Now that this post has been up for a while I'll put in my $.02

This issue has been the topic of many message boards many times. My personal opinion is that it is a pitiful excuse for fishing, un-sporting, un-fair, and dangerous. Here are a few negatives I've come up with.

Negatives:

Most of the time these people are using heavy rods, heavy line along with multiple large weighted treble hooks. Swinging hard to try and connect with fish from the shore or pier. I have seen these people numerous times fishing in the "No Fishing" area of Stearn's Wharf trying to snag corbina and halibut (how do I know - I've asked). Maybe it's me but six large weighted treble hooks flying all over the place while tourists are walking by is probably not the best idea. I have heard one story that a tuber down south got snagged in the thumb by one of these morons (can you say lawsuit).

It is very easy to mortally wound a fish when purposely trying to snag it. There are many fish with minimum size requirements. It is impossible to tell the size of a fish from the surf or from the deck of a pier and it is impossible to effectively catch and release snagged fish.

More times than not while trying to snag fish you connect with many more than you actually hook. Anyone who has tried to snag fish know about this. How many fish that "get away" are mortally wounded or are left with huge gaping slashes?

I'm sure just these three negatives outweigh any positives and if I thought about it I could come up with more negatives. Not to mention the true corbina fisherman out there who spend hours trying to catch those beautiful wary fish while some other idiot runs down to the pier and with no skill whatsoever snags a corbina of a lifetime. It's just plain wrong.

Here's an interesting quote from another message board about snagging and the hooks:

"I also metal detect & have about six of their hooks, which I've found in the sand. They are wicked, large treble hooks with lead in the middle for casting."