It is illegal to snag salmon, with a multi-time offender getting jail time.

A Longview man was sentenced in South Pacific County District Court on May 15 after being convicted of first-degree unlawful recreational fishing. Trystan W. Wallace was sentenced to 364 days in jail with 349 days suspended.

The man was caught by the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) partaking in illegal snagging along the Naselle River on Aug. 30, 2023, along with two other anglers. A game warden watched the trio with a spotting scope and recorded the incident.

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‘Snagging salmon is a natural resource issue, especially when the fish are targeted during low flows and in warmer water conditions where they are easy prey and more susceptible to stress.’

WDFW Sgt. Todd Dielman

The Naselle River reportedly can be a snagging hot spot when the river is low and fish pool into large groups. Snagging is one of the most common illegal fishing tricks. It involves reeling in a lure or hook over or next to a fish and jerking hard, hoping to snag the fish with the hook.

“After six snag attempts, Wallace snags a fish on his seventh attempt,” WDFW Sgt. Todd Dielman stated in court records. “You can clearly see the fish is not hooked in the mouth and comes in backwards.”

“Wallace drags the fish in backwards. You can see Wallace take the hook out of the tail. Wallace then picks the fish up and flings it back in the river by the tail,” Dielman added.

Wallace reportedly landed three snagged salmon in 12 minutes.

“Despite all this, Wallace does not change his technique, location, or gear in any sort of effort to avoid snagging salmon,” Dielman stated. “It was clear they were snagging and attempting to snag salmon.”

According to court records, Dielman confronted the three at 10:53 a.m. and was met with denial and an argumentative attitude from Wallace. He alleged and alluded to releasing all the salmon he caught.

“I told him his technique was consistent with snagging,” Dielman added.

Wallace provided several excuses, including attempting to fish over a log and that “other game wardens had given him” different explanations of snagging. Dielman noted in court records that this was not the first time he confronted Wallace over snagging. The man also has charges from 2020 and 2021.

“When he was caught snagging in August 2023, he was still on probation for the 2021 snagging charges,” Dielman said. “Snagging salmon is a natural resource issue, especially when the fish are targeted during low flows and in warmer water conditions where they are easy prey and more susceptible to stress.”

According to court records, all three anglers were given tickets, including Wallace, who was cited for first-degree unlawful recreational fishing and vowed to “see them in court.”

Wallace has until Oct. 31 to fulfill his 15-day jail sentence, and he can choose to serve it in Cowlitz County at his own expense.

“We would like to thank the Pacific County deputy prosecutor, Kraig Newman, and the judge for the outcome of this case. We hope that it will send a clear message that engaging in illegal fishing activities can land you in jail,” Dielman said.

“Since July of 2023, three separate individuals have been sentenced to a combined 70 days in jail in Pacific County for salmon snagging violations,” he added.