Salmon Mooching

Its that time of the year again and I plan on going out more than 1x this year for salmon!

Want to gear up with at least 1 setus specific to mooching salmon in Monterey Bay.  Big question, rod selection?  Mono vs braid?  I fished a Shimano Charter Special lever drag, mono on an Ugly Stick Medium last year.  Hadn't fished salmon in over 20 years previous so just getting back into it again.

Thanks!

You want a long, limber rod and mono line (20-30lb). The Charter Special should work fine. Although, last year was the first time I can remember people catching fish by mooching from yaks (at least, on a consistent basis). It's almost always a trolling deal.

As far as mooching from a kayak, long limber as in 7'6" or 8'6"?  Medium or medium light?  Mono leader with braid or all mono?

Now, for trolling from a yak...  Similar rod setup?  How are you rigging for trolling from a yak?

Thanks!  I'm sure there are others with similar questions.

I have a 9'6" mooching rod and I'm not a fan of having half the rod submerged in the water, while fighting a fish.  This rod would be great on a PB.  The Charter Special that's paired with it does a great job. 

Yeah I'd look for something in the 7.5-8.5ft range in M to MH with a slow action. I go all mono for salmon when mooching, even from a boat. Remember we're using barbless circle hooks, so you don't want to set the hook like normal...just apply pressure and let the road load up before you begin reeling. The limber rod + mono will help with this. And the extra length of the rod will come in handy when the fish goes nuts on the surface, by absorbing some of tension that results from wild headshakes & acrobatics. 

You can get away with braid if you're trolling. And the benefit is less resistance than mono. That means you can get deeper w/less weight and it's easier to keep your line vertical (instead of at an angle into the water behind your yak).
I use a slightly shorter & heavier rod for trolling. But it's still got a slow action with lots of bend while underway. Around here, I like to use spring-loaded sinker releases w/2lbs cannonballs. But in other places (like Da Cove) where you have lots of bycatch, I use a Double Deep6...because lead is expensive and I don't want to lose a sinker each time a black RF hits my lure. I gave up on my downrigger when I had it on my T140 because it was too much effort. But I'm planning to try it on my Revo this year and see how that works.

Went by two fishing specific shops in the Santa Cruz area today.  One didn't have much & the other kept trying to sell me (another) Tiger rod.  Oh well ... Guess they didn't want the money!

8' or 8.5 medium or medium heavy lamiglas, fast action.  Like SinCoast says....and 20-30# mono, no braid, no backing.

thread your bait head down if no/slow drift.  head up if faster drift (trooching).


Good luck and I'll see you outthere!

Allen

Best local shop for salmon knowledge & gear is JD's Auto Shop/Gone Fishin in Sand City. The owner, Jim, knows a lot about salmon fishing. I still remember going in there to gear up before GS2 (which was cancelled due to 15ft swells), and he showed me how to tie salmon rigs--and gave me some hand-tied hoochie rigs. They have a ton of kokanee & freshwater salmon tackle too. Those koke guys are crazy about tackle. In fact, I might go down there on my lunchbreak today to say Hi.

Those koke guys are crazy about tackle.

    

Best local shop for salmon knowledge & gear is JD's Auto Shop/Gone Fishin in Sand City. The owner, Jim, knows a lot about salmon fishing. I still remember going in there to gear up before GS2 (which was cancelled due to 15ft swells), and he showed me how to tie salmon rigs--and gave me some hand-tied hoochie rigs. They have a ton of kokanee & freshwater salmon tackle too. Those koke guys are crazy about tackle. In fact, I might go down there on my lunchbreak today to say Hi.

I'll have to go check them out next weekend.  Do you have their address?

Thanks!

Bill

Best local shop for salmon knowledge & gear is JD's Auto Shop/Gone Fishin in Sand City. The owner, Jim, knows a lot about salmon fishing. I still remember going in there to gear up before GS2 (which was cancelled due to 15ft swells), and he showed me how to tie salmon rigs--and gave me some hand-tied hoochie rigs. They have a ton of kokanee & freshwater salmon tackle too. Those koke guys are crazy about tackle. In fact, I might go down there on my lunchbreak today to say Hi.

I'll have to go check them out next weekend.  Do you have their address?

Thanks!

Bill

1675 Contra Costa. Sand City.  If you guys go down there let me know, I work 2 blocks away.  I would love to spend a whole lunch hour diggin through tackle.   And Bill i have never met you but im sure we could talk fish for a while.  PM me.

8' or 8.5 medium or medium heavy lamiglas, fast action.  Like SinCoast says....and 20-30# mono, no braid, no backing.

thread your bait head down if no/slow drift.  head up if faster drift (trooching).


Good luck and I'll see you outthere!

Allen

love the lamiglas rod.   Used a medium Norwest special 8' 6" rod 12-25 lb rating.  Got it at Outdoor World in Capitola

I already have braid on my reels and used it last year for both trolling and mooching.  Used a longer mono leader 20 lb. Never lost one but did fish a loose drag, and no Bass Man Hooksets.

My coworker & custom rod maker swears by the lamiglas.  Didn't think to check outdoor world.  May swing by there tomorrow.

57Fish, let's talk & hookup in Monterey.  I'm just north of Prunedale off 101.  Hit Monterey for fishing.  Need to break in my AI before salmon season for a wet dry-run.

Bill

My coworker & custom rod maker swears by the lamiglas.  Didn't think to check outdoor world.  May swing by there tomorrow.

57Fish, let's talk & hookup in Monterey.  I'm just north of Prunedale off 101.  Hit Monterey for fishing.  Need to break in my AI before salmon season for a wet dry-run.

Bill

Bill, I'm diving saturday and i've been using Andy's yaks cause I don't own 1 yet I'm embarrassed, I know .  But ill be at Del Monte beach for salmon opener on Sat.

I man, you know Andy ... . That's a game changer!   
I may hit up the tackle shop over there this weekend.  I'll pm you some contact info shortly & we can all hookup.

Bill