Flosser

This article refers to a fishing technique. For the dental device see floss pick.

A flosser is an angler who uses the method of "bottom bouncing" to catch fish. His catch is mainly from the salmon species.

"Flossing" is an angling tool used to describe an unethical method for harvesting fish. It is also called "bottom bouncing", "snagging", "Ripping". The ugly method employed uses leaders as long as 10-25 feet with a 1-4 oz. lead weight called a "Bouncing Betty," after an infamous landmine used in the Vietnam War. Due to angling regulations in British Columbia, Chile, Peru, and Argentina, hooks devoid of any dressing (whether artificial or organic) are illegal. To work with this method, meat-fishermen often tie on long strands of green or orange wool or Corkies to their hooks. The technique of bottom bouncing is to position the long leader so that it flosses itself through the fish's mouth. The hook attached at the end of the leader then usually pierces the fish's mouth from the outside in as the weight pulls the line downstream. The fish is snagged in the mouth. This is considered by many to be unethical. Bottom bouncing is commonly practiced in the summer months on the Fraser River, when sockeye and chinook salmon run upstream to spawn.

Every year, numerous internet fishing forums are alight with flossing debates as the conflicting sides contest their view points.