Confused about the rockfish regs and how they affect halibut fishing

My understanding is that you can't even fish in an area covered by the nearshore rockfish closure. So that would mean you can't go for halibut out of Santa Cruz harbor as I understand it.

Where are people allowed to go for halibut this winter in the ocean with the new regs? Past 50 fathoms?

Your understanding is incorrect.

You can fish anywhere you want, except for MPA areas, you cannot keep rockcod caught nearshore.

You can fish shallower than 50 fathoms, as long as you don’t have any RCG in posession, and you must release any RCG you catch.

I'm not a regs expert, but I'd say if you are fishing and catching rockfish, you need to change gear and/or location.

"Take" is not just keeping fish, it's "hunt, pursue, catch, capture or kill fish... or attempting to do so"

Rockfish live in rocks, halibut live in sand. I agree, gear and location.

Rockfish live in rocks, halibut live in sand. I agree, gear and location.

It's not that simple, at least not in Santa Cruz, which relates to the OPs original question. All of the places that I've caught halibut in SC are places where I've also caught rockfish and/or lingcod. In fact, in my experience, the very best halibut spots in SC are those little patches of sand that are surrounded by rocks. So, if I'm targeting halibut in that area, I'm typically going to catch 10 or more rockfish/lingcod for every halibut. The good news is that those RF will be caught in relatively shallow water, I'll employ a no-touch release, and I rarely fish bait, so they should all survive.

In any case, it seems to me that the question of what you are "targeting" or "pursuing" is highly subjective. I have a hard time seeing how a game warden could write a ticket for "pursuing" that would be enforceable, except maybe in a few extreme cases.

All it took was telling the warden I was targeting halibut using multiple rods even though I was drifting over reefs by the sound buoy in SC.
They just check my license and left.

Rockfish live in rocks, halibut live in sand. I agree, gear and location.

It's not that simple, at least not in Santa Cruz, which relates to the OPs original question. All of the places that I've caught halibut in SC are places where I've also caught rockfish and/or lingcod. In fact, in my experience, the very best halibut spots in SC are those little patches of sand that are surrounded by rocks. So, if I'm targeting halibut in that area, I'm typically going to catch 10 or more rockfish/lingcod for every halibut. The good news is that those RF will be caught in relatively shallow water, I'll employ a no-touch release, and I rarely fish bait, so they should all survive.

Maybe that explains why I catch few halibut……or maybe I am more of a fisherman than a catcherman.

Thanks for the tip.

In any case, it seems to me that the question of what you are "targeting" or "pursuing" is highly subjective. I have a hard time seeing how a game warden could write a ticket for "pursuing" that would be enforceable, except maybe in a few extreme cases.

Rockfish live in rocks, halibut live in sand. I agree, gear and location.

I’ve hooked up on rockfish, salmon, threshers and halibut all in the same area, so I’d have to say “that ain’t necessarily so” While a decent premise, the fish don’t seem to subscribe to our logic and plans.

I sometimes target Halibuts around the edges of rocky area.  Been checked by game wardens many times and they only asked what I was fishing for.  Once I told them Halibut they never give me hassle.

Thanks for these clarifications. Another thread had me confused, but it seems pretty clear that if you honestly target halibut it'll be OK out of SC harbor. Moving much closer to there than before and trying to decide if winter/early spring halibut attempts are worthwhile now that drive time will be reduced.

Thanks for these clarifications. Another thread had me confused, but it seems pretty clear that if you honestly target halibut it'll be OK out of SC harbor. Moving much closer to there than before and trying to decide if winter/early spring halibut attempts are worthwhile now that drive time will be reduced.

It might be worth the extra driving time to go to Monterey, based on recent reports...
https://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=101400.0;topicseen