Are there any moochers left? Really.

fisharoo

Member
Anyone still practicing mooching in the Vancouver area?

I've been reading lots of old books and honing my skills. Sans-motor/exhaust/noise appeals to me. Was very popular and effective in the past, but now days seems to be a lost art form. Like the knowledge of old civilizations which might just disappears with the sands of time.

I think learning the habits of herring is very important to salmon fishing. Why buy them at the store when you can jig them for free? If you can find the herring, you can find the salmon! Sounds good to me.

Curious to know if there is anyone besides me interested in learning + practicing? Maybe folks interested in sharing their knowledge and hitt'n the water?
 
good few guys still mooch out of secret cove sunshine coast
as its the only place to get live herring

also have an old book mooching
the salmon fishermans bible by david nuttall

may be a useful read if you can find one

oh and a pr of noodle/glass rods with nice soft tips
not your normal downrigger rods

the Amundson savvy centerpin is an off the shelf rod that would work well
or check the garage sales for old lamiglass moochers there still out there

most of the pin rods will work well just have to get used to the longer lengths
as most are going to be 11' +
 
I used to mooch all the time when we had our family cabin on the sunshine coast out of secret cove, using 1 to 2 oz banana weights and 2 treble hook tie ups are key. Also drift mooching gets good results at the best of times as your drifting over top of the bait balls and the fish in behind them. I must say watching your rod tip bounce around then watch it hit the water when a big fish smashes it, is something to get gitty about.
 
Was off Sangster the other day, big old sport fisher hanging off the hook and fishing live herring.
 
I still mooch once or twice a year in Howe Sound, in late winter/very early spring when there are lots of herring around. There's nowhere to get live down here, so I row with cut-plug or strip. It's been quite a few years since I've taken a spring mooching in Howe Sound, but it is such a pleasant way to fish and memories of my childhood fishing with my Dad and Grandfather come flooding back when I do it, and for that reason alone I will continue to do so.

I have Dave Nuttall's book, and it is a worthwhile read. So, too, is Mike Cramond's "Fishing Holes of the West", which was published in the '70s and was a good reference for moochers back in those days.
 
When I started out salmon fishing we used to power mooch active pass. I have often thought of trying it again it was a relaxing way to fish. Alway something happening in those tide rips. nothing like setting the hook on a good size spring when power mooching.
 
I actually used to mooch off the mouth of the Cap with my father for Coho and it was great fun. In addition, we would rent a boat up at Pender Harbour and fish for winters. It was a lovely way to fish and it is too bad that many people will never experience it. Too often anglers get focussed on limits rather than methods and miss out on some wonderful types of fishing. When we first started fishing the west coast we jigged about 80% of the time and only trolled when the fish were more scattered. The David Nuttall book is a very good one and I still flip through my copy and think of those days that have past.
 
Hi fisharoo. I live just north of Seattle, where mooching is live & well. Dogbreath hit it right-on, which is one reason I no longer mooch (fishing that is). FYI, live bait is illegal in WA & mooching down here always has been with a dead bait. The original "moochers" were the Japanese in Seattle in the 1920's. The largest concentration of moochers is probably the charter boat fleet out of Westport WA; these boats take 20 or so angler's and there are 20 or so of the boats fishing every day. A lot of the water they fish is right off the harbor mouth in 25 ft of water. They all use cut-plug herring. A trip runs $150 - 200 US & would be a good learning experience; especially on cutting & rigging the bait.

Be aware that Salmon are not always eating Herring. A small cut-plug fished on the bottom when the Salmon are eating needlefish works well. If you see a Salmon with scrapes on it's head, it's most likely from rooting needlefish out of the gravel bottom.

When mooching much deeper than 50 ft or so, great care in avoiding twisted/tangled leaders must be taken - let your gear out slow (pull-out line by hand & keep a count of your depth/estimated depth) & be sure to use ball bearing swivels & bead chain. I think a small diameter limp leader has the best action, but is worst for twist.
 
We used to mooch secret cove for about a 10 year period in the 80's. I would argue the productivity on Coho back then. We've had 1-2 hour days putting 12 Coho I the box. Our secret to success was good size herring 5" . Size 12 trebles 2 of them. 3/4 -2oz banana weight and 12 foot leaders. Then we would drive around and around looking for the shelf out at sangster. The boat when done right would drift back and forth 80-120'. Coho will push the bait against the wall and feed on them. We would go about 10-20 pulls. Then sit back and barbecue a hot dog. I pulled my boat from nootka and will be in secret cove for next June and July, "Outer Limits"
Should be fun.
 
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Try mooching at the Cap in September......see how well that goes over. ;) :p


The fleet just love that ...... I agree Scott, although I'd love to do it. I miss the days gone by in Active and Porlier . That was true mooching, live or dead and cut plug. I wish it were back, but over fishing of herring and lower salmon numbers keep production down as Pooch breath says.
 
Used to be able to get fire cracker herring (4" live) from Marina in North Van then mooch the Cap. A lot of people used to do it. Throw out an anchor and relax.
 
Back in the 80s thats the only way people in boats would fish the Cap!

Bait was available at Fishermans cove or Horseshoe Bay - Sewells. Anchor up an hour before the tide change, drop the livies and wait. There would be tons of coho jumping and we would always throw crocs or buzz bombs at them waiting for the bite to turn on.

When the bite did turn on you would look around and half the fleet would be playing a fish. Mind you they were almost all coho then. Good times for sure.


The fleet just love that ...... I agree Scott, although I'd love to do it. I miss the days gone by in Active and Porlier . That was true mooching, live or dead and cut plug. I wish it were back, but over fishing of herring and lower salmon numbers keep production down as Pooch breath says.
 
More guys than I've seen in years back to mooching at Epsom this year. Sometimes feel a little guilty trolling amongst them all.
 
Agreed, there's been a slow increase in guys mooching at Epsom the past couple years.
 
Light house south end of quadra late 80's. So many boats motor mooching you could walk across them. Effective way to fish when the bite lights up, but pretty easy picking for dogfish too with a few hundred live herring swimming around on 10' leaders.

GnB
 
Yep, David Nutall + Mike Cramond are authors who've gotten me interested in Mooching.

When I say Mooching, I mean it in all forms. Like David says in his book: "..the term mooching should therefore include power mooching, strip-casting, plug-cut trolling at whatever speed, and plain old mooching".

I've trolled for many years now. No doubt that trolling six rods with flashers at different depths will out perform. There's more to fishing than just filling your freezer.

What's gotten me interested in taking up this pursuit is said elequently here: "Mooching is very much like stream or river fishing in which the angler's eye and quickness of hand and sureness of feel all blend together to catch the fish. The troller simply throws out the tackle, puts the boat in gear, and drags the equipment along."

EricL, thanks for the tip on the westport trips, that might be worth checking out. A lot cheaper than going to one of the lodges up the coast here where it's a few grand for a couple days.

Dorman Point, where in Howe Sound would you mooch? Hole in the wall? Defense? Porteau?

Are any of you still actively mooching around Vancouver or Sunshine Coast?

It seems everyone loves to talk about the good 'ol days when they were mooching. I hope the knowledge doesn't get lost. Would be nice to pass it down to the next generation.

With the work the squamish stream keepers have been doing the last few years at the squamish terminals and false creek, I have a feeling that the herring around here will be quick to rebound. The number of whale + dolphin sightings around English Bay has dramatically increased in the last year or so, which is a strong indicator. I have a feeling that mooching will be coming back.
 
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One strong reason mooching died was the abundance of Dogfish coupled with the relatively high price of live bait-why spend money feeding those slugs all day?

Then commercial fishermen found Dogfish were worth a little so gave that stock a beating and it's stayed lower for a while now who knows what will happen with Herring on a (probably temporary) comeback.
 
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