Help with Mooching and Jigging

An important hint about mooching is to work the entire water column. Most troollers stick their gear at 120' and troll for hours. While they might have seen some fish at the typical depth that by no means means that's only where they are. Heck, fish at that depth might not be actively feeding like the ones at other depths. I've had many good fish hit my gear in less than 50 FOW. And really, w/ mooching you're never going to know where your gear lies. Working the surface to bottom you know you'll be moving through all the prime spots.

Z

True dat.  I've been mostly trooching and being rather aggressive at it, bringing the gear way up, then letting it settle back down to the bottom.  As regards my continued attempts at Richmond Beach despite lack of luck ... with fish to the north around Edmonds and fish to the south around Meadow Pt, and knowing some are headed into the ship canal, fish must be cruising by Richmond Beach, and I am seeing fish on the FF.  The only way around would be those that come down along Jeff Head and when they run out of land sniff their way across the channel to find the ship canal.  I am seeing fish; I am seeing bait; I am not catching.  Likely out again tomorrow in the afternoon to fish the incoming tide. 

Some of my biggest salmon (29-35#) have been caught mooching, letting the herring just lay on the bottom for a minute or so.  But if dogfish are around, it's a no-go!!  Then just tapthe bottom and reel 5-10 cranks fast, then pause for 30 seconds, 5 cranks, pause, etc all the way up.  I've had kings take the bait within sight of the surface, so don't be too quick to pull up and toss it out again.  A real heartbreaker at Gig Harbor in 2007, a monster king in the 40+# class followed my herring all the way to the boat, looking it over, then sneered at me, turned  and sank out of sight!!!