Rockfishing is too expensive for me

I think each to our own when it comes to costs. My suggestion is a high low setup with 2 shrimp flies or bait. At the bottom use an 8lb mono line section so you can break it off.

If there’s kelp on the surface, check which direction it’s laying. Then drift parallel in the same direction as the kelp. Instead of drifting/paddling/fishing perpendicular to the kelp direction. And of course try to keep your line straight down...the angle of your line’s scope is relative to the number of snags you’ll get, or something like that haha And there is definitely a technique to working snags that you’ll develop over time. Nowadays I usually get snagged 8-10x per session but only break off once or twice. The pedal drive really helps with that.

Kayak fishing is my "therapy"    Its cost is nothing compared to what the "shrinks" charge me 

Amen brother!!!!
Just buy buy buy lures. That's what I do.... Banging the bottom is how you get them. Loosing baits is the price we pay....

Banging the bottom does get the jig into gaps between rocks where large fish make their abode. It is true that lings will chase a lure almost to the surface sometimes especially if it is a hooked smaller rock fish but the largest lings usually come out of snaggy holes. But...I do have my limits on jig loss and adjust place and depth accordingly.

Reel up.

So much useful information here. Most people have figured it out over the years, but if you snag don't pull on the rod. It only causes the weight or the hook to sink further into what ever it is snagged on.  Immediately let out line, and that in itself can sometimes fix the issue. If not circle around the snag and try bouncing the rod tip at different angles until it
loosens itself. I think about 80%-90% of the time this should work. Sometimes the snag is just too much and i gotta just break it off, but that is the cost of fishing. I hope this helps. Of course i said nothing new just stole other peoples material. Lol. 

Reel up.

Nah...bounce those babies into crevices. Gotta support the lead industry.

I've never been rockfishing, but I have done my fair share of tree fishing in lakes 

To me it is just part of fishing, similar to how losing golf balls is part of golfing.  Both I find to be very frustrating when it's not going well, exhilarating when it is going well, and at the end of the day I am tired, relaxed and ready to go do it again.

Losing a lure when it happens is a bummer, but then it gives me a reason to go buy more

"No Angles = No Tangles"
Anyone who has ever been on a party boat has heard this from a deckhand or two.
Use enough weight to feel the bottom, but just enough. Too much weight will get you snagged, and not enough will make you drag back and also snag. 
Words to live by when fishing the reefs.

Keep your eyes peeled for good deals. I rarely buy tackle for retail prices. Two weeks ago I drove by an estate sale with tons of tackle. The people selling it had no clue what it was worth. I filled up two 10 gallon buckets with premium jigs, gibbs, tady, bead brand, and tons of 2-3 oz hair raisers along with 30 lbs of sinkers. I offered them $60 and ended up walking away with $1000+ in tackle. I have run into deals like this more than once and have more tackle than I will ever be able to use. PM me and I would be happy to share some with you for very cheap.   

I don't know... I still lose stuff.
I lost bunch @ Albion too...

Now who's selling 4oz jig heads (chartreuse preferred)?

Naoaki

I don't know... I still lose stuff.
I lost bunch @ Albion too...

Now who's selling 4oz jig heads (chartreuse preferred)?

Naoaki

Theres someone close to you Rob and Scooter lol

I've always found going the opposite direction of the snag to get me out of the bind.

I usually use heavy enough weight to get to bottom fast and keep the line straight. With 60lb braid, I just tug when I'm snagged, and most of the time I can back my tackle. 

Sincoast give the best advice on this thread.  (And, I guess, in general).  One of the things I learned from him is to use torpedo weights instead of ball-shaped.  They get hung up less often.  Using lures, it's best to go with single siwash hooks.  Casting irons for rockfish- get snagged?  Slack your line a and violently whip your rod.  This will often flip the hook off the rock. Works for swimbaits also.  Even works with trebles if you're lucky.

My general approach when snagged (and, I get snagged at least once every time I fish the bottom) is:


1.  Go to free spool and wait a little bit.  Might be a fish on your hook that swam around a rock.  Maybe he'll swim back around the other way, or , with no pressure, come out of the crevice he's in.

2. Use my GPS zoomed in max and paddle exact reverse of my former course.  That works about 1/2 the time for me.  Oh, loosen up the drag so you don't break the rod tip.(Been there, done that) Let the line play out don't go full bendo.

3. Mentioned above somewhere, paddle in a circle around the snag. Do it a few times. Weird how an angle you wouldn't think of results in things coming loose.  This works for weight snags and the worser snags like a rat trap treble on rocks. Leave the drag loose enough but give enough pressure to pull off the snag when that elusive angle is reached.  Once it pops free, "REEL UP"  Otherwise, you could free it, and then immediately get snagged again. After all, there's something down there that already got you once.

4.  When all else fails, tighten up your drag (pay attention to your rod tip dont break it) Get directly above the snag as vertical as possible.  Use a glove or your gaff handle or the gunnel of your boat to take the direct line pressure and pull that line in by hand till it breaks free or just breaks the line. Don't use your pliers to pull the line you might as well just cut it.

Never use you bare hand especially with braid.  It will slice your skin easy.  Even mono can cut you.  Just don't. When bounceballing, I tie a 50# line and a 12# line together for my weight dropper on the three-way..  If the bounce ball (Actually a torpedoe weight) gets snagged, and I get to the direct pressure situation, the 12# will snap easily. Then, I've only lost my weight  and not the whole rig. (I use 50# for that dropper because the areas I bounce ball for halibut often have little rocks and shale outcrops, The line gets abraded. so the 50# goes on the bottom connected to the weight.  12# goes on top of that dropper connected to the swivel)

And thats all I know.

Bushy