The Fishing Report: Mooch better

I read recently in a fishing blog that mooching was better than sex. While it is a lot of fun, I am not so sure about that and, more importantly, I am not prepared to debate it in this “fishing” column.
However, now that I have your attention…mooching is a form of recreational salmon fishing while the boat is adrift. When trolling, the hook generally sets itself in the mouth of the fish as the salmon attacks the moving prey, whereas during mooching, line is fed out to the salmon when it strikes to encourage the salmon to swallow the bait.
In 1997 the requirement of circle hooks for mooching was implemented to allow anglers to reduce mortality of released salmon. Typically, fish hooked while mooching used to be gut-hooked with the “J” hooks; but now with the use of  “circle” hooks, fish are hooked (if they are hooked) in the side of the mouth.
The last time salmon fishing was this good was in 1995. Coincidentally, the art of mooching really took off for a couple of reasons. You can use lighter gear because you aren’t required to use the heavy 2 to 3-pound weights that trolling required. Also, you really get to feel the bite because most anglers prefer to handhold their rod. With the advent of circle hooks in 1997 and the simultaneous decline in salmon stocks, mooching was all but a forgotten form of salmon fishing.
That is until this year. I really can’t remember a better salmon season since ’95. And now that the salmon are right in on the beach feeding on short-belly rockfish and huge balls of market-grade squid, it is time to break out the mooching gear. For rods, you can start with your down rigger rod because it tends to be longer and softer than your typical troll rod. If you want to really get into the mooch, you will want to use at least a 9-foot or longer rod with a very soft tip section but with ample power to lift a 30-pound salmon.
Reels should be able to carry 150 yards of 20-pound test. They should also have a clicker to prevent backlashes while the reel is in a free spool or low drag setting. I really like a lever drag for mooching and will discuss why in a moment.
 For the set-up, I like using a slider to a quality snap swivel. Anchovies or herring baits should be threaded with a bait needle, and the hook should be coming out the head secured by a couple of half hitches and the gills held closed by a dental rubber band. The bait should be presented hanging upside down. I like to use 30-pound fluorocarbon leaders and 5/0 Gamakatsu barbless circle hooks.
Mooching requires a certain level of commitment, and it is probably best if you decide to mooch the night before. It is very difficult for most troll anglers to turn off the motor and drift. When deciding to mooch, the right conditions to look for are concentrated schools of salmon and/or bait in shallow water, less than 70 feet. This allows the angler to really target specific areas.
The hardest thing about mooching is not setting the hook. You have to patiently sit there while you are getting a bite and not move the rod. When the fish starts the mooch bite, a lot of the time it feels like they are just playing with it. Wait, wait…wait until the fish starts to move away in rapid movement. Your reel should be in free spool and you should be feeding line. (This is really the hardest part and maybe why some associate it to sex.) The fish is now moving off in a rapid fashion and then slowly, with the rod tip in an upright position, move the drag lever forward to the strike setting. I like to count to five. The rod will load up and “fish on.”
Now is the time to go mooching out of either Bodega Bay or San Francisco Bay.
For more information and/or fishing reports, contact Hunt Conrad at Prospect Mortgage, 707-431-9715.