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There’s a new state record for shortraker rockfish in Alaska, and at one point in time the fish in question was probably a world record. The catch was about as big as the species gets, and likely much older than the man who caught it. And as often happens, the angler who caught it was trying to catch a different species.

Keith DeGraff was fishing on July 28 with his fiancée Betsey Wilson and three friends in Prince William Sound, about 42 miles from Whittier, Alaska. The party fished from the Salmon Shark, a vessel rented from Whittier Marine Charters. On the first drift, two of the five anglers aboard had their fish.

“I decided to hit another bump, and sure enough, I hooked up,” he recalled. “I was immediately disappointed, because the way it was fighting, it felt like a halibut.” Not that there’s anything wrong with halibut, but they are readily available in relatively shallow water. DeGraff was fishing 1,000 feet deep, targeting black cod.

“When we got it to the surface, I saw it was the biggest rockfish I’d ever seen,” he said. “We hooted, we hollered, and then we headed on for other kinds of fishing.”

Typically with rockfish, you’ll see and feel what seem like head shakes from a halibut, DeGraff explained. “With a thousand feet of line out, it can be hard to tell,” he said. “This one pulled drag. I got it up about 75 feet and he took 40 feet. I’m fishing on pretty big gear, so for a fish to pull drag, I knew it was a decent size, which made me think it was a halibut between 30 and 35 pounds.”

One of 33 rockfish species in Alaska, shortraker dwell 500 to 1,500 feet deep among boulders along the state’s continental shelf. The previous state record was 39.1 pounds, caught in 2013, by Henry Liebman of Seattle. That fish was later estimated to be more than 60 years old. According to NOAA Fisheries, rockfish are thought to be the longest-lived fish in the northeast Pacific, maxing out at 120 years.

The International Game Fish Association (IGFA) world record shortraker rockfish weighed 44.1 pounds and was caught by Angelo Sciubba in 2017 near Glacier Bay National Park, several hundred miles southeast of Whittier.

DeGraff’s fish weighed an unofficial 48 pounds at the remote lodge where his party was staying. Because he wouldn’t have access to a certified scale for three days, DeGraff bled the fish. “I wasn’t going to taint the meat for the sake of a record,” he said.    

His rockfish would not have qualified for an IGFA record anyway, because the rod was in a holder, and the IGFA requires rods to be held. But when DeGraff finally weighed it on a certified scale, with an Alaska Department of Fish and Game representative present, he got a reading of 42.4 pounds. Then, he received provisional paperwork establishing his new state record.

DeGraff caught the rockfish on a custom-built rod with an Avet 2-speed 3/0 reel spooled with 80-pound braid. The terminal tackle was three pounds of weight and an 18/0 circle hook tipped with pink salmon and herring. His rig was homemade, but the rest of the party was catching fish on lead jigs with J hooks and skirts from Kodiak Custom Fishing Tackle. That lure has accounted for most of DeGraff’s fish.

DeGraff isn’t an Alaska native, but he comes from a fishy place: Amityville, Long Island, New York. “I grew up on the Great South Bay,” he said. “I had a 13-foot Boston Whaler that caught more fish per inch of boat than most boats out there other than commercials.” DeGraff studied environmental science with concentrations in marine and fisheries biology at Stony Brook University. He moved to Anchorage and has been a for-hire charter captain since 2016.

The post Surprise Rockfish Catch Likely A State Record appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

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Long-term research by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries division indicate that techniques for returning Pacific rockfish to deep water using descending devices lose effectiveness as the depth at which the fish is caught increases.

While barotrauma-related mortality rates versus depth varies among the 60-plus species of rockfish, there is one commonality in field studies that spanned 15 years: No rockfish caught at a depth greater than 600 feet survived after being returned with a descending device, according to the collective data. The studies are particular relevant now that California anglers can fish at unlimited depths in many areas for the 2023 rockfish season.

Rockfish Studies Using Acoustic Tags

Methodology for gauging survival of the rockfish included long-term acoustic tags, recompressing captive fish in compression chambers, and underwater video evidence of fish being descended in cages.

How does that compare with shallower depths: Consider the cowcod, a large and iconic protected species in California requiring immediate release after being caught. Cowcod experienced survival return rates as high as 97 percent when caught at depths as great as 180 feet. That rate dropped to 70 and 62 percent at depths as great as 300 and 600 feet, respectively. Another large protected species, the yelloweye rockfish, experienced similar survival rates. Both species are classified under the “demersal” group of rockfish in the NOAA study.

Rockfish species classified under the study’s “dwarf” and “pelagic” groups (which included species such as squarespot rockfish and bocaccio, respectively) did not fare as well as those in the demersal group. The dwarf group experienced mortality rates as high as 100 percent at depths from 300 to 600 feet, while pelagic rockfish had a 92 percent mortality rate at the same depths.

Silver Linings

What’s the upshot for anglers? “In would encourage people who catch rockfish at depths greater than 100 fathoms to retain those fish, unless they are protected species that must be returned,” says Daniel Studt, recreational fishing coordinator for NOAA’s Sustainable Fisheries Division for the West Coast.

“Also, if you are in an area where you are catching protected rockfish species, move on the next rockpile,” Studt adds, noting that the release of protected species with descending devices might not be effective depending on the depths that they are fishing.

To learn more about rockfish barotrauma, recompression research, and descending devices and techniques, visit fisheries.noaa.gov/west-coast/recreational-fishing/rockfish-barotrauma-and-recompression.

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The 2023 rockfish season heralds big changes for California ocean anglers. A variety of new regulations are set to kick in for these popular and tasty bottomfish. Most of the changes, but not all, are more restrictive than in years past. 

For example, anglers in Southern California—arguably the largest and most populous coastal area for rockfishing in the Golden State—will face a dramatically shorter season. It starts on April 1, a month later than in recent years, and much of the traditional bottomfishing waters will close September 15. That’s three and a half months earlier than normal. 

On the other hand, you can now target rockfish at greater depths. While anglers were previously restricted to waters less than 600 feet, no maximum depth limit will exist through December 31 for about 40 deepwater species. After September 15, however, SoCal anglers will be prohibited from bottomfishing in depths of less than 600 feet or targeting the 13 species of nearshore rockfish.

The new regs bring both challenges and opportunities, and at least one SoCal angler is already adjusting to this New World order. Cesar Chavez, a lifelong West Coast angler, has adapted and refined slow-pitch jigging techniques to catch big rockfish in deep water. 

Big and Fun

“I’ve always loved bottomfishing, but I wanted to make it more fun. I came across some videos of Benny Ortiz bottomfishing deep with some very light gear,” Chavez told me. A pro staffer for Shimano, Ortiz has pioneered slow-pitch fishing in the waters off Florida and elsewhere for snapper, grouper and other species.

“I tried to mimic his techniques out on the West Coast, but initially, I was not successful,” Chavez says. “So, I reached out to Benny directly. 

“He showed me the gear and how to rig everything. Once I bought the correct tackle and put it to practice, I began to experience success.”

Chavez points out that slow-pitch jigging is perfect for targeting large rockfish ranging from 6 to 8 pounds, as well as lingcod up to 30 pounds, particularly on 200- to 400-foot spots and areas that receive a lot of fishing pressure. To find out more, Chavez and I headed out of Marina del Rey on an autumn day last year to fish for rockfish in Santa Monica Bay, which spans 25 miles of the Los Angeles County coast.

Structure Strategy

Rockfishing requires a keen focus on bottom structure. Chavez encourages anglers to use fish finders to look for signs of rockfish along the ledges and canyons of the continental shelf, which is often close to shore on the West Coast.

“Species like vermillion and canary rockfish don’t always stay directly on high-relief structure spots,” Chavez points out. “Low-relief areas with scattered rubble often attract these fish.”

Chavez emphasizes that boating anglers should look with sonar all around likely structure spots and drop-offs because rockfish might gather a good distance away. “We often find schools holding well up-current from prime structure areas,” he says.

Calm Conditions

Successful slow-pitch jigging hinges on sea conditions. “More than any other fishing method, slow-pitch jigging requires a vertical presentation, and that means fishing when winds are light,” Chavez explains. 

The timing of our trip was carefully selected to take advantage of a high-pressure system that had settled over the Los Angeles area for a few days, resulting in calm winds. We drift-fished over spots ranging from 325 to 400 feet. Once the afternoon wind began to blow, our lines scoped out too far.  

An increasing number of SoCal saltwater anglers are turning to GPS-guided trolling motors to help hold their boats over spots, using features such as Minn Kota’s Spot-Lock, which can extend the time available to slow-pitch for rockfish in deep water.

Slow-Pitch Jigs

Jigs for slow-pitching come in different weights and sizes. “The depth you are fishing, [and the] current and drift speed will determine the best jig size and shape to use,” Chavez says.  

The more wind and current, the heavier and slimmer the jig you will need. Calm wind and light current enable anglers to use lighter and fatter jigs. Some of the slow-pitch jigs for SoCal rockfish range in weight between 100 and 600 grams (about 3.5 to 21 ounces), with lighter jigs descending more slowly but offering more fluttering action. Heavier jigs get down more quickly but don’t flutter as much.

Available from brands such as Daiwa, Hyabusa, Nomad, Shimano and Williamson, the jigs come in an amazing array of color patterns. But Chavez contends that color is of minimal value. “It doesn’t matter much, but I do well with reds, yellows and pinks,” he says.

Special Rods

The rod represents one of the most critical components. Slow-pitch rods from brands such as Daiwa, Penn and Shimano are typically 6 to 6½ feet in length with thin, lightweight and sensitive blanks; small-diameter guides to enhance sensitivity; and slow tapers that impart a lot of recoil. Rods up to 8 feet in length are also available for anglers on party boats with high freeboard.

“Lightweight slow-pitch rods are primarily for jigging, and the recoil is not engineered to fight or pump fish,” Chavez points out. “So, once you hook a big fish, point the rod tip downward at a 45-degree angle and turn the reel handle to winch the fish in.”

Get Reel

“You want the lightest and smallest reel with the most inches per crank that can hold just enough line to reach the depths,” Chavez explains.  

Slow-pitch reels from companies like Accurate, Daiwa, Okuma and Shimano feature higher retrieve ratios to help you work the jig with the reel and quickly pick up line when a fish bites. “These reels are ­typically small, compact lever-drag models that weigh 10 to 18 ounces,” Chavez says. “They have narrow spools and pick up 3 to 4 feet of line per crank.”

Using light braided line is critical because it does not stretch and provides supreme sensitivity to control the jig at any depth. Chavez prefers 15- to 30-pound-test braid because the thinner line creates less water resistance and results in greater line capacity. A 3-foot top shot of 40- to 50-pound-test fluorocarbon leader material, connected to the braid with a uni-knot, helps keep a lingcod or sharp rocks from breaking the line. 

Read Next: New Frontiers for Rockfish

Slow-Pitch Rigging

Slow-pitch fishing calls for tying on a small ball-bearing swivel to the bitter end of the top shot, then using a triple split ring on the other end of the swivel. In California, only two hooks can be used for bottomfishing, and Chavez likes to have one single assist hook on top and another assist hook on the bottom. However, the top assist hook should not be on the jig itself, but rather on the split ring at the end of the swivel that attaches to the lure. Chavez uses split-ring pliers to switch jigs.

Working the Jig

The key to slow-pitch jigging is bringing the metal jig to life using the rod and reel. “It is almost the opposite of speed jigging, in which the lure is retrieved violently fast to entice bites,” Chavez says. For rockfish, it consists of dropping the jig to the bottom, then slowly lifting the rod to sweep the jig upward, known as pitching, and letting it free-fall back into the zone. 

“The falling action is crucial, as that’s what triggers most strikes,” Chavez says. “You can create different fluttering actions by changing the direction or length you pitch. Left to right, short to long, slow to fast, or any combination of these.”

When fishing on a private boat, it’s important to work the jig while carefully watching the fish finder to ensure it’s over structure or fish, Chavez says. “If you don’t get any bites, reposition the boat up-current and drift again,” he adds. “As the current or wind increases and the line angles out, switch to a more slender, heavier jig to fish as vertical as possible. Continue to increase the weight of the jig until it’s just too windy to fish.”

For the latest on California’s bottomfishing season and regulations, visit the California Department of Fish and Wildlife at wildlife.ca.gov.

The post Slow-Pitch Jigging for Rockfish appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

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A conservation movement aimed to mitigate climate change, enhance biodiversity and ensure equitable access to outdoor spaces sounds like program that everyone, including anglers, can get behind. These goals are part and parcel of the so-called 30×30 initiative, a global movement conceived and promoted by environmental groups to protect 30 percent of the ocean and land by the year 2030.

Yet, sportfishing communities from coast to coast have grown skeptical and suspicious of the political influence and true intent of the forces behind the movement. Those forces include well-financed environmental groups such as the Audubon Society, Azul, Defenders of Wildlife, and the National Resource Defense Council. Strong and determined, these organizations have already set the wheels in motion for 30×30 programs at federal and state levels.

This is the story of one of those states — California — where implementation is moving ahead with greater speed than anywhere else in the country, largely because proponents aim to set precedent here for implementing 30×30 throughout the US and around the globe. Yet the process in California is far from complete, and outcome not quite clear. While no one’s exactly sure how it will turn out, the experience so far might provide guidance to angling groups facing 30×30 initiatives in other states.

But before heading west, let’s take a closer look at 30×30 and how proponents envision its implementation, particularly in coastal waters.

Defining 30X30

The National Resource Defense Council — one of the most visible environmental groups behind this initiative — defines 30×30 as “… protection of at least 30 percent of the world’s oceans and 30 percent of all lands and inland waters by 2030.”

The goal, according to the NRDC’s 30×30 fact sheet, is to safeguard air and water quality, protect our food supply and health, prevent mass wildlife extinctions, and protect treasured natural spaces.

While that sounds fine, it’s the single-minded manner in which environmental groups propose to achieve these goals in ocean waters that raises the hackles of anglers. The NRDC fact sheet states: “’Highly and fully protected’ MPAs (Marine Protected Areas) are the most effective (means), providing safe havens for ocean life to recover and thrive without pressures from extractive activities like industrial fishing and oil and gas drilling.”

More MPAs

Interestingly, the NRDC fact sheet fails to discuss critical ocean issues such as minimizing pollution due to agricultural or urban runoff or sewage spills. Nor does it recognize sustainable and proven fisheries management tools such as seasonal closures or catch limits as legitimate conservation measures.

“Their end goal is to expand the MPA network,” says Bill Shedd, CEO of AFTCO and chairman of the Coastal Conservation Association of California. “It’s not about biodiversity. It’s just MPAs. Proponents of 30×30 want to see as little fishing as possible. They think that sport fishermen are the problem.”

Shedd points out that no-take MPAs remain unproven as ocean conservation tools. He has aggregated on the AFTCO website more than 10 scientific and mainstream articles, including a paper by Shedd himself, to support this argument.

“A deep dive into the MPA studies shows that US-based no-catch marine protected areas do not increase fisheries productivity, and that current fisheries management tools are far superior at achieving the goal,” Shedd states in his article.

Western Battle

In the spring of 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, proponents of 30×30 attempted an apparent sneak play in the California Legislature with the introduction of Assembly Bill 3030 (Rep. Ash Kalra, D, Santa Rosa). Many in the sportfishing community believe that the sponsors exploited Covid restrictions and concerns to try to pass the bill before opponents could gear up. Whether the timing was intentional or not, the sportfishing community was caught off guard as AB3030 swiftly flew through its first two committee hearings and was approved by a majority vote of the Assembly within a few weeks of its introduction.  

The balance began to shift as AB3030 reached committee hearings in the state senate. The Coastal Conservation Association of California (CCA CAL) along with a coalition of other stakeholder groups ramped up opposition efforts through lobbying arms, and mobilized anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts to voice concerns to their state senators through aggressive outreach programs and online petitions. And it worked. While AB3030 passed through the first senate hurdle in the Natural Resources and Water Committee, it stalled in the Appropriations Committee and failed to move on to a vote in the upper house.

Executive Edict

While AB3030 effectively died in committee in mid-August 2020, the big-money environmental groups behind 30×30 staged an end-around play. They had ear of California’s Governor Gavin Newsom. The groups, along with Rep. Kalra, convinced Newsom to use his executive powers to bypass the legislature. In a stunning example of gubernatorial over-reach following the defeat of AB3030, Newsom signed Executive Order N-82-20, committing the state to the principles of 30×30.

Pathways Document

Newsom’s executive order directed the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA), along with its sub-agency, the Ocean Protection Council (OPC), to engage and collaborate with key stakeholders, including fishing organizations, and other state agencies to develop and report strategies for achieving the goals of 30×30. The report eventually gained the title, Pathways to 30×30.

Interestingly, shortly after the executive order was issued, CCA CAL’s Mark Gorelnik, Chairman of the CCA CAL Government Relations Committee, and Wayne Kotow, Executive Director, were contacted by the Director of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Charlton Bonham, who promised that CCA CAL, as a key stakeholder in the 30×30 process, would have a “seat at the table” during the development of the report. That did not occur.  

“CCA CAL did not get a seat at the table, because there was no table,” said Mark Gold, then director of the Ocean Protection Council.

Instead of CCA CAL having the opportunity to provide meaningful direction, the CNRA and OPC scheduled public meetings, in this case, nine regional workshops (with 150 to 350 participants in each event), plus two topical workshops with up 467 and 283 participants each. There was also an online questionnaire. Following publication of the draft, there was also a 60-day period for public input.

CCA CAL participated when possible, but Gorelnik believes that these opportunities for input are largely perfunctory in nature. “We expected measures that would allow us meaningful input, as we were promised a seat at the table by Director Bonham,” he explains. Gorelnik describes the actual opportunities for input on the Pathways document as more symbolic than substantive.

Like Language

A draft of Pathways to 30×30 emerged in December 2021 from the California Department of Natural Resources, and the 72-page document held disappointment for angling groups such as CCA CAL.

“It is no coincidence that the draft of the Pathways document and AB3030 have very similar language,” Gorelnik says. This serves as an indication that input from proponents of 30×30 held the greatest weight in the development process, he feels.

The document’s definition of conservation as it relates to 30×30 has emerged as a major point of contention. It defines conservation as: “Land and coastal areas that are durably protected and managed to support functional ecosystems, both intact and restored, and the species that rely on them.” A key phrase here is “durably protected,” and it’s not precisely defined in the document.

Yet the authors (staffers at the CNRA and OPC) seem to know it when they see it, to paraphrase the US Supreme Court. A great concern in the angling community is that it includes only areas that forbid fishing. And therein lies the sportfishing community’s skepticism of the true intent behind 30×30 and suspicion that the political forces behind the movement are anti-fishing.

Ambiguous Phraseology

The good news is that some of California’s existing MPAs permit fishing, while others limit fishing or forbid it all together. The bad news is that the state’s MPA network is calculated in the document to cover 16 percent of the California coast and offshore islands. Based on this, it will require nearly twice as many MPAs to meet the goals of 30×30.  

CCA CAL has officially protested the decision to include only state-managed MPAs in its definition of durably conserved, as there also exists a number of National Marine Sanctuaries along the coast and offshore islands, which if included, would bring the percentage of ocean waters much closer to 30 percent. Only time will tell if the CNRA eventually pays heed to CCA CAL’s protest and accepts the National Marine Sanctuaries as being durably conserved.

Lip Service or Sincere?

The Pathway document seems to contain another ray of bright news. In the section titled “Access to Nature,” it states: “Conservation must consider a broad range of community needs and priorities … fostering active recreation including hunting, fishing, hiking, boating and more.”

That would seem to indicate that angling and 30×30 can coexist, but California angling groups have heard such platitudes before, specifically during the implementation of the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) more than a decade, but in the end lost big sections of the coast and offshore islands to no-take fishing MPAs.

“As far as I am concerned, this is MLPA 2.0,” says Shedd.

What’s Next?

In 2022, the final Pathways to 30×30 document was published, and it contained no substantive changes from the draft document. The vague language regarding “durably protected” MPAs still stands.

However, the California regulatory agencies charged with 30×30 implementation — including the CNRA and the OPC — have been obliged to put 30×30 development on hold with regard to coastal waters. This is because much of the coastal planning hinges on the findings of a long-anticipated Marine Protected Area Decadal Management Review.

This study was mandated in the implementation of California’s Marine Life Protection Act that established the state’s MPA network in 2012. Intended to evaluate the effectiveness of the MPAs and provide guidance for changes in the network, that 137-page study was released in January 2023 and is currently under review by CCA CAL and other stakeholder groups.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) in coordination with the OPC, California Fish and Game Commission, and the Resources Legacy Foundation hosted a MPA Decadal Review Forum on March 15, 2023, in Monterey, California. The idea is that the findings of the study and stakeholder input will help guide the 30×30 process.

After that, it is anyone’s guess as to how the 30×30 process will proceed or what the sequence of events or calendar of opportunities for public input will look like. “An executive order is not exactly a democratic process,” Gorelnik points out. “It’s not like the legislative process that requires opportunities for comment, public debate and voting by lawmakers.

“It’s just the governor telling his state agencies to get it done, and staffers are obliged to comply, or get fired.”

Angler Outreach

In the meantime, CCA CAL is not sitting on its hands. It has gone on the offensive, launching an aggressive multi-media campaign to generate public awareness and opposition to the establishment of more coastal no-fishing areas within California’s 30×30 plan.

The campaign kicked off in February 2023 with a “Stop the 30×30 Closures” theme, encouraging anglers and others to help battle against the potential for 30×30 fishing closures by joining and contributing to CCA CAL.

“The State of California views anglers as a problem, but in reality, we are the original conservationists with a vested interest in strong marine ecosystems and biodiversity,” Kotow adds. “We are committed to working toward solutions that conserve marine resources and at the same time preserve coastal fishing access. That includes fishing access for kids, for under-served communities, for everyone.” Other sportfishing organizations are launching separate campaigns to bring to bear political pressure on California politicians and regulators to include recreational fishing in 30×30 areas.

Only time will tell what ultimately occurs in California, but the fate of recreational fishing as we know may well hang in the balance. With 30×30 programs underway in other states and at the federal level, no-fishing policies adopted in California could well spread to the rest of the country. States such as New York, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington, for example, often follow California’s lead.

But if CCA CAL’s response to the potential for coastal fishing closures in the 30×30 process is any example, the angling community is not going down without a fight.

The post The Problems With 30X30 appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife has warned anglers of significant changes to the state’s bottomfishing regulations beginning next year in response to recent scientific information suggesting some nearshore groundfish species are in decline.

“To reduce pressure on these stocks, fishing seasons will be shorter in nearshore waters, but new opportunities in deeper water are anticipated,” the CDFW states on its website. More than 90 species of bottom-dwelling species will be affected by the new regulations including rockfish (60 varieties), lingcod, California sheephead, ocean whitefish, cabezon, greenling, sablefish, and some sharks and skates.

Shorter Seasons for California Groundfish

In 2022, nearshore groundfish season lengths ranged from 8 to 10 months. But in 2023, they are expected to shrink to no more than 5½ five months in California’s five coastal Groundfish Management Areas, beginning in January.

“These (new regs) were developed by the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) over the past year and reflect outcomes of a public decision-making process where the CDFW worked with fishing industry representatives, non-governmental organizations, and state, federal and tribal governments to balance the need for fishing season closures in nearshore waters with the needs of these communities and industries,” the Department states. California fishing regulations traditionally fall in the line with the PFMC.

Smaller Bag Limits for California Rockfish

In addition to shorter seasons, sub-bag limits of one fish each for quillback and copper rockfish, and four fish for vermilion rockfish will continue in 2023 within the 10-fish daily combined rockfish, cabezon and greenling bag limit. These sub-bag limits were established in January 2022 in response to research indicating severe declines in the populations of these species.

On the positive side, the state said that new opportunities to fish in deeper water beginning in 2023 will allow anglers to target healthy populations of schooling widow rockfish and yellowtail rockfish, as well as bottom-dwelling blackgill rockfish. In addition, sport fishing seasons for some other federally managed groundfish species like sablefish (aka black cod) or will be open year-round without depth constraints. The maximum depth limit for bottom fishing along much of the California coast in 2022 was 600 feet.

To stay informed of in-season regulatory changes, anglers can call the Recreational Groundfish Hotline at 831-649-2801 or visit the CDFW’s summary of recreational groundfish fishing regulations.

The post California Anglers Face Dramatically Shorter Rockfish Seasons appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

As my heavy jig-and-grub combo plummeted toward the bottom, I had a couple of minutes to think. While always keeping light thumb pressure on the spool to prevent my braided line from overrunning into a tangled mess, I wondered what sort of fish would be first to grab it. Would it be a big, fat vermilion rockfish? Or maybe a chunky chucklehead painted in scales of orange and white? Or perhaps even an alligator-faced lingcod, the apex predator on Southern California’s deep, rocky reefs?

This sort of on-the-sink contemplation is one of the things I love most about rockfishing. On any given drop, you can’t predict which colorful, great-eating bottom dweller you’ll bring to the surface.

Like many Southern California anglers, I eagerly await the March 1 opening of rockfish season south of Point Conception. This springtime ritual shakes anglers out of their winter doldrums and gets them on the water in pursuit of fish that populate a variety of coastal and island hard-bottom areas, typically in waters from 200 to 400 feet. 

New Zones 

As a bonus, the 2021 season brought new regulations extending the allowable fishing depth out to 600 feet, opening up areas that haven’t been fished for decades. This comes as a surprise to California anglers accustomed to the fact that when fisheries managers take something away, it’s usually gone for good. 

These new rules don’t mean anglers can find any location that is 600 feet deep or less and legally fish there. All the rules and restrictions relating to Southern California’s vast network of marine protected areas (MPAs) still apply. The Southern Groundfish Management area also incorporates cowcod conservation areas (CCAs), where it is legal to groundfish inside 40-fathom (240-foot) point-to-point lines drawn around Santa Barbara Island, San Nicholas Island, and the Cortez and Tanner banks. No other areas within CCA boundaries are legal to fish, regardless of depth. In essence, the new angling access is confined within a set of 100-fathom point-to-point depth lines established by the Pacific Fisheries Management Council. By virtue of how the lines were drawn, there are hard-bottom areas shallower than 100 fathoms that remain closed, the 60-mile bank and the 9-mile bank off San Diego among them. Conversely, there are some areas anglers can legally fish that are deeper than 100 fathoms yet still fall within the established 100-fathom point-to-point lines.

To take advantage of every opportunity while ensuring compliance with the rules, boaters rely on their GPS and chart plotters. By plugging in waypoints for the established 100-fathom depth markers and using these to create point-to-point lines, it is possible to see where you can and cannot fish. A downloadable list of these points is available online at fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/data/depth-based-boundary-lines-west-coast.

Some areas recently opened will be familiar to old-timers, such as the Santa Rosa Flats off the Channel Islands and the Dome in the middle of the Santa Barbara Channel. Private boaters and party boats alike have taken advantage of these to target bigger rockfish. These spots also offer boats limited to coastal waters due to size, range and weather-worthiness to get in on quality rockfishing on par with overnight trips to the Santa Rosa and San Miguel islands. 

Tweak Tackle and Tactics

Rockfishing rigs are generally simple. The most common is a double-dropper loop rigged with shrimp flies tied on 5/0 hooks, often adorned with squid strips or other dead bait. Anglers targeting bigger rockfish often pin live anchovies, sardines or mackerel on hooks that match the bait and send them to the depths. Using the allowable two hooks optimizes the catch rate and cuts down on time spent reeling up empty hooks.

I fish with lures and keep rigs simple with either a single, heavy jig-plastic combo or, when conditions allow, a large plastic swimbait rigged on a 12- to 16-ounce head. Artificials require more attention from the angler, and deeper waters up to 600 feet make it even more of a challenge.

Capt. Mike Nickerson on Ventura Sportfishing’s Pacific Dawn has been hitting deeper areas out to 500 feet with good results, catching large vermilions, chilipeppers and chuckleheads. He also sees these depths challenge unprepared customers. 

“I made one drift in 94 fathoms, and while some anglers were reeling in nice rockfish, others never made bottom,” Nickerson says. “Some were fishing straight monofilament, which is tough even in shallower water. Others had too much top shot over their braid, which makes a difference in how quickly your rig sinks.” 

To go from more-standard rockfishing depths of 300 to 350 feet to waters as deep as 600, Nickerson recommends increasing your weight to at least 20 ounces and tying just 3 feet of mono or fluoro leader straight to 65-pound braid.

Avid jig fishermen still successfully ply their trade if they fish heavy 16-ounce lures and stick with a short leader. Fishing in either the bow or a stern corner, lob the jig as far down-drift as possible; with luck, you’ll hit bottom about the time the boat drifts over your lure. Lift the jig off the bottom with a sharp sweep of the rod, then let it fall until it just ticks the bottom. By keeping in contact with the lure on the fall, you’ll be able to feel the bite and set the hook. As the boat drifts away, you’ll need to scope back to stay in contact with the bottom. You may only have a few minutes in the strike zone before you need to reel up and start over. 

Nickerson adjusts his captaining techniques as well. “Sometimes there’ll be an undercurrent that’s opposite the surface current, where you know the lines should be drifting one way, but they’re actually going the other way. When this happens, I have everybody step up to 2 pounds of weight,” he says.

Rockfish have never been known as tackle-busting gamefish, but there is allure in bringing something unknown up from the depths. With more than 50 different species of rockfish in the waters off the SoCal coast, you never know what you might catch. New untapped frontiers just add to the fun for Southern Californians in search of deep adventure. 

Read Next: How to Fish for Bottomfish

Seeing Red

A limit of 10 vermilion rockfish—known as “reds”—has long been the measure of successful rockfishing. Its size (up to 10 pounds), availability and flaky white fillets put this brilliantly colored species on a pedestal as Southern California’s top bottomfish. However, new regulations for SoCal for the 2022 season come with bitter pills: a sub-limit of four vermilion rockfish within the overall 10-fish bag limit. Even more Draconian is a reduction in the sub-limit for the almost equally popular copper rockfish to just one, as well as one of the less popular quillback rockfish. This is all complicated by the fact that rockfish can only be released by using specialized descending devices. The rule has created situations where boats have to pull away from great fishing to avoid going over their limit on the popular species. “Many times last season (when the sub-limit for vermilions was five), I had to run away from a hot red bite,” Nickerson says. The plus side is that Southern California waters—particularly those around the Channel Islands off Ventura, Oxnard and Santa Barbara—offer plenty of options. “Guys are starting to appreciate the other great rockfish, like widows, gophers and bank perch. While they may not get as big, when it comes to eating quality, I’ll take those over reds any day,” Nickerson says. Learn more at wildlife.ca.gov.

SWS Tackle Box

• Rods: Fast-action 7- to 8-foot graphite rod rated for 30 to 50 pounds
• Reels: Conventional lever- or star-drag reel able to hold 400 yards of braid
• Line: 65-pound braid
• Leader: 3 feet of 40-pound monofilament or fluorocarbon
• Lures: 16-ounce heavy-iron jig with a single hook, rigged with a 6-inch plastic or Gulp! grub 

SWS Planner

What: Deepwater rockfishing

Where: Southern California

When: March 1 through December 31

Who: Anglers with craft from 22 feet up, or book a spot through one of these charter landings: 

Ventura Sportfishing

805-676-3474

venturasportfishing.com

Channel Islands Sportfishing

805-382-1612

channelislandssportfishing.com

22nd Street Landing

310-832-8304

22ndstreet.com

The post New Frontiers for Rockfish appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

As anglers, sometimes we get so fixated on what works in a specific region and for a particular species, we forget that experimenting and adapting our tackle and tactics frequently pays off. With a little ingenuity, it’s often possible to turn a slow or average outing into an unforgettable catch fest.

I remember one trip in Islamorada, Florida, that proves the point. While everyone else was boating yellowtail snapper on No. 4 hooks at the stern of the boat, compatriot Sean Reilly and I were at the bow, dropping chunks on the same high-low rigs with the 5/0 hooks we regularly fish in New Jersey waters. After watching us catch a mixed bag of 10-pound gag grouper, 15-pound mutton snapper and 20-pound king mackerel, the entire boat forgot about the yellowtails, and I was tying dropper rigs with 5/0 hooks for everybody.

Bottomfishing rigs used across the country are vast and varied, but many share some common traits that can be applied to different species in other waters. Top bottomfishing captains from different regions shared some of their favorites to easily add to your arsenal.

Jersey Rippers

Cold water surrounds the New Jersey wrecks and reefs where Capt. Pat Murphy primarily targets tautog, cod, ling and porgies. He favors the two-hook snafu rig, especially for ‘togs. It consists of 50- or 60-pound mono leader, to which you tie a simple loop for the sinker at the bottom, and a half-inch dropper loop some 10 inches above to attach a 20-inch trace of 50-pound mono leader with 4/0 Octopus hooks snelled on both ends. To attach it, form a loop in the middle of the short mono piece, insert it into the dropper loop, then pull both hooks through to complete the loop-to-loop connection and allow them to dangle on opposite sides. “You want the hooks hanging below the sinker so the baits barely rest on the bottom,” Murphy says. “Bait each hook with half a white legger or green crab, or use a whole crab with both hooks in it. Clams work just fine also.”

When going after ling or cod, Murphy opts for a bottom rig with an upper dropper, consisting of 3 feet of 50-pound mono with a 100-pound barrel swivel affixed on one end, a dropper—with a 5/0 bait-holder hook attached—12 inches below the swivel, and a loop to hold a sinker at the opposite end of the leader. About 5 inches above the sinker, pinch the leader to tie an overhand knot and, before you cinch it tight, use a lark’s head knot to loop on a 12-inch section of 50-pound mono with a snelled 2/0 Octopus hook. “The bottom hook should be baited with clams. Let it rest directly on the seafloor to target ling, and the upper hook can be rigged with a curly-tail grub, Berkley Gulp! Swimming Mullet, or a strip of bait for cod a bit higher in the water column,” Murphy adds.

Virginia Tech

Capt. Joe DelCampo out of Virginia Beach goes deep or shallow, tailoring his technique according to the available fare. “To load up on blueline tiles in deep water, we need a sturdy rig,” he says. “For deep-dropping in 275 to 350 feet of water, my rig consists of 100- to 150-pound mono leader, two 7/0 circle hooks, a pair of three-way swivels and a 12- to 20-ounce sinker,” DelCampo says. After tying on a three-way swivel, crimp one of the hooks onto a 12-inch leader, and crimp it to the second eye. Now tie one end of a 2- or 3-foot length of leader to the third eye of the swivel, and tie the opposite end to the other three-way swivel. Next, crimp the other hook to the second three-way swivel on a 4-inch leader. Finish by tying a piece of 80-pound mono to the last open swivel eye and making a 6-inch loop to slip the sinker on and off. “Bait up with whole squid, strips of bluefish or mackerel,” DelCampo says. “Two hooks ensure you’re not done after one missed strike.”

For black sea bass inshore, DelCampo uses a four-hook dropper rig. “Start with 60- to 80-pound leader, 48 inches in length. Tie a perfection loop on top, then a 4-inch dropper loop with a snelled 6/0 circle hook every 12 inches down. Sea bass often feed higher in the water column, thus the 4-foot rig provides more coverage on a wreck or rubble pile. This rig works well with suspended, schooling fish that show up like a haystack on the fish finder, and it lets you hook multiple fish at once,” DelCampo explains.

Gulf Game

Much of the bottomfishing in the Gulf of Mexico takes place in shallower water, often 30 to 70 feet. “We generally fish for red snapper, grouper and triggerfish,” says Capt. Marshall Hardin out of Port Mansfield, Texas. “We don’t encounter much current, so we use a Carolina-style, sliding sinker rig. It starts with a 1- to 8-ounce egg sinker we slide up the line, followed by a plastic bead, and then we tie on a 100-pound barrel swivel. Next, we snell a 5/0 circle hook onto an 18- to 24-inch section of 40-pound leader, and tie the other end to the swivel to finish the rig. Then we just add a piece of cut bait, drop the rig to the bottom, reel one or two cranks, and wait for a bite. The Carolina rig prevents the fish from feeling the weight on the take, and the circle hook sets in the jaw as it runs off.”

For bigger game, Hardin goes heavy. “When we’re fishing alongside an oil platform, we beef up the rig to target huge warsaw grouper. I use a one-dropper rig to fish a bonito head or really big baitfish right on the bottom, next to the oil platform’s stanchion, looking for that one huge bite,” he explains. His setup is 4 feet long and starts with a 300-pound swivel, then an 8- to 10-inch-long dropper with a 12/0 circle hook snelled or crimped 24 inches down the leader.

SoCal Setups

Capt. Jeremy Maltz out of Marina del Rey in Southern California fishes the Santa Monica Bay area, targeting rockfish that hang in the kelp forests. “There are two main rigs we use, the double dropper and the three way,” he says. “The double dropper starts with a 36-inch piece of 20- to 25-pound fluorocarbon leader. On one end, we tie a 75-pound swivel, then a dropper 12 to 18 inches down, a second dropper another 12 to 18 inches down, then a loop for the weight on the end.

“Fluorocarbon absolutely makes a difference in the clear water. It does way better than mono leader. And we find that light-wire 1/0 to 3/0 circle hooks outfish heavier-gauge hooks by at least 50 percent.”

For the three-way swivel rig, Maltz starts with 10 inches of 25-pound leader to which he snells a light-wire 1/0 to 3/0 circle hook. “Use a 1/0 hook for anchovies or squid strips, and 2/0 or 3/0 hooks for sardines,” he recommends. “For vermilions, chile peppers, reds, salmon (bocaccio rockfish) and belindas (widow rockfish), I fish the two-dropper rig some five to 15 cranks off the bottom. Starry rockfish are right on the bottom, so I prefer the three-way rig for them,” Maltz explains.

Read Next: Bottomfish Tactics

The next time you’re bottomfishing, try some different rigs. A little experimenting will boost your tactics and techniques arsenal, and put more fish in the boat.

SWS Planner

What: Grouper, snapper, tilefish, tautog, black sea bass, cod, rockfish and other bottomfish

When: Best times depend on the region and target species

Where: US waters in the Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific coasts

Who:

The following regional pros can put you on fish and help you expand your arsenal of rigs and techniques:

Point Pleasant, New Jersey – Capt. Pat Murphy

dauntlessfishing.com, 732-892-4298

Virginia Beach, Virginia – Capt. Joe DelCampo

captaincheryl.com, 757-639-8363

Port Mansfield, Texas – Capt. Marshall Hardin

semperfishcharters.com, 361-720-0070

Marina del Rey, California – Capt. Jeremy Maltz

spitfiresportfishing.com, 818-585-1959

The post How to Fish for Bottomfish appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

Cruising southward along Baja’s coastline, we found ourselves at one of Capt. Barry Brightenburg’s favorite spots. All three anglers on board dropped baits, then one, two, three, everyone hooked up the instant the baits reached bottom, and we all cranked up a 6-pound bocaccio, a 10-pound lingcod, and a 5-pound vermilion rockfish.

Fog draped the Pacific waters when we left San Diego, California, so Brightenburg cautiously piloted the boat toward Mexico border. In an hour, we were fishing in 300 feet of water off Bahia Descanso, 20 miles south of the border.

Our targets on this winter day were Pacific rockfish and lingcod. More than 80 species of rockfish inhabit North America’s Pacific waters: canary, copper, green-spotted, olive, rosy, starry, vermilion and yellowtail rockfish, to name a few. Throw in lingcod, California sheephead, ocean whitefish, and other bottom species, and you never know what you might hook.

Why Mexico?

California’s fishing regulations, close fishing for rockfish in January and February, and with rockfish closed in the Golden State during the winter for the past few years, and with Mexico allowing the year-round take of rockfish, lingcod, sheephead, whitefish, and other bottom species, heading south of the border has become an excellent alternative.

Finding Structure

The key to finding rockfish is locating structure, such as wrecks, in depths ranging from 90 over 350 feet.

The first few trips into Mexican waters you will need to spend some time looking for the right kind of bottom, or hire a guide to help show you the way. If you’re a newcomer to Mexico rockfishing, one way to locate likely fishing spots is by subscribing to fishdope.com, which offers a list of rockfish areas, in addition to fishing reports.

50-Fathom Freeway

As a starting point, search with your fish finder along the 50-fathom curve that stretches southward from the Coronados to a seamount known as the Finger Bank, then undulates around the bank and turns inshore off Bahia Descanso, follows the coast southward, around San Miguel Canyon, Isla de Todos los Santos, Banda Canyon and Cabo Punta Banda off Ensenada, 60 miles below the border.

Mexican ­regulations permit rockfishing at any depth, though they prohibit electric reels, so it’s all human power on deep-drops.

“You might find suitable rockfish structure anywhere inside the 50-fathom curve,” Brightenburg says.

Lures and Baits

Live bait isn’t critical. Cut bait such as fresh sardine fillets or frozen squid strips work well, sometimes better than live bait. For lingcod, however, live bait such as Pacific mackerel, sand dab, sardines, or even small rockfish produce far better than strips.

Artificials also prove effective for lingcod. I’m partial to heavy metal lures such as a 4- to 8-ounce Promar Ahi Assault diamond jig fitted with a single Siwash 6/0 or 7/0 hook and bounced along the bottom. Large vermilion and copper rockfish also attack these jigs.

Favor 4- to 8-ounce lead-heads with a soft-plastic paddle tail such as the 9-inch Giant Shad from Optimum Baits to entice strikes from both lingcod and large rockfish when jigged or retrieved slowly along the bottom.

A stinger hook increases the hookups. When a fish bites, wind into the fish rather than swing the rod to set the hook. The latter just pulls the lure out of the fish’s mouth.

Fishing deep structure is easier and more effective in the absence of a fast drift, which makes it difficult to keep baits near the bottom. Experienced anglers often Time your Mexico trips to fish mornings, when winds tend to be lighter

Rockfish Tackle

For depths under 200 feet, a medium-action, 7- to 8-foot rod with a two-speed lever-drag reel works well. For greater depths, turn to a heavy-action rod with the same medium-size reel.

Two-speed reels might seem like overkill, but Mexico allows up to four hooks on a leader, and reeling up four rockfish plus a heavy sinker from 300 feet wears you out and the lower ratio eases the task.

Braided line in the 50- to 65-pound range is the most popular for rockfishing.

Terminal Gear

When fishing jigs for rockfish and lingcod, some anglers splice on a top shot of 30- or 40-pound-test monofilament using a double Uni-knot. Other anglers tie the lure directly to the braid using an improved clinch, San Diego jam, or Uni-knot.

Rigging a special leader known as gangion minimizes the twist on the line caused by the baits spinning.

Twist-Free Rockfish Gangion Rig

If you fish baits on as many as four hooks in a row, the maximum permitted in Mexico, a special leader known as a gangion helps minimize line twist during the drop and retrieve. Thread 60- to 80-pound leader material through the eye of a barrel swivel, place one or two beads on each side of the eye, and squeeze crimping sleeves on the leader to secure the beads and swivel. Place as many as four of these assemblies, 18 inches apart, on the leader. Tie a 4-inch-long leader with a hook to the free eye of each swivel. Use a snap or another swivel at the top of the gangion (about 12 inches above the top hook) to attach the main line, and another snap swivel at the bottom (12 inches below the bottom hook) to attach a sinker.

Rig Components

1.) Main Line
2.) Swivel
3.) Rigging Beads
4.) Crimping Sleeve
5.) Swivel and 4-Inch Leader
6.) Snap Swivel
7.) Torpedo Sinker

Many anglers simplify things by tying one or two 3-inch-long dropper loops (about 18 inches apart for multiple hooks) on the line (either braid or short mono top shot), then they secure a 3/0 hook to each loop and tie a torpedo sinker at the bottom.

When a fish bites, reel tight and swing hard to set. However, if you are fishing with multiple hooks, refrain from reeling up after hooking your first fish. Leave the rig down in hopes that more fish will load up on the gangion. If you’re lucky, you’ll bag four fish at once and be well on the way to your 10-fish Mexican limit for the day.

SWS Planner

What: Pacific rockfish, lingcod, and other bottom species
Where: From the Mexican border to Ensenada, in 90 to 350 feet
When: January and February (closed season for rockfish in Southern California)
Who: Anglers aboard reliable craft 20 feet and up. Many Southern California charter captains can show you where and how to catch rockfish off this stretch of Mexico’s coast.

Mexico Rockfish Guides

• Capt. Barry Brightenburg, 619-540-8944, alwaysanadventurecharters.com
• Capt. Duane Mellor, 619-850-7575, pinnaclesportfishing.com
• Capt. Jaime Thinnes, Seasons Sportfishing, 714-206-6146, seasonssportfishing.com

SWS Tackle Box

Rods: 7- to 8-foot medium-action for depths under 200 feet; 7-foot heavy-action for depths beyond 200 feet
Reels: Medium-size, two-speed lever drag
Line: 50- to 65-pound braid (10-foot top shot of 30- to 40-pound mono optional)
Terminal Rigs: For cut bait, two- to four-hook gangions with 3/0 hooks and torpedo sinkers ranging from 8 ounces to 2 pounds
Lures: 4- to 8-ounce diamond jigs or lead-heads with soft-plastic paddle tails

Mexico’s Fishing Regulations and Bag Limits

Mexico allows a daily bag of 10 fish per person, with no more than five of a single species, except for giant sea bass (which counts as five toward the limit of 10) and any billfish or shark (only one of each is allowed). For bluefin tuna, dorado and Gulf grouper, two of each is allowed per day, but those two count as five toward the 10-fish limit. For more, visit sportfishinginmexico.com/rules.

Mexico imposes no size limits, but once you come back across the border by water or land, California bag and size limits apply. So sheephead, often caught while targeting rockfish, must be 12 inches, lingcod must be at least 22 inches, and you’re only allowed two in California. You cannot possess any rockfish protected in California such as cowcod and yelloweye.

California DFW requires you to complete a Declaration/Importation of Fish and Wildlife when bringing fish from a foreign country. To access a form and learn more, visit wildlife.ca.gov/Enforcement/Entry-Declaration.

The post Mexico’s Rockfish Fishing Craze appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.