Question: Is it legal to use a gaff to land salmon? On a fishing web site I follow, some guys are recommending using a gaff if the net is busy and two fish need to be landed at the same time. I can't find the section in the saltwater regulation book to answer my question. Can you help? I'm just trying to stay legal.

Answer: In ocean waters, gaffs may only be used to land salmon that are of legal size. If a fish is short and a gaff is used, the angler is in violation (CCR Title 14, Section 28.65(d)). In inland waters, only anglers fishing from a boat in the Sacramento River main stem below Deschutes Road Bridge can use a gaff (that measures three feet or less) to land legal-sized fish (CCR Title 14, Section 2.06). It's best to release any short salmon as close to the water as possible to give them the best chance for survival.