Staryeye Rockfish Length

[Saba Slayer]

As ggianng89 said..."I’m pretty sure there is no size limit on rockfish..." ... "(c) Size limit: None."
There are a few species that are no take..."The limit on bronzespotted rockfish, cowcod, and yelloweye rockfish is zero"
I may keep a small fish sometimes if I have a couple fish that don't seem like they'll make it through the barotrauma or the deep hooking...better in my frying pan than in a seagull...LOL
When rockfishing, you should have a release device with you for sending those little guys back down...anything from an upside down hook tied at the bend of the hook, to a crate, or one of the fancy decender devices. The DFW has changed the depth limit to 450', due to the use of defending devices by a lot of sport fishermen and party boats. I like the crate method for ease of release and multiple fish in the basket...and on the PA there's plenty of room for it.



Those Starries can be pretty aggressive...this guy bit a jig as big as him...

[daperrin]

Thanks for all the replies. As for where I catch them...I have just started fishing deep water and since Newport Harbor has 200ft depths within just .5 miles of the harbor entrance I decided to start there. As for difficulty getting out, if you go early and during the week it is quite easy and relaxing. If you go later in the morning or afternoon on a weekend during the summer... be sure you have a good life insurance policy. As for release devices, I have decided to do the upside down hook method. I have an Outback and lack extra storage so I decided against the crate (though I believe that is probably the best method). While fishing last week I think I killed two of the fish I caught so I did not want to go out again without a plan for that situation. I looked up an old thread on this site about the subject that had these and other options. It was great reading.

[Mahigeer]

Too early now, but next year at Fred Hall Show, stop by NOAA booth.

They give away release devices for free.


Also check their "Ethical Angling" brochure. You may recognize a familiar face.

Wink, wink.

[FoodGeekFish]

https://www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/reco..._HowToMake.pdf

[Saba Slayer]

The reverse hook with the barb flattened is a lot easier to rig and use for rockfish release...IMHO...

[SoCalEDC]

Originally Posted by Saba Slayer

The reverse hook with the barb flattened is a lot easier to rig and use for rockfish release...IMHO...

[img]http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegallery/data/500/IMG_51551.jpg[img]

So you tie the line directly to the hook part of the hook, crimp the barb down, hook the fish and send it down with some weight on that swivel, then pull the hook free once you've got about 100 yards or so of line out?

[Saba Slayer]

Originally Posted by SoCalEDC

So you tie the line directly to the hook part of the hook, crimp the barb down, hook the fish and send it down with some weight on that swivel, then pull the hook free once you've got about 100 yards or so of line out?

Yea...so simple...you slip the hook in the top lip of the fish and drop him as deep as you feel necessary, then just give the line a yank and he'll pop right off...