Goldeneye Rockcod in Sitka, Alaska
Rockfish
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Rockfish Description
Rockfish are bottom dwelling fish that are often caught in the same areas as Lingcod. There are many, many species of Rockfish including Vermillion Rockfish, Goldeneye Rockfish, Blue Rockfish, Quillback Rockfish, China Rockfish, etc. For simplicity’s sake I will lump them all together along with fish like Boccaccio and Treefish that have similar characteristics.
The great thing about fishing for Rockfish is that you never know what species you will pull up. Many of them are brightly colored and very beautiful. They don’t put up much of a fight (often when caught in deep water their air bladders expand on the way up and they are unable to fight at all) but they do taste absolutely delicious.
Rockfish are a great fish to get kids started on fishing because they are not usually very difficult to catch. They don’t have big teeth but when handling them watch out for their long sharp dorsal spines.
Rockfish Tackle
Spinning or conventional tackle should work fine. If targeting Rockfish in deep water or in heavy current you may need to use a lot of weight, which will necessitate heavier gear. It is much more fun in my opinion to target these in the shallows when possible, although often the bigger ones are found deep. Braided line is a must because its low-stretch qualities allow you to feel the bite even in deep water and make a good hookset. If you are fishing shallow you can use a baitcaster reel such as a Daiwa Pluton to make it more sporty. When fishing deep you can use a conventional saltwater reel like an Accurate BX, although you actually don't need that good of a reel to fish for these. Click here for tackle recommendations.
Rockfish Techniques
Rockfish are readily caught on both bait and lures. Once they are located they are not usually difficult to catch; it’s just a matter of dropping your lure or bait down to the bottom. Once in a while some species suspend above the bottom as well.
Rockfish Lures
Metal jigs can be deadly on Rockfish and often result in bigger fish. If you are fishing deep or in heavy current you want a jig that will drop straight down. If you are fishing in shallower water you can afford to use a jig like a diamond jig that has a little action. Whatever; these fish aren’t that picky.
Plastic lures such as scampi tails can work well. You can fish these on whatever size leadhead gets you to the bottom or you can fish them on dropper loops.
Rockfish also frequently hit hooks dressed with bucktail or similar material.
I like to add a strip of squid to my lures to add to the appeal.
HOME
Rockfish Description
Rockfish are bottom dwelling fish that are often caught in the same areas as Lingcod. There are many, many species of Rockfish including Vermillion Rockfish, Goldeneye Rockfish, Blue Rockfish, Quillback Rockfish, China Rockfish, etc. For simplicity’s sake I will lump them all together along with fish like Boccaccio and Treefish that have similar characteristics.
The great thing about fishing for Rockfish is that you never know what species you will pull up. Many of them are brightly colored and very beautiful. They don’t put up much of a fight (often when caught in deep water their air bladders expand on the way up and they are unable to fight at all) but they do taste absolutely delicious.
Rockfish are a great fish to get kids started on fishing because they are not usually very difficult to catch. They don’t have big teeth but when handling them watch out for their long sharp dorsal spines.
Rockfish Tackle
Spinning or conventional tackle should work fine. If targeting Rockfish in deep water or in heavy current you may need to use a lot of weight, which will necessitate heavier gear. It is much more fun in my opinion to target these in the shallows when possible, although often the bigger ones are found deep. Braided line is a must because its low-stretch qualities allow you to feel the bite even in deep water and make a good hookset. If you are fishing shallow you can use a baitcaster reel such as a Daiwa Pluton to make it more sporty. When fishing deep you can use a conventional saltwater reel like an Accurate BX, although you actually don't need that good of a reel to fish for these. Click here for tackle recommendations.
Rockfish Techniques
Rockfish are readily caught on both bait and lures. Once they are located they are not usually difficult to catch; it’s just a matter of dropping your lure or bait down to the bottom. Once in a while some species suspend above the bottom as well.
Rockfish Lures
Metal jigs can be deadly on Rockfish and often result in bigger fish. If you are fishing deep or in heavy current you want a jig that will drop straight down. If you are fishing in shallower water you can afford to use a jig like a diamond jig that has a little action. Whatever; these fish aren’t that picky.
Plastic lures such as scampi tails can work well. You can fish these on whatever size leadhead gets you to the bottom or you can fish them on dropper loops.
Rockfish also frequently hit hooks dressed with bucktail or similar material.
I like to add a strip of squid to my lures to add to the appeal.
Scampi tail plastics and a Shimano Butterfly jig. Red seems to work well even though it looks gray down at the bottom.
Rockfish Baits
Most small baitfish such as anchovies or sardines will work well for Rockfish. Live is best but live often works. Strips of squid also work well. I'm sure lots of other baits like octopus would work well but there is no need to get fancy.
When fishing for Rockfish with bait I rarely use a bare hook; I usually use the bucktail flies or some other lure. That way if the fish pull the bait off the hook you still have a chance of hooking something.
Where to get the big Rockfish
Alaska is a great spot for huge Rockfish, especially the Goldeneyes. They take a back seat to the “glamour” species such as Salmon and Halibut up there but if you want to catch the biggest Rockfish that is the place. The Big Sur area near Morro Bay, California also holds some huge Rockfish. There are also some good spots in the Pacific Northwest.
Other Rockfish Resources
The above barely scratches the surface on how to catch Rockfish. The resources below will provide a wealth of information:
Nice article on Rockfish: http://www.songslinger.net/rockfish.htm
This site has several good articles: http://www.fishsniffer.com/guest/jmrocfishpart2.html
Ronnie Kovach's book Saltwater Fishing in California is also a good resource.
Most small baitfish such as anchovies or sardines will work well for Rockfish. Live is best but live often works. Strips of squid also work well. I'm sure lots of other baits like octopus would work well but there is no need to get fancy.
When fishing for Rockfish with bait I rarely use a bare hook; I usually use the bucktail flies or some other lure. That way if the fish pull the bait off the hook you still have a chance of hooking something.
Where to get the big Rockfish
Alaska is a great spot for huge Rockfish, especially the Goldeneyes. They take a back seat to the “glamour” species such as Salmon and Halibut up there but if you want to catch the biggest Rockfish that is the place. The Big Sur area near Morro Bay, California also holds some huge Rockfish. There are also some good spots in the Pacific Northwest.
Other Rockfish Resources
The above barely scratches the surface on how to catch Rockfish. The resources below will provide a wealth of information:
Nice article on Rockfish: http://www.songslinger.net/rockfish.htm
This site has several good articles: http://www.fishsniffer.com/guest/jmrocfishpart2.html
Ronnie Kovach's book Saltwater Fishing in California is also a good resource.
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