Non-Fly Mooching?

[Jerry Daschofsky]

You're a lefty?

I'm ambidextrous. I prefer to cast and play fish with my dominant hand and reel with my left. Like a spinning rod. That way I don't switch hands.

Fun fact, no idea if it's actuality true. Talking with an ABU rep when I worked at the Sportsman Show years ago, that the rep said the 1s were built specifically for the PNW.

 

[Greg Armstrong]

I used to mooch for Kings at Pillar Pt. Nothing fancy, just a Penn Squidder, the lightest banana weight I could get away with depending on the current (I liked the easy to switch loop-on type sinker for quick changeout), and a plug cut herring from live herring I’d pick up on the way out at the roadside stand at Discovery Bay. I towed an old 15’ aluminum Bayrunner behind my VW camper and camp there. Fished between Pillar rock and Sekiu and always seemed to find some fish. Lots of fun. I liked Mooching way better than trolling!

 

[Scudley Do Right]

I used to mooch for Kings at Pillar Pt. Nothing fancy, just a Penn Squidder, the lightest banana weight I could get away with depending on the current (I liked the easy to switch loop-on type sinker for quick changeout), and a plug cut herring from live herring I’d pick up on the way out at the roadside stand at Discovery Bay. I towed an old 15’ aluminum Bayrunner behind my VW camper and camp there. Fished between Pillar rock and Sekiu and always seemed to find some fish. Lots of fun. I liked Mooching way better than trolling!

Metzler weights? I use a slider with a snap swivel to change out weights quickly.

 

[_WW_]

Yellow fiberglass Eagle Claw Granger Ocean, Penn 109 and a 4 Oz banana weight did a lot of damage back in the day.
Lots better gear out there today but the old stuff would still work.
SF

I had a 65lb halibut wreck the drag on a 109. Had to fish that reel for two days with no drag.

 

[Greg Armstrong]

Metzler weights? I use a slider with a snap swivel to change out weights quickly.

I don’t know who made them, but yeah, sliding sinker with a Sampo barrel swivel as a stop. They had a molded in wire that was coiled at each end where the main line wrapped onto. Easy and fast to change weights when the current changed. I liked to use the lightest weight I could get away with.

Lots of fun mooching. Glad this was brought up!

 

[Scudley Do Right]

I had a 65lb halibut wreck the drag on a 109. Had to fish that reel for two days with no drag.

My buddy landed one while mooching. He was using a 10' 6" ML G1000. He said the only part of the rod not in the water was the cork. It wasn't as big as yours though. I did have to rebuild a 5000 after a run in with a seal.

 

[ThatGuyRyRy]

Should I be using fresh herring or can you do frozen?

 

[Scudley Do Right]

Should I be using fresh herring or can you do frozen?

I would take fresh over frozen. If you use frozen you need to brine it. I cut the bag open and add water so you can pull them apart without loosing too many scales. Then I cut plug them and add them to saltwater with pickling salt. Try to cut them before they thaw or they will want to rip. Make sure your knife is sharp for the same reason.

 

[Nick Clayton]

Should I be using fresh herring or can you do frozen?

I always prefer fresh but up here in the north sound it's never been super feasible for me to get it. I have no issue using frozen, but make sure to brine it.

When I'm doing a lot of fishing I keep a Tupperware in the fridge with a constant rotation of herring on brine. My wife really enjoys seeing it every time she opens the fridge

 

[Scudley Do Right]

That’s not the only way to do it. It’s just what works for me now. I know people who prefer frozen.

 

[Sam Roffe]

It is a cool deal. Hard to keep it going with the seasons any more I imagine.

The latest WDFW write up indicated that they opened it up to the entire area of MA10.

I remember my grandfather telling me he'd rent a boat, and head over and mooch in front of Todd's Ship Yard. This would have been 60-70 years ago. I still have one of his old bamboo sticks. I think his old reel is down at Dad's house buried in a drawer.

Sam

 

[ThatGuyRyRy]

Anyone freeze their own herring. I think my son would get a kick out of sabiki rigs

 

[Scudley Do Right]

Anyone freeze their own herring. I think my son would get a kick out of sabiki rigs

Way back my dad would. He would drop them in live in a bucket of antifreeze and keep it in the freezer. I never tried it and wouldn't today because you might feed it to a fish you are releasing. You are better off keeping it on ice if you are going the next day or use it for crab bait. The commercial stuff is starved and flash frozen so I don't think it would turn out the same. I understand it though as it isn't unheard of for us to go through $40 worth in a day.

 

[Greg Armstrong]

You used to be able to pull your boat up on the beach just inside Possession Pt on the SE end of Whidbey. A guy used to come down the beach and sell them fresh to you right there first thing in the morning.

Was also also a dock just outside of the Ballard locks you could pull alongside and pick them up.

We also used to see small seine boats that fished the Sound for herring. I think they supplied the herring net pens at MatsMats Bay.

Do any of you know if those places are still there, or not?

 

[Scudley Do Right]

Anyone freeze their own herring. I think my son would get a kick out of sabiki rigs

On second thought you could try the cookie sheet and borax deal. Too much messing around for me. I remember my dad doing though. If your wife is cool with cookie sheets full of herring in the fridge.

 

[Scudley Do Right]

You used to be able to pull your boat up on the beach just inside Possession Pt on the SE end of Whidbey. A guy used to come down the beach and sell them fresh to you right there first thing in the morning.

Was also also a dock just outside of the Ballard locks you could pull alongside and pick them up.

We also used to see small seine boats that fished the Sound for herring. I think they supplied the herring net pens at MatsMats Bay.

Do any of you know if those places are still there, or not?

The don't run down to you anymore but you can beach the boat and still get bait at possession.

 

[Greg Armstrong]

The don't run down to you anymore but you can beach the boat and still get bait at possession.

Good to hear. It's good to see some things don't change!

I just focused in and noticed your avatar... most appropriate for this thread !!!

 

[Scudley Do Right]

What reels are you guys using? I have a few.

 

[SeaRunner]

I mooch. Fish out of Shilshole mostly in a hi-laker with Norwegian flag on the back.

I always bring brined herring and a sabiki rod. I'll fish the brined until I locate good bait then load up on fresh if I can. I feel confident with both but if I had my choice I would use fresh.

For reels I use the 109. I actually like the stock twin handle.

 

[Scudley Do Right]

I mooch. Fish out of Shilshole mostly in a hi-laker with Norwegian flag on the back.

I always bring brined herring and a sabiki rod. I'll fish the brined until I locate good bait then load up on fresh if I can. I feel confident with both but if I had my choice I would use fresh.

For reels I use the 109. I actually like the stock twin handle.

What size Hi-laker?