep your a CHEATER. Breaking a published rule to gain an unfair advantadge over a competitor who is following the written regulation. Kinda makes you think doesn't it about just what a strict letter of the law only enforcment of regulations by a tournament director would bring about.

[smpboy]

who passes these stupid and ignorent laws that are clearly made with no research as if that law is gonna stop a poacher ne ways the only people that will actually follow this law will be the law biding bass fisherman that dont poach ne ways no body even knows about this law except for the few who view this forum or who saw bassmasters which problie didnt understand it ne ways how can they inforce it ne ways the dfg agent would actually have to view the person catching the fish and see where the hook is at lol comon now