Here is the "quick and easy" recipe for blackmouth if you don't have a downrigger and you want to catch them in a hurry without the learning curve of mooching.

Get a 4 1/2 -5 '' (@2 1/2 - 3 oz?) Pt Wilson Dart in blue/chrome, white, or green. Buzz Bombs (3L) work ok too with milder tide (e.bay is fine). Tie on hook. Lower in good looking water where other boats are working probably along the 90-150' shelf. Drop jig 10-15', stop, drop, stop till you hit bottom. Raise and lower for awhile in the area between bottom and 15' off bottom as you move along shelf with tide. Bounce hard on the bottom every once and awhile (don't leave on bottom tho). Any funny motion or feeling on line (especially on the drop) set hook with flick of wrist. That's it. Your catching BM and whatever else is down there.

This is a deadly technique for BM and the only disadvantage you have is you are not covering as much ground to find the fish. No problem in e. bay though. Just fish off the point at the right depth, near the mouth, off the boat ramp or watch where the others are catching fish and follow. Oh, and the other disadvantage is you actually have to fish while you're out there. But one nice thing is you'll get some exercise while you're at it and you'll only have to reel up your 3 oz. jig every now and then instead of reeling up a 10lb ball everytime you hit a shaker.

By the way a dart is about $4. Downrigger, plus flasher , black box, weight, clips and hootchies about $200-300. All the beer money you saved, priceless.