rock fish tips?

Im just wondering what most of you catch your rock fish on, i tend to catch mine on cod jigs with strips of squid.. although this year, since i moved from a power boat to a yak, ive only caught two, just currious how you all do it? Ive had minimal luck with artificial baits.
I would love to start catching more as I love to grub rock fish fresh, and this year i ahavent got enough at one time to share with the wife.. that sux cause she really supports my yak fishing...

the good 'ol rockfish flies work. I tip them with squid. I have used the tail end of a plastic bass grub on a #2 or 1/0 hook and that has worked. Also a simple chunk of 'chovie seems to work well. I also tie some that are all feathers and they work well. Seems like darker colors work better. But you could tie one light and one dark on a dropper loop set up. SC rockies seem to be closer to the bottom then most other haunts. Sorry for the 'schizo reply they are just coming to me as I type

Rock cod fishing is one of the easiest fish you can catch, they will bite nearly anything with bait you put in front of there nose, if you're not catching them then you're probably fishing the wrong spots

 Rock fish suspend over "rocks".  They don't move around much.  If you can see them on your fish finder, they'll usually bite unless the water is very cold.    Surge will put the fish down into the holes. 

 An old timey Italian fisherman told me that he checked the pilings in the harbor.  If the water was running up and down the pilings, he didn't go out.  The surge would be too strong for fish.

Well, i used to catch tons, but from the Power boat. Ive only got two in 7 yak trips. I did go farther north in the PB. I know its not brain surgery. But man my once good luck has gone away. Used to get ling after ling too. I guess with the yak comes new fishing spots. Its sorta like startong over, which is fun. Just curious as to what others prefer to use. Lame topic i know! Im new to the yak, not fishin. Its the yak thats new yo me. Thx guys

I will say im 0-500 for SC/CAP halli's. My wife got one first time trying. Ivd only got hallis at oyster

you are due my friend!!!!!!

Uh yeah, ud think so ill never give up. Just trying is great fun.

Where would you fish in the PB? Are those areas not accessable by yak? If I'm fishing for rockies I'll usually fish the Monterey side of the bay since they seem to be much more abundant in that area, most likely due to the amount of rocky structure. When fishing I try to locate drop-offs and rocky looking areas/reefs on the FF. I'm sure if you try Monterey/PG you'll find some fish to tempt. Have you tried the whistle buoy outside SC harbor, I caught a nice cab there about 5 or 6 weeks ago

I've had pretty good consistent luck (mostly in the rental PBs or kayaks from Capitola Boat and Bait) just working the edges of the Kelp Beds right in front of the Capitola Beach with Rock Cod rigs (the ones with the orange and red shrimp flies) with cut frozen anchovies...I've caught them on swimbaits, scampis and diamond jigs, but by far I've had more luck with the regular old shrimp flies...

I just took my new kayak out for the first time on Saturday and caught about 10, but only kept 5 of the more decent (less pinner) sized ones...

The edges of the kelp right there have also given me the occasional cab, ling and halibut, and I found it real easy to tie off the kayak to the kelp while fishing...

I'm new to this whole kayak fishing thing but was spending too much money renting the skiffs from Capitola Boat and Bait so wanted to find a more economical way to go out and fish by myself...

I live right by Gayle's and plan on getting out as much as I can this summer so if you want to hook up just let me know...

Thanks for your post calbear. Big jim too. I usued to fish the santa cruz area  alot and north of SC. Never really fished cap in the PB. Then got the yak and have been fishing cap alot since its so close to home. So fishing this side of town is sorta new.

Yeah bigjim, lets fish. 

Pay special attention to the direction of the current versus the wind drift.  With small rock piles sometimes it is hard to drop down on the actual rocks if the current and wind are oposing each other.  You get blown into the end of the kelp stringer before you ever reach the rock it is attached to.  Sometimes the only option is to tie up to the kelp but I do not prefer to do this.  Also you might try a little deeper water if there is some structure.  I catch better quality fish in 100' of water.

I've had good success with a white fluke zoom on a drop shot rig, tipped with a little squid. Those flukes sure look real!

My 5 cents worth... Ya, I like warmer water for sure, but also, once I've chosen a spot and launched... I'll work everything in the box. A 5ft. paddle can make all the difference. Two drops with no results, move! And I'm not suggesting 1/2 mile!!! Just a matter of a few feet can put me on the fish. Even to work the left side of yak instead of the right. Also, to CYA, I try to work ALL the water. From the bottom to the surface. We've all nailed fish just 12" from the surface, right? And we've all seen Lings, etc. follow our "offering" to just under our yaks. Not to mention a slow retrieve, knowing we've hooked a dink, but with the chance of a Ling trailering...! Just my 5 cents...

See you all on the water,

Blake

Just a note:

Hi Blake!! hope you are doing well!  Will we see you at MBK derby?

Porky caught his 1st limit of RF at Monterey last Sunday.  He finally got it dialed in, at least for that day at that spot!

WTG Porky!  Good advice, all!

Allen

I am just a n00b, but if you make the knife jigs for practically nothing or you can get fancy like some people do and get prism tape (flashy tape) you can do that as well. I actually just got a package of colorful feathers at the craft store, some pipe cleaners and put the feather against the hook and wrapped the pipe cleaner around the feathers and super glued it...works for me. For what its worth. Also i like just a plain roughed up jig with a sander or grinder...it looks like a anchovies in the sun. I am by no means the original creator of this idea at all, i just copied it from a post i saw it while browsing for lure making materials. Also with jigs that i see in pictures here. I think that it's a fairly effective method and you can tip it with whatever and if you lose it you don't feel like  you just tie another on and drop that bad boy down. The great thing about it is, i've seen them as plain as just a butter knife and a hook and as advanced as grinding the blade to make it look exactly like an anchovies with prism tape, eyes, the whole nine-yards. Next I'm working on trying to make a Lucanas jig look alike but have not really messed around yet just thinking so far...any ideas anyone? They're kinda expensive for me at the moment.. well good luck man! Fish spot that looks fishy and follow your gut!