Downrigger Trolling for Salmon

April 15, 2010

Question: I am planning to go salmon fishing next week with my two sons and will be setting up my downriggers to troll. The downriggers have releases and can troll four poles – two off each side of the boat. If I have three fishermen on board, can we have four rods in the water? I do have the second rod stamp on my license but do not know if it applies in the ocean. Can you help me understand the rules so I don’t violate them? (Grant E.)

Answer: The second rod stamp does not apply in ocean waters and there are specific gear restrictions that apply when salmon fishing. No more than one rod per person may be used to take salmon, and no more than one rod per person may be used on any vessel where salmon are aboard (California Code of Regulations, Title 14, sections 28.65[e] and 27.80[a][4]). In addition, once salmon are aboard, you are then restricted to fishing with salmon gear (barbless hooks north of Point Conception) for the remainder of the trip, even if you want to switch your target species (like to rockfish, for example.) If you take your salmon back to the dock to offload, though, you can then go back out to fish for other species and use the appropriate tackle.

April 15, 2010

Question: I am planning to go salmon fishing next week with my two sons and will be setting up my downriggers to troll. The downriggers have releases and can troll four poles – two off each side of the boat. If I have three fishermen on board, can we have four rods in the water? I do have the second rod stamp on my license but do not know if it applies in the ocean. Can you help me understand the rules so I don’t violate them? (Grant E.)

Answer: The second rod stamp does not apply in ocean waters and there are specific gear restrictions that apply when salmon fishing. No more than one rod per person may be used to take salmon, and no more than one rod per person may be used on any vessel where salmon are aboard (California Code of Regulations, Title 14, sections 28.65[e] and 27.80[a][4]). In addition, once salmon are aboard, you are then restricted to fishing with salmon gear (barbless hooks north of Point Conception) for the remainder of the trip, even if you want to switch your target species (like to rockfish, for example.) If you take your salmon back to the dock to offload, though, you can then go back out to fish for other species and use the appropriate tackle.

Interesting how the barbless restriction is worded.

She is sometimes wrong, and sometimes doesn't phrase responses as well as she could. This is one of those times.

She actually suggests that barbless hooks are inappropriate tackle for rockfish. I don't think she meant that the way it came out either.