Mooching

This came up in a Washington Regional thread and even if I have embarrassed myself by asking it, I think bears asking here.

I have seen mooching described in many ways, from simply trolling without a flasher/dodger to drifting and bouncing a jig off the bottom.  What is your definition of "mooching"?

Mooching is floating with the tide (no paddling or motor) using a banana weight in-line with a herring. Simplest way to fish. Catching isn't so easy.

I always kind of thought mooching/jigging was the same thing - until last year.

Last year, I was offered a free seat on a Puget Sound mooching charter - figured since I troll exclusively on my boat, wouldn't hurt to learn from a pro about mooching techniques.

The technique the guide used was to set up a drift with the current/wind and then just let the clients drop a sinker/herring set-up (free spool) to a pre-determined depth (reels all had line-counters) - he'd say "we're in 120 feet of water, drop your gear down to 90' and then crank it back up.  If the line goes slack anywhere along the drop, start cranking immediatley - fish on."

Only used the tails of the herring for bait - seemed like it worked pretty good, but we couldn't get away from the shakers - spent the 4 hours c&r shakers, not a keeper for the group.

Anyway - I did ask about bobbing the rod up and down during the drop or retrieve and he looked at me like I was an idiot and said I appeared to have mooching confused with jigging - seems like there could be a hybrid moochjig technique but I don't know what it is.

SC

How was the depth predetermined?

How was the depth predetermined?

It wasn't predetermined but after checking the fish finder you can see where the fish are running. Gotta have a good FF to make the best out of fishing for salmon in the sound.

Z

I should have broken that ? down a little. When you see fish, do you drop it past the fish so it drops by and then is reeled past them again, or stop at their depth? As for bait balls do you try and drop on the sides, strait through the middle, drag it underneath? Is there anything else you might see other than fish that determine a drop ie... bottom contour?

I should have broken that ? down a little. When you see fish, do you drop it past the fish so it drops by and then is reeled past them again, or stop at their depth? As for bait balls do you try and drop on the sides, strait through the middle, drag it underneath? Is there anything else you might see other than fish that determine a drop ie... bottom contour?

Each person has a little different way of doing it but most I know like to go from the bottom to top. Salmon are most times at the bottom of the bait ball pushing the bait against the surface to compact it. When the ball is compacted it makes it easy to pick off baitfish. You'll see some arches at the bottom of most bait balls.

Z

I've always thought below is better. I thought I heard salmon can't see up...something about their eyes always looking down, unless they're dead.

I've always thought below is better. I thought I heard salmon can't see up...something about their eyes always looking down, unless they're dead.

other way around.  they can see up just fine... Down, not so well..  Best to have the offering just above them..

Spoonchucker, what weight bananas were you using?  Y'all just literally free-spooled then cranked up?  Were you pausing for any length of time at the bottom of the drop?  Fast crank up, leisurely, slow?  Any trouble with the lure tangling with the line on the way down?

I know this is salmon fishing 101 for those with a boat fishing past ... for us shore fisherman it is informative.  Thanks.

I've always thought of mooching as fishing from a drifting boat with sinker and bait ... giving action to the bait by whatever means you can, be that reeling, freespooling, jigging it, or just letting the wave action work.  Then there is motor mooching (or paddle mooching ... pooching?).  Drop your bait, paddle a bit, your bait rises in the water column, stop, let bait sink, repeat, repeat, repeat.

-Allen

Trooching!

Yeah PolePole don't be boosting about pooching when you meant trooching.

Mooching is what my brother does when he comes home every couple of weeks from college.

Pooching is when your catch flops away while C-P-R'ing on a hawg trough...