rock fish ????

When going for rock fish, what pound line do you use?

Are any of you guys successful withouta fish finder?

I have seen some nice stringers of rock fish, Do you keep them on a clip or stringer wile fishing(in the water), or store them on your boat ?

do people get sea sick on kayaks, like the would on a boat?

Last one, How does Fort Bragg/mendo rank for rock fishing (from  a Yack)?

Thanks Jason

yes on getting seasick, try a search, you should find a few posts of the meds people have used to battle the chum.

-20-30lb mono or 30-50lb braid (for mono try Berkeley Big Game and for braid try PowerPro)
-You can get away with a regular freshwater stringer but those big game clips are much better. I think most people swing their stringer around to the back and place the fish in the tankwell. But I often let them dangle over the side of my kayak (so they can bleed out after I put them on the stringer and cut the gills. They also act like a drift sock to slow your drift) unless there are seals nearby! Then I’ll put them in my tankwell….or if I’m paddling from one place to another.
-Fishfinders aren’t necessary for rockfishing, at all. I went for a year+ before installing a fishfinder. I’d just paddle to the edge of the kelp and drop straight down, and it worked fine. Also fish the open pockets of water inside the kelp.
-Yes, lots of people get seasick on a kayak. I have gotten sick a couple times and it is AWFUL. Gives whole new meaning to the term “yak-fishing.” Now I take a dramamine tablet when I wake up in the AM and it works great. There are a couple ways to minimize seasickness—singing at the top of your lungs, eating ginger snaps, keep an eye on the horizon, don’t look down too much, try not to tie too many knots (focusing on tedious tasks like tying knots or staring at your fishfinder can make you sick), and keep paddling….I most often get sick when I tie off to kelp in a big swell, so I gotta keep moving.

CK- line test is tricky, most people use 20-30# some use lighter and heavier. If targeting big fish I use 30-40# braid with a short heavier mono leader. If you are potholing the kelp and snag a lot, lighter line would be easier to break but a nice cabbie will wrap you up. Heavier braid will cut the kelp but its really hard to break and can be tricky and dangerous if water conditions are bad.
 Potholing the edges of the kelp line is a good tactic if you don't have a fishfinder. I would look for the washrocks and fish kelp edges around them.
 Fish keep good on a stringer if you are not close to seals or sharks. The old wet burlap sack in the tankwell is a cheap efficient way to keep your catch from drying out too. It still drips blood in the water though. I use a cooler bag inside my boat now. It keeps the fish really nice and safe from sharks and large sealions.
 Sea sickness is a curse to fisherman and a kayak is the same as a boat. If I'm tiered or dehydrated I get queasy. I've used over the counter Meclazine(cheap generic version of name brand remedy) and Scopace which is a perscription med.
 Fort Bragg, Mendo coast is a great place to fish..... fewer people= more fish.

Check the old posts for more info on everything.....

These fellas have it all pretty much summed up.

Two other things to remember;

1. Ft Bragg/Mendo is currently closed for rockfishing (in fact all of CA north of Pt Arena is closed).
2. The whole of the rest of the coast will close Dec 1st. So you've got 9 days!

(the season reopens in May/June next year).

 
 
I am thankful for your thoughrful info. you guys answered my questions and then some.

Dude.... I am with you on the Berkly big game, It is one of my favorits, right there with Silver thred Excalabur.