There are a few things about fishing you want to remember. First is that if you caught something all the time, every time, they would call it "Catching". Since we're actually "Fishing", expect nothing and then its all upside. Salmon fishing is different from other types of fishing, so just because you've Bass fished, please keep reading. First item of business is to make sure you're wearing your license, visible above the waist. It saves time from having to explain to the DFG why you're not following the law. Wearing it also seems to make everyone on the boat have good luck. Next is understanding that there are 2 ways to catch Salmon: Trolling and Mooching. Mooching means sitting in your boat, with all engines off and dangling frozen bait or live bait on hooks right about where you think the fish are. This works great on days when you're sure where the fish actually are. Otherwise, Trolling is preferred. Trolling means driving around in circles (or figure eights) over known fish locations on the GPS at about 3 knots. The gear is also different. We use heavier rods, with 2.5 lb. lead weights attached to the end of the line on a releasable spring, followed by the leader with either "straight bait" - frozen anchovie or herring, or lure or combination lure and bait. If using any type of bait, you must check your lines about every 15 minutes to make sure the bait hasn't been stolen or fallen off. Occasionally we use a flasher or other type of attractor between the lead weight/spring and the hook. To be legal you must use barbless hooks when trolling and circle hooks when mooching. Hooks are made barbless by crimping down the barb before using it. One of the best lure/bait combinations is a Rotary Salmon Killer - which is a piece of plastic with a fin on it and a clamp that you insert a frozen bait into - this mimics a wounded baitfish - just what big salmon are looking for. When we start trolling we put out 1 line per angler each with a different combination of lure and depth. Depth of your line is measured by counting out the line as you peel it off behind the moving boat. Salmon can be caught anywhere from 5 to 90 feet down - and remember to take into account the angle and extra line created by the moving boat. FishFinders help you guess at what depth to fish at, although most salmon don't show up on fishfinders as they have no air bladder with which to register on the sonar of the fishfinder. 

Once the lines have been placed in the water at agreed upon depths, you try to drive towards fish. Watching other boats with nets flying is a good act to follow as Salmon swim in schools. Looking for feeding birds, watching the GPS to see where other fish have been caught and circling in a figure eight around bites or fish caught.

The drag on each rod is set loose and the "clicker" is set on so that you can hear a fish hit your line. If its a big enough fish or bite, it "zing" and the lead weight will drop to the bottom of the ocean. Its important that someone in the boat pick up the rod out of the rodholder and keep a steady amount of pressure on the line.  The boat should be slowed to a stop only after the angler is sure he has the fish under control. The angler smoothly reels the line in, always trying to keep a steady pressure on the fish. There is no need to Set the hook - doing so will rip it out of the fish's mouth. Salmon exhibit some pretty common behaviors once caught. Some will run away from the boat for a minute or two and then, in an attempt to throw the hook, run directly at the boat. When this happens, you must reel in the line as fast as possible, sometimes tightening the drag as well. Its important to get the fish tired before trying to net it. Once it runs up to the boat it may see the boat and bolt away. This is another time to make sure that the drag is not set too tight or a good size fish will break the line. On smaller fish, the lead weight may not even drop until this final run. Once the fish has sufficiently tired and you've reeled it up close to the boat, you'll know its ready to be netted when it lays over on its side near the top of the water, presenting itself to the net. the netman will slip the net under the fish, making sure the fish is headed into the net head first. Its helpful to have the angler keep their rod tip up and not look down at the fish being netted as this may introduce slack in the line and lose the fish. Some fish are easy to catch and net, others seem like they get away all day long. Don't be too discouraged if you lose a fish or two - there are plenty to catch. Once the fish has been netted, back away from the netman, keeping the rod tip up until the fish is in the boat. Once in the boat, assist the netman by handing him the bat which will be used to hit the fish right above the eyes, killing it instantly. Larger fish should be bled before throwing them into the cooler. The netman will remove the hook and its now your job as the angler to reload the hook with fresh bait (unless its a straigt lure) and get the line back in the water with a weight attached. Be sure to feel the leader for nicks and make sure the hook is still sharp - sharpen it with a file if not. During all of the chaos, be alter around you to hooks on deck, what the boat is about to run into and make sure you don't lose your footing. Occasionally you'll get two hookups at once (a "double hookup") which will require either getting the caught fish out of the net or use of a second net. This is the ultimate fun, but also a good way to lose a fish due to slack line, missed net, etc. Try to reset your line with the same lure/bait, depth and location as where you just caught the fish. Often the driver will punch in the location into the GPS for future reference. If you have a fish finder, circle around the perimeter of the bait ball if you're over one - don't drive straight thru it as there are no salmon in the middle - they hang around the edges looking for wounded fish to dine upon. Be sure to keep an eye out for other boats as often others will swarm to your area when the see your nets moving about the deck. Once you're back fishing again, help clean the deck of fish goo and blood, reload pre-made baited hooks, etc. then relax and wait for the next fish!

• Follow all regulations - its not sporting to break fishing laws
• Offer to pay for gas and share lunch expenses
• Show up on time but not early.
• Let the Captain know up front if you are under a time constraint for your return - the best is not to have one at all! Fishing is an all day event and dusk during the summer isn't until after 8pm. We're usually done cleaning up by 5pm but its much more fun to not have to worry.
• Stow all unnecessary gear below as soon as you board.
• Rotate anglers when catching fish. Everyone should get a turn to catch a fish, even if a pro is using his "lucky" rod. Once you've caught your limit of 2 fish, let those less fortunate have the remainder of the turns. Its as much fun to coach someone else as as it is to catch it!
• Netting the fish is often best left to the most experienced netman on board as fish are lost most often while being netted. If the netman is catching a fish, he may ask you to take the rod at the end of the fight so that he can net it. Only ask to net fish if you're a novice after a few fish are safely in the "box".
• Offer to help drive if you feel comfortable driving the boat. Make sure you understand how to work the autopilot and to stop the boat fast. The most common obstacle is crab pots, which if hit, can cause serious damage to props.
• Split the catch if all anglers don't limit out. Give extra fish away to friends or have it smoked. Don't let fish go to waste! Fresh-caught fish can survive up to 7 days in your refrig. but freeze anything you won't be able to eat as soon as possible.
• Don't clean fish at the dock - most harbors don't allow it anyway.
• Don't leave the helm. If you must, make double sure the boat is in neutral before doing so!
• Wear a life vest. Just because you fall in doesn't mean we can save you. No its not the law, but not wearing one is stupid (and rude). 
• Nothing goes in the head that you haven't eaten first. There is marine toilet paper under the sink. 
• We have a limited amount of fresh water in the tanks. Be sure not to waste this as we need it to clean fish at the end of the day.
• Be careful onboard and around the dock. Many an accident has happened due to jumping off the boat, using rails not intended to be used to board, roughhousing on deck.
• Keep practical jokes on board safe and fun. Joking around is a blast until someone gets hurt. 

• 1 rod per angler with license. Kids under 16 don't need a license. You must have a Striped Bass stamp on your license (or at least 1 person on board) if you're going to keep any Striped bass you happen to hook. 
• Daily limits: 2 Salmon, 3 Halibut, 2 Striped Bass and 2 Ling Cod. Go for the grand-slam and limit out on all of the first three!
• No limit on Tuna but you must have a valid fishing license
• Barbless hooks must be used for Salmon (Crimp barbs as soon as you take them out of the packaging!). Circle hook required if mooching. Can use a 2nd hook as long as its less than 5 inches away from first hook. Treble hooks not allowed for Salmon but are legal for Halibut. Barbs okay on everything else.
• No Silver Salmon, only Kings. Your captain can tell the difference between keeps and the endangered species.
• No Filleting of fish until back at the dock. Its okay to clean them at sea as long as you don't cut yourself.
• Salmon must be at least 24" long (20" long after July 1). Halibut must be at lest 22" long, Stripers must be at least 18" long. Ling Cod (aqua-blue spiny rock fish) can only be caught after July 1 and must be 26" long.
• Must use a net to bring salmon onboard.
• Season runs from beginning of April to early November (exact date varies each year)

Other fun rules:

• Sea Lions are endangered species - you are not allowed to harass them.
• Drinking and driving is allowed but if you look inebriated, same rules and penalties for DUI apply as for a car. 
• Kids under 16 must wear life vest and are not allowed to drive the boat.
• You must monitor Ch. 16 on VHF and answer any request from Coast Guard if you're in the area.
• Fish and Game, Coast Guard, Local Sheriff  can board your boat without cause and search everywhere. They also use spotting. scopes from shore to watch offenders. Fines are steep. 

The Dept. of Fish and Game is often waiting for us when we get back to the docks in Sausalito and we often see some type of law enforcement boat each trip. Its common to be boarded by the Coast Guard - especially if you have a nice boat (go figure!). Its no fun to have your day ruined by the strong arm of the law.

Cleaning a Salmon is not as hard as you might imagine. The first trick is to use a SHARP knife. Sharpen the blade before every cleaning. Fish are cleaned by cutting a slit along the belly, removing the intestines, cutting out the gills and occasionally shooting a strong stream of water to scale the fish (not necessary if you're going to smoke it). Fish may not be filleted at sea by law but make sure you have the cleaning all done before you arrive back in the slip. Intestines should not be thrown overboard where others are fishing as they may attract sharks. Clean off all blood from clothes, deck, carpets, etc. quickly as once it dries it stains. Use latex gloves or surgical gloves to avoid staff infections and watch your fingers! Clean and bandage any knife wounds with hydrogen peroxide immediately. If you're not experienced at cleaning, let someone else do it on your first trip out. Once back at the dock, filet or cut the meat into steaks unless you're taking a whole fish home or giving it to someone. Do not throw the skeleton, head and tail overboard. 

Use Trash compactor bags which are super-tough to cart home whole fish or use zip-lock bags to package up steaks or filets. Keep any fish you're transporting on ice or in a cooler you brought with you for just such an occasion. Freeze any fish you're in doubt of eating within seven days by filling a ziplock bag full of water and submerging the fish completely underwater so that its frozen in ice - this prevents freezer burn and the fish will taste much better when thawed. 

• Bow/Stern - the front/back of the boat
• Box - the icechest or well where we store the catch.
• Chovie - short for Anchovie, a type of frozen bait often used. They are starved, soaked in Formaldehyde and then flash frozen.
• Drag - the tension on the reel. Too much drag and the line breaks, not enough and the fish never gets reeled in
• Flasher - a teasing or distracting set of metal or plastic placed between the lure and the sinker (lead weight) which makes the lure look like its swimming with several other fish
• GPS - Global Positioning System - device which pinpoints your location on earth to within several feet. Used to get home and to get to where you've previously caught fish. Often have map overlays.
• Hog - see Pig. 
• Horsing the line - Jerking the line to get the fish in quickly. Great way to rip the hook out of a Salmon's mouth or break the line. Only do this if its a small, well hooked fish, or if being chased by a sea lion. 
• Leeward/Winward - Direction facing away from/facing into the wind
• Mooch - to sit still with engines off, drifting with a lighter weight rod dangling in the water, hopefully over a school of fish
• Pier/Dock - Pier is the wood planks you stand on. The Dock is the water the boat sits in. Meet friends on the the pier, at the dock.
• Pig - a huge Salmon - usually a male.
• Port/Starboard - left/right when facing towards the front of the boat. Very helpful when talking to other boats or to crew. Easy way to remember: Left has fewer letters than right as does Port than Starboard.
• Troll - driving slowly - around 3 knots - trailing lines looking for fish.
• Slip/Berth - same thing to indicate where a boat is kept when not at sea.
• Skunked - going home without any catch

King Salmon: A guide to Salmon Fishing in California by Greg Goddard - excellent guide to the sport!

How to Catch Salmon : Advanced Techniques by Charles White

Ted's Fishing Page by Ted Glenwright