Mooching: The Successful and Fun Choice
Alaskan anglers prefer mooching for salmon. Not only does it facilitate greater contact with the feel of the rod and the subtlety of the bite, it's just more fun than trolling, sitting and watching your rod as the boat moves through the water.
Mooching is fun to learn and thrilling to master. Beginners may even have an advantage over experienced fresh-water anglers due to not having to "unlearn" that automatic reaction jerk up in order to set the hook. Instead, it's a controlled, careful, yet fast cranking of the reel.
With only 4 guests to each boat, our expert fishing guides help everyone learn the art in no time. Everyone goes home with fish.
Mooching is designed for the most natural “presentation” of the salmon’s preferred food:
With the help of the sonar fish-finder, the guide knows where the salmon are and the ideal depth to drop the line.
Salmon love fast-spinning bait. Your guide knows how to tie the bait, sinker and leader to achieve the winning tempo.
We use premium cut-plug herring - a salmon’s favorite treat!
Your Captain and guide knows all the tricks. First, he will set up your fishing line with a leader (a 7-foot line that is tougher than your main fishing line), sinker and bait. After that, simply remember these 5 tips:
When dropping the rig through the water, make sure your leader is straight and that your bait trails behind your sinker to avoid tangling on the way down.
Keep your thumb softly on the reel's spool, and use a soft “Stop and Go” motion for the first 10 or 15 feet of the drop.
Keeping your thumb on the reel's spool to prevent "backlash," drop it smoothly past the depth of the fish so you can then reel up through them.
Move the spinning bait up and down from about 10 feet below to 10 feet above. Sometimes, the kings will be on the bottom. In that case, drop the line to the bottom and then reel-up 15 to 20 feet and then drop back down.
Here’s where the finesse comes in. Finding the right speed to reel can be a bit tricky depending on the weather and the mood of the fish. Sometimes the fish like it fast, and sometimes slow is better. The best compromise is a “medium fast,” but you can mix it up a bit to find the speed at which they will bite that day at that spot.
After 5 to 10 times of dropping up and down, it's time to check the bait. Bring it up to the surface, but don't take it out of the water. If it looks good, drop it back down. Often, salmon will follow it to the top. If you pull your bait out, they swim away.
Salmon can nibble or jab at the bait rather than suddenly taking it. It can be subtle and feel like a little “tap tap” or like you just hit bottom.
When you think you have a bite, "crank don't yank." Do not jerk up the rod to set the hook.
Wait a moment to confirm the bite, then reel in fast. When the line gets tight, lift the tip of the rod up. Do not swing it side to side.
Remember that you have a long leader, about 7 feet, so when you have a bite, you must reel 14 feet before the line gets tight. So, reel, reel, reel!
Keep reeling fast as long as you can feel the fish on there. Salmon fight by swimming hard and rapid, often around and under the boat. The guide will help you navigate the boat around other guests' lines.
If you suddenly don't feel the fish, drop it back 5 or 10 feet and reel again till your line gets tight. Then lift your rod's tip. If the fish are making swipes at your bait without taking it, you may have to drop it back a few times before getting the final bite.
Catching your first king salmon is a memorable occasion whether it’s the first for the season or the first in your life. Our guides never tire of watching the thrill that guests express when holding that fish. It’s a triumph worth the patience and the work.
Click to see Fish Limits and Chart
