How to Fish for Black Rockfish
- 1). Travel to a location where populations of black rockfish are known to be, and where state regulations permit you to fish them. The west coasts of California, Oregon and Washington are known to be places where recreational fishing for the species is effective. In California open fishing season for rockfish is March 1 to December 31.
- 2). Find a fishing site where black rockfish are likely to congregate. As their name suggests, rockfish can often be found swimming or holding near rock piles and sea walls; you can also often find them around reefs. In places that lack rocky formations such as Monterrey Bay in California, rockfish may often be found among kelp beds. Look for waters with depths greater than 15 feet.
- 3). Prepare your bait and tackle. Tie a 6-foot leader to the bottom of your line; rocks will abuse your line, and you don't want to lose a fish and your lure due to a break. Attach your jig to your line and cut a piece of bait to place over the hook. Strips of squid or herring can be effective, as can shrimp or anchovies. You want to put enough bait on the hook to entice the fish, but not so much that the bait blocks the tip of the hook; it must be exposed so that it will set properly in the mouth of the fish. You also don't want the bait to be stuck on so tight that it won't move around in the water; the key is to bait your line so that it looks natural in the water.
- 4). Lower your line. If you're going to cast your jig, do so slowly so your bait isn't dislodged. Alternatively you can just open your reel and pull the line out gradually. Aim to get your jig 2 or 3 feet from a rock formation and 1 foot from kelp beds if these are visible. Lower your line until you reach the bottom or until you have reached a depth of 15 to 25 feet.
- 5). Jig your line. Slowly raise and lower your rod. The distance you should be moving your rod tip is about the distance from your shoulders to your knees. If you are not feeling any tension, reel your line in 5 feet and repeat.
- 6). Set your hook. When you feel an unnatural movement on your line, set your hook by sharply jerking your rod upward, more with your wrist than your arm. Allow the fish to run if it wants to, but be sure to keep the tension in the line or it can dislodge the hook from its mouth.
- 7). Reel the fish in and land it. Slowly reel the fish closer to you. When you feel like you are close enough to reach it with your hands, transfer your rod to your less dominant hand, and use your dominant hand to place your landing net around the fish in the water. Put your rod down and grab the landing net with both hands; identify the fish, and if it is one that regulations allow you to keep, remove it from the water and take the hook out of its mouth with needle-nose pliers.
- 8). Store the fish in a live well or kill it immediately and store it in your cooler.
Source...