I live in Tacoma and fish Point Defiance alot. This works for me: If I don't have luck early, mooching, I switch to trolling with downriggers. I like to troll a line between Owens Beach and the slag pile. I start on a 120 foot line. I use a large green flasher on one side, with 40 lb. leader, cut to 3 times the length of the flasher and I troll a green spackle-back hoochie. When I find the 120 foot line, I let the downrigger all the way to the bottom and come up maybe five feet. On the other side, I troll a small red flasher, again with 40 lb leader, 3 times the length of the flasher, and troll a green, spackle-back, mini-hoochie. I have twinkle skirts in the hoochies and I cut off every 4th tentacle. I troll as slow as I can and still work the large flasher. When I complete the troll on the 120 foot line, if I've had no luck, I move out to 140 feet, and so on out to 180 feet. The bottom is very nice between Owens Beach and the Boathouse, I've never had any problem with hanging up. I usually have luck somewhere in this process. Of all this, I think the depth is the key, keep the terminal gear near the bottom. Watch closely because you will pick up sanddabs, they are very aggressive, I wish they were bigger.

[This message has been edited by T Dodge (edited 02-03-2000).]