Rigging for NorCal Rockfish

[Bryan Young]

For local rockcod, 30#-50# braid or 20-30# mono are the most common due to California's depth we are restricted to.

My recent rockcod rig is a Abu 6500C3, 20# braid, mated with a Lamiglas Inshore Rod with roller guides.  If I'm on the side of the boat that is away from the drift, I normally fish with 3-4 oz jigs so my line scope is twice that of others on the boat, and I have never got tangled, but have been awarded with some prized fish.  If I'm on the side that we are moving in the drift (where most lines end up under the boat, I can switch to 6-8 oz jig and will be fishing almost straight up and down while other fishing with 10-12 weight for the same scope under the boat.  Lighter weight allows me to feel the fish better.  Most fun, and most successful with this set-up than any others I have tried.  Note, it's not the reel, but the line size that you use that will affect how you feel the bite, how quickly the jig gets down and how the scope of the line is controlled with lighter jigs.

Bryan

[Bryan Young]

Brian,

Do you tie the jig directly to the 20# braid, or use a short piece of Mono as a top shot??

My go-to-reel for rockcod is a reel sweetheart:      Daiwa Sealine 27H, and now that Keta fixed the handle, it is a rockcod pulling machine with Smoooooth drags!!

I have a Daiwa Luna 253 reel, with 30# braid I've used on Kodiak Island for Silver Salmon and Stripped Bass in the San Joaquin Delta, might use this reel on my next Rockcod trip out of Half Moon Bay.

Dom, the office has scheduled our annual rockcod fishing day, and has chartered a boat for Friday, Aug. 9, want to go along?     And catch Bait??      Let me know.

Wayne

Dom, the office has scheduled our annual rockcod fishing day, and has chartered a boat for Friday, Aug. 9, want to go along?     And catch Bait??      Let me know.  Wayne 

Yes I will go but I have to admit I will be embarrassed if you use a Daiwa reel.  Folks, I have been trying to convert Wayne to Penn reels but he will only use them for big game fishing.  Fly fisherman aargh.  Dominick

[Bryan Young]

Ok. This is how I rig for rock cod.

I tie a Bimini in my main line (braid) to form a loop.

I make a 4 foot leader with a perfection loop at the end with 20#, 30#, 40#, or 50# mono and the loop is sleeved with small heat shrink tube to reinforce the connection since braid can easily cut through mono. Then leader is connected to the braid by a loop to loop connection. Then at the loose end of the leader, I tie a snap swivel so that I can quickly change jigs. And last, about 2-3 feet above the jig, I tie in a short leader hook/shrimp fly or a light jig. It appears that the shrimp fly is running from the jig, and that hook usually gets hit first.  I'll take some pics and will post when I get back on line some my photo bucket app is of no use.



Bryan

[Bryan Young]

We use Albright Knots here in N Y. Easier to tie with passengers lined up with tangles. I never had a knot slip. YET

What size hooks are in the Fly?

[Bryan Young]

We use Albright Knots here in N Y. Easier to tie with passengers lined up with tangles. I never had a knot slip. YET

What size hooks are in the Fly?

So that is the name of that knot.  I too use an Albright.

Our rock cod have huge mouths, so the hook size really doesn't matter all that much if it's on the larger size.  I normally start out with a 2/0 and may switch to a 4/0 or 5/0 hook.  I like to use Owner's Spinnerbait Hooks due to a relatively long shank and especially the cutting point.  It is common that I hook the fish in the jaw bone and does not work itself out.  The problem is unhooking afterwards though.  Takes me a bit longer, but I can live with that for a prized fish.

[Keta]

What is the max depth you can fish?

[Bryan Young]

240 feet, but often we are fishing in less than 100 feet.

[Keta]

Do you get many Klingons (large lingcod that bite and hang on to the rockfish)

[Bryan Young]

Hi haven't gotten any Klingons.  All my lings were taken on the chaser hook (the one on the top).  Last year, 4 trips, 6 lings, 3 keepers.

[Dominick]

Do you get many Klingons (large lingcod that bite and hang on to the rockfish)

Klingons, great name did you coin the name for large lings hooking up on rockfish?  (I know where the original Klingon comes from).  Dominick

[johndtuttle]

Do you get many Klingons (large lingcod that bite and hang on to the rockfish)

No, but I get dingle berries 

[bluefish69]

I like the way you said large hooks. 4/0 & 5/0 is not large. We use 7,8, 9 & 10/0 for Blue Fish. Owner Hooks are maybe the best on the market but they are about a half size smaller than Mustard Hooks for the same size.

Ever try tubes with Limerick Hooks as teasers or on the bottom on a Diamond Jig.

[Bryan Young]

I got some tubes to try, but lost them among my fishing stuff. So using mostly 6" bass curly tails.

[Keta]

Klingons, great name did you coin the name for large lings hooking up on rockfish?  (I know where the original Klingon comes from).  Dominick

Yup, it made the clients laugh.  We get a lot of them when fishing deep rockfish.

No, but I get dingle berries

Those Klingons hang out around Uranus.

[jlezama]

Hi Brian
            Yeah my go-to rig is the "teaser" and had some success with long black bass worms with curly tail (I am sure there is a shorter name for it) and a regular 4-6 oz diamond jig at the bottom (with reflective tape). Also been trying glow in the dark "gizzits" as teasers and browns seem to love it. One question for you: Been using mainly flourocarbon, mostly for "stiffness" do think it makes too much difference compared to mono at <120 ft?
and yes, klingon is pretty funny 
Take care and looking forward for more discussion and fishing