I use a downrigger for blackmouth, with a 12 pound ball to keep things nice and straight down. I do best on big runouts, and look for bait in places I know - that's where the fish are. Got sidescan sonar as well as regular, and I can really keep on top of them with that rig. For gear I use Power Pro mainline - real small diameter makes the light bite easier to spot, on a big flyrod with a single action Pflueger Medalist - makes even landing the shakers fun and a 20 pounder - look out! I hook my line release up to my booger ball with a 3 foot piece of nylon cord - this also enhances the look of a bite and if you screw up and get blown in a bit while hugging the bottom your booger ball hits before your bait does. I use herring, plug cut tight, and sometimes a fish flash with it. I pretty much don't mess with scents, fresh or fresh frozen herring freshly plug cut stink just fine all by themselves. I'll rub my hands down with herring guts when I cut the first few, and rub some on the rest of the terminal gear to kill any human stink to start the day, but after that I don't worry about it. Man, already getting ansie - spent the day putting the downriggers on my new boat and re-rigging everything rather than going steelhead fishing:D