Elefantdude Loc: Oxnard, CA

My friend invited me out on his boat again for some salmon fishing. He wanted to try mooching for the first time. I have mooched before. He also invited another friend to join us. We started out around 6am out of Alameda, headed out side the San Francisco Bay past the Golden Gate Bridge. We found a good spot where we were graphing some nice bait balls and some bait on the surface. SO, we started out mooching for salmon and caught 3 kings and caught and released a nice silver. I had a really nice one, caught on the mooch rig, but he got away to live another day :-( We started trolling for them after a while when the mooch bite slowed down and we caught 3 more hogs and caught and released 2 more silvers. I caught my 2, which were close to 30lbs each! I finally got the "Monkey off my Back" after trying for them 3 times before. In those 3 times, we caught a few jacks that were too small to keep. Earlier this year, we went on opening day for salmon and caught and released a bunch of small ones.
So, this trip turned out to be epic for all of us! Until next time, Tight Lines!!!

My first one, after losing a 30lber!


My catch for the day!


My friend and skipper, John, with his catch for the day!


All 3 of our catches - limit of 2 each :-)

saw1 Loc: nor cal Windsor

Wow Ed, what a trip and such NICE fish. Congrats brother. Sure looks like y'all got it all dialed in for sure.

Elefantdude Loc: Oxnard, CA

Definitely Steve! I had friends go yesterday and a few of them limited out. We marked a good spot and hit it hard and it paid off, for both mooching and trolling through :-)

Gordon Loc: Charleston South Carolina

Nice fish. You look happy in that first picture but hard to smile holding 60lb's of fish in that second pic. LOL

Elefantdude Loc: Oxnard, CA

LOL! Yeah, that was a grin of pain as I struggled to pose with those 2 fish. I haven't curled that much in a long while! But not bad for a 58 year old. LOL!

hacksaw Loc: Pasadena, Texas

Awesome trip ED. Thanks for sharing your beautiful pictures.
Hack 🇺🇸🍺🍺

Elefantdude Loc: Oxnard, CA

Thanks, Hack! For me is was definitely a memorable one!

Smokey2 Loc: San Diego

I have fished my whole life, and I don't know what mooching is. Please tell me.

stuco Loc: Northern Utah - Salt Lake City

What a great day fishing Ed! Congrats. Great pictures as well, thanks for sharing!

michael4now Loc: wilder id

very nice

FixorFish Loc: SW Oregon

Dragging a herring or sardine on a weighted rig of 2 hooks, rod in hand, waiting to "feel" the bite..... kinda simplistic actually. You can Google it on YouTube.

Nice fish btw, Elefantdude.
Were you using "green label" herring or are they scarce down there, like here ? My buddies are bitchin' about having to use "blue label" or even "red".....still catching more than me !

Jarheadfishnfool Loc: Woodlake/Tulare ,Ca.

Great looking Salmon Edude!! Thanks for the pics! Is that boat a Seaswirl Striper? I have a 2000 S S 2300, that sure does look familiar,,,,

Elefantdude Loc: Oxnard, CA

Drifting baitfish (dead or alive) in bait balls graphed below on your fishfinder.

tommyp Loc: San Diego

Amazing day wish i could have been there super job!!!!

Elefantdude Loc: Oxnard, CA

Thanks, FixorFish :-) We were using brined tray bait (anchovies) I don't know the difference between (red, green or blue) herring. Is that different lengths?