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mooching
DCHP-2 (Oct 2016)
n. — Fishing, especially British Columbia & Washington State
a method of fishing that alternates between letting a baited hook slowly sink and pulling it up quickly.
Type: 3. Semantic Change — The noun mooching derives from the verb mooch ((2)). Internet search results show that mooching is most prevalent in Canada, particularly in British Columbia (see Charts 1 & 2), but is also used in Ontario and Newfoundland.
See also OED-3, s.v. "mooching", which is marked "U.S. (west.) and Canad.".
See also OED-3, s.v. "mooching", which is marked "U.S. (west.) and Canad.".
Quotations
1963
And before you ask, by "mooching" I mean mostly drifting with light tackle for heavy fish; not mooching gas.
1975
For more excitement you should try 'mooching', which is usually done in turbulent waters around rocky points and entails letting the lure (without flashers) sink deep, with quick short bursts of reeling.
1985
As far as the fishing is concerned, mere mention of the word trolling brands you as an easterner. Here they call it mooching; a technique which entails pulling a herring bait about 30 feet behind the boat at slow speed, stopping to let the six-ounce weight settle towards the bottom, then slapping the motor back into gear until the line is once again at a 45-degree angle to the surface. Properly executed, mooching infuriates even the most lethargic king - that's what the big chinook are called out here - into striking.
1997
It was noted with interest that a couple of last week's Great Salmon Hunt entries were caught on cut plug, presumably an attempt to emulate West Coast techniques, where the use of cut bait is often the only game in town. It's done with a headless herring sliced on a bias and rigged harness-style so it rolls enticingly, whether moved by tide or outboard. This is called "mooching" and "motor-mooching," the way it must be done on Lake Ontario, unless practised off a river mouth, where the current activates your bait. It works pretty well off British Columbia but few ever discover if there's another or better way.
2001
The Encyclopedia of British Columbia credits Mr. Peck with pioneering the art of mooching, saying that he "became one of the first anglers to use a downrigger by employing a broom handle, pulley, five-pound sash weight and a clothespin to release the line."
References
- OED-3
Images
Chart 1: Internet Domain Search, 7 Jul. 2014
