Trash Fish

[blackcloud9]

Originally Posted by hook1fred

Damn good job.... everytime I go out targeting bottom fish I end up with several fish about 4-6 inches long

Thanks.

Some tips that everyone should know. The key is not to spend your time
reeling up and killing little tiny fish that you don't want. Right?

This juvenile 'bycatch' is what gives deep rockfishing a bad name in the
MLPA/enviro world. Less-equipped people may get their limit of keepers,
plus, kill 10 or 20 babies in the process. This is unsustainable and makes
you just want to stop.

How do you combat that? Just think for a minute.

If you used a 7/0 circle hook, a big bait, a high modulus graphite rod and
200 feet of no stretch spectra/braid and only tighten up when you feel a
big headshake bite, you wouldn't catch little ones.

If you fish the 2 oz plastics, and only set the hook when the BIG THUMP
happens, you get keepers. In order to feel what is happening with
your rig, you HAVE to have spectra/braided line and a quality graphite
rod.

Again I do not use J hooks with bait, just big circle hooks, in big baits. I
do not ever jig big Irons on the bottom, that just kills little fish.

I will be fishing this Sunday in South LJ. I will be launching from Big Rock
around 6:30 - 7. Big Rock beach access is near the end of Winamar St in
La Jolla.

The winds will be light and the surf will be flat.