What’s a good minimum fly fishing setup for Lings/Rockfish?

Been fly fishing for years now, so more gear than I need… what’s a good setup (lines, rods flies) for going after Ling’s and Rockfish?

I haven't tried yet (waiting till salmon season is over lol) but I'm rigged up with a 9wt G-Loomis Asquith, Redington Behemoth 9/10 Wt Reel, 50# Mono running line with a T14 to T20 shooting head (500 to 700 gr) and then a short 40# mono leader (may drop to 30# floro to keep it stiff enough to turn over flies, but easier to break off if snagged ) to a large clouser type fly.

The rod is by no means minimal at $1100, but I would imagine whipping around tungsten and mono would be doable on any blank with enough backbone to keep up. 

Might be different for you folks down there, but up this way, if we only had one rod for both species, it'd be at least an 8wt.  I use a 9wt saltwater specific rod and even medium sized rockfish can double it over, but it also brought a very large lingcod up to my kayak until I broke the 12# leader (I applied abit too much adrenaline).

Line tends to be personal preference.  Some like fully integrated line.  I don't.  I prefer to emulate a spey set-up, using a length of T18 sink tip attached to a running/shooting line.  My line is going to drag on something rough and gritty sometime during a trip and it's less expensive to replace T-materal than to replace an entire line, but as I said, personal preference.

Flies?  Did Google break down?  Simple Clouser minnows work for just about everything.  Three and a half to four inches for rockfish, 6-inches and up for Cabezon and lingcod.  Blue over white works well up here.

Don't overlook the DIYLureJunky's eel fly (https://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=95344.msg1072967#msg1072967).  With a slight modification for a more heavily weighted head, it should be a lingcod killer.  I'd have tested it last Thursday, but I was doing just fine with a Clouser and didn't get around to it.

Check this out: https://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=96403.msg1081912;topicseen#new.  Scott's a wizard with a fly rod.

Good luck - and ask more questions if you find yourself puzzled.

...50# Mono running line with a T14 to T20 shooting head (500 to 700 gr)
...

And don't do this.  Mono is almost impossible to manage with wet fingers and it needs to be stretched before every trip to release the memory coils.  Aiflo and Scientific Anglers make inexpensive running and shooting lines for Spey casting that work much better.  Also, as a side note, if you go with mono anyway, you don't want to go above 40# for the running line.  Heavier lines will readily coil while you're fishing - DAMHIK.

(When Spey-casters used mono shooting line, they never went above 40# test for that reason)

You don't need to use anything nearly as heavy when fishing from a kayak as you might when fishing from a boat or from the shore.  You're not going to be stationary if you hook into something big - it will tow you around, negating the need for heavy lines and leaders.

Thanks Tinker… great info… now to catch them.

Minimum 9 weight due to the fact you never know what you might hook into.  As much as I prefer to use my 7, I've had a couple fish that were too big for my 7 so I had to hand line them in.  Not fun!

...50# Mono running line with a T14 to T20 shooting head (500 to 700 gr)
...

And don't do this.  Mono is almost impossible to manage with wet fingers and it needs to be stretched before every trip to release the memory coils.  Aiflo and Scientific Anglers make inexpensive running and shooting lines for Spey casting that work much better.  Also, as a side note, if you go with mono anyway, you don't want to go above 40# for the running line.  Heavier lines will readily coil while you're fishing - DAMHIK.

(When Spey-casters used mono shooting line, they never went above 40# test for that reason)

You don't need to use anything nearly as heavy when fishing from a kayak as you might when fishing from a boat or from the shore.  You're not going to be stationary if you hook into something big - it will tow you around, negating the need for heavy lines and leaders.

Kevin, This is nothing new, and I will, by all means, do it.  This is how you fish for stripers 35 or 40 feet down on the east coast, their "Rockfish" named for similar reasons as ours. 40# mono is likely not thick enough to turn over heads that are 600 or 700 grains. .24mm is not at all thick.  Running lines float as well, for better control and ability to mend, which I certainly won't be needing to do. i have been fly fishing for 11 years    I mean, just tell everyone on the Spey pages they're wrong LOL https://www.speypages.com/threads/mono-running-line-size.388440/

Kevin, This is nothing new, and I will, by all means, do it.  This is how you fish for stripers 35 or 40 feet down on the east coast, their "Rockfish" named for similar reasons as ours. 40# mono is likely not thick enough to turn over heads that are 600 or 700 grains. .24mm is not at all thick.  Running lines float as well, for better control and ability to mend, which I certainly won't be needing to do. i have been fly fishing for 11 years    I mean, just tell everyone on the Spey pages they're wrong LOL https://www.speypages.com/threads/mono-running-line-size.388440/

We'll just disagree, but if it adds any weight to the discussion, the monofilament running line fad was to allow longer casts - you can cast almost 50% further when using it - but since long-distance casting isn't needed unless you're fishing tropical flats, mono is more of a butt-pain than a bonus.

I reckon you'll figure it all out the first time you try it.  It's always best to have faith in your gear and you shouldn't lose a salmon because the line you're planning to use snaps.  Go get 'em!

(I'm also "Tinker" on speypages.com).

Minimum 9 weight due to the fact you never know what you might hook into.  As much as I prefer to use my 7, I've had a couple fish that were too big for my 7 so I had to hand line them in.  Not fun!

I agree with you, Scott, but if the heaviest rod I own is an 6wt, and I'm just testing ocean fly-fishing to see if I like it, it'll do the job.  I can upgrade later.

It's what I use for bay striper- Works pretty well. found that out the first time. Things change when you're not fishing with a trout rod.

Christian, I’ve got a rod just for this then an Sage 896 RPL