What I want to catch on the AI - The Abyss

Best eating fish in the ocean. Electric reel? If they start running trips, I would hop on and mark so waypoints.

GB - I agree, best eating.

Electric reels would be fantastic, but any chance for us to fish sablefish would probably be ended by the cries from the commercial fleet and the anti-fishing zealots.

So, I've looked over the regs. as much as possible and agree with Jim that 40 fathoms is likely the limit (also for rockfish) for the central Ca zone. We can, however, fish at ANY depth - year round for sand dabs, rex sole, butter sole, curlfin sole, flatead sole, rock sole and sand sole. Some good eating too. Sounds like the limit is 10 of each species with a 20 fish total daily combo limit on all the sole. Sand dabs have no limit.

So, there is nothing wrong technically with fishing deep /for the flatfish/. It kind of makes you pause when you realize that two other deep water species (petrale sole and sablefish) are only fishable/limited to waters less than 240 feet (40 Fm). So, again technically, we can fish for these two species but at depths that make them more difficult to catch. These two species have high commercial value and I will leave it to you to conjecture why we can't affectively fish for them.

Up in Oregon, they can fish at ANY depth for half the year (6 month/winter months) and less than 40 (or 30) fathoms from April through September. Yes, this includes all the legal rockfish complex fish as well as sablefish and sole. The theme here is quite similar. You basically are severely limited in catching sablefish at the time when they move in shallower during the summer. So these rules do make it difficult to catch a few sablefish for us public type fishing folks.

In Washington, I looked over some older fishing report (2010) postings from the state fishing folks up there. Here's a partial quote: "reminds anglers that recreational fishing for bottomfish (excluding lingcod during halibut season) is not allowed in waters deeper than 30 fathoms in Marine Area 2 (Westport/Ocean Shores) from March 15 through June 15. However, anglers may retain sablefish and pacific cod in these waters from May 1 through June 15. Retention of canary and yelloweye rockfish in prohibited in all areas." Now if you can figure that out, more power to you! I read it to say that you can fish at any depth FOR LINGCOD during halibut season and if you happen to catch sablefish or pacific cod - you're O.K.  Of course, it could be read MUCH differently as well!

So, figuring out fishing regulations is difficult at best. In any event, the underlying theme on much of the West Coast appears to be some form of limitation on sablefish (fishing) during at least the summer season when they trend toward the shallower water. There could be other reasons as well.

There is hope though, I read that "some years" the younger sablefish can make forays into the shallows (outer surf zone) at times. We MIGHT have a chance at sablefish out to 240 feet (Central Cal. Zone) after all. By the way, our limit for sablefish "APPEARS" to be 10 fish. Disclaimer: make sure YOU read ALL current state and federal regulations pertaining to fishing in your area. I am just a fisherman with my own (likely uninformed) views on the matter. Again, always read the official and current rules/regulations before fishing. 

This brings up another point. I would think that "fishing law" might be a tremendous opportunity for the younger folks with an interest in law and fishing. These regulations are (at times) difficult to understand. It will likely become even more difficult to interpret them in the future. There may come a day when we need to have a lawyer/fisheries biologist on our boats.

In Washington, I looked over some older fishing report (2010) postings from the state fishing folks up there. Here's a partial quote: "reminds anglers that recreational fishing for bottomfish (excluding lingcod during halibut season) is not allowed in waters deeper than 30 fathoms in Marine Area 2 (Westport/Ocean Shores) from March 15 through June 15. However, anglers may retain sablefish and pacific cod in these waters from May 1 through June 15. Retention of canary and yelloweye rockfish in prohibited in all areas." Now if you can figure that out, more power to you! I read it to say that you can fish at any depth FOR LINGCOD during halibut season and if you happen to catch sablefish or pacific cod - you're O.K.  Of course, it could be read MUCH differently as well!

According to WDFW, that rule is specifically in place to protect canary and yelloweye rockfish.  This year the rules will be even more restrictive because charters and private boats out of Westport (and other ports) are still hammering the rockfish deeper than they should.  Fishing for lingcod will not be allowed in deep areas while fishing for Halibut.  (the common practice is to get your 1 fish halibut limit, then go hammer the lings and rockfish)

https://fortress.wa.gov/dfw/erules/efishrules/erule.jsp?id=1149

Lee,

Thanks for the explanation. I like that Washington state puts a reason for the action or change to regulations.

 

Fortunately, those rules don't affect my favorite area 

 

  Boy, I remember hauling up a tripple catch of rock fish from 300 feet (80's)!  My forearms, wrists, back were pretty much toast when I finally got them to the net. (didn't stop me from doing it llover again though! )  I can't imagine hauling something up from twice that depth.

MW, sounds like you've got OCD just like most of us  (and that includes myself). Anyway, whatever expedition you're up to, count me in. 

LL

What's Up dude !! I see you haven't change , still fish like there is no tomorrow .. Don