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Every experienced angler has their own theories and methods on how to catch that big feeder king or monster coho, and will put it to work in hopes of outwitting their opponents on the grounds.

Here's some hints:

Trolling: Most anglers will try trolling, which involves actively pulling a herring (cut, strip or whole); a hoochie (in a wide variety of available colors); a plug (such as a J-Plug); or a spoon through the water fast enough to provide suitable action of the bait or lure in hopes of provoking a salmon to strike.

Many anglers who troll employ downriggers to get the bait or lure down in the water column to where fish are feeding or holding. Begin at 50 feet for feeder kings, but often times depths of 90 to 150 feet can be the most productive. Coho on the other hand are commonly taken at depths of 10 to 30 feet. Other trolling anglers will simply use a lead trolling weight (usually 4 to 6 ounces is sufficient) attached to the end of the line, and in front of their bait or lure. Rather than dropping the heavy lead ball (or cannonball) on a downrigger, they let out a " secret number" of line pulls from their reels to get to the desired depth.

The latter method will often not get you down far enough for enticing a feeder king to hit, but it will work perfectly for coho salmon that tend to hold closer to the surface. Most anglers will employ a flasher or dodger in combination with the methods used above.

Trolling areas: Favorite troll areas depend on the year and what species you are after. Historically, on the south, the majority of kings come from the west side of Douglas Island, and the south-end areas of Doty's Cove, Limestone Inlet and Taku Harbor.

North-end hot spots include Point Retreat to False Retreat, Handtrollers-North Pass, and Outer Point-George's Rock. The north end is generally more productive for cohos, but the south end is capable of producing some large cohos as well.

Mooching: For those who don't have (or won't use) downriggers to aid them in obtaining enough depth to get to those feeder kings, there is always the "mooching" method. This method involves either anchoring your boat in a prime feed area or drifting with the wind and/or tidal currents to effectively work your lures or bait.

Mooching can be quite effective because you are able to cover a productive area more thoroughly than while trolling, thus allowing you to accurately pinpoint the depth of those feeder kings. Mooching tends to work best if the angler first locates balls of feed and then works along tide-rip lines (evident by long lines of floating debris on the water surface).

Herring is the preferred bait for mooching; however, buzz bombs and other jigging-type lures can be equally effective on salmon. This method is not commonly used in the Juneau area, but some experienced anglers find it highly productive.

Since this method uses little or no power from your vessel, you may need to seek out less congested areas when trying this out. Boat congestion is a major issue, and if you choose to drift through a congested area where the rest of the boats are trolling, you may quickly find yourself very unpopular.

Boat preparation: Before getting your fishing gear ready, make sure your boat is fully prepared:

• Have the correct number and type of personal floatation device and other required U.S. Coast Guard safety equipment onboard your vessel for you and each of your passengers before heading out.
• Let someone know the general area you will be fishing and an approximate return time. If possible, have a VHF radio or cellular phone with you to let someone know you might be late, or in the event of trouble, need assistance.
• Get the latest marine forecast before heading out, especially if you are using a smaller skiff. Keep your eye on the weather. Look for black lines moving toward you usually indicating wind. Remember that no potential prize-winner is worth your life.

Fishing preparations: Remember the following when preparing your fishing gear for derby weekend:

• Purchase your sportfishing license and your king salmon stamp prior to hitting the water.

• Replace old fishing line. If you know that you have been snagged on the bottom, or the line has run under your boat, you may want to discard the last 20 feet of line or so. Stretching line, and abrasions with a rough surface causes monofilament to splinter, and will weaken the line.

• Make sure that hooks are sharp. A sharp hook should stick to your fingernail rather than slide across it.

• Check salmon leaders regularly, especially if you have been catching fish. Abrasions in the monofilament will undoubtedly form from rubbing against teeth, hook-outs, swim steps and the like. Replace leaders whenever abrasions are found.

• Keep frozen herring bait cool in a small cooler with ice so bait will stay firm and fresh, with the scales intact. One side of a herring has a better scale appearance than the other side. When fishing strips, use the " brighter" side of the herring for better flash and presentation.

Fishing is a time for friends and family to get together and share in some fun before the onset of fall and school. Hopefully some of these hints will enable you to land a prize winner, but remember that patience, safety and courtesy to your fellow anglers will make it a much more enjoyable day.

Brian Frenette works for the state Department of Fish and Game.