What's your fav. Swimbait or iron for rockfish.

So what's your favorite?  My absolute favorite rockfish lure is a 6 or 8 oz red or purple jig I make that looks similar to a mega bait.  A very rhythmic soft bounce seems to work best.

Im bait man otherwise a swimbait would be my next weapon of choice.

I bring 4 (5) things with me and depending what works for the day, that's my favorite.
5''and 6'' swimbait, 6'' curly tail grub, butterfly jig and shrimp flies.
Often one works better than the other depending on the day.

Uh

6.5" big hammer usually on 3oz head or less. After that its 1oz p-line laser minnows or 1oz cast masters.

without a doubt, my most successful rock fishing always comes on the hexbar/hoochies that Tiny makes.
Although I would love to get my hands on some of your homemade jig heads Andy.

So what's your favorite?  My absolute favorite rockfish lure is a 6 or 8 oz red or purple jig I make that looks similar to a mega bait.  A very rhythmic soft bounce seems to work best.


Where can i get some? Caught  probably ten to twelve lings on your jig heads today but only three keepers.

Halloween and translucent chartreuse with orange tail swim bait Hammer style
With Andy's Red jig head with the eye

Next is

Root beer grub

I guess I'm old school. I use iron almost exclusively. Hex Bar, Diamond Jig etc. I usually have one shrimp fly above it.

Chrome is fine. I like white the best though.

I'm not targeting rockfish per se. I fish for lings and get plenty of rockfish anyway.  My bar tends to catch outsize rockfish. It's work to snap jig it correctly though.

Halloween and translucent chartreuse with orange tail swim bait Hammer style
With Andy's Red jig head with the eye

Next is

Root beer grub

Chartreuse my favorite color for swimsuit and heads. The best color I have used is called dorado. Charteuse belly with dark green and blue top.

I guess I'm old school. I use iron almost exclusively. Hex Bar, Diamond Jig etc. I usually have one shrimp fly above it.

Chrome is fine. I like white the best though.

I'm not targeting rockfish per se. I fish for lings and get plenty of rockfish anyway.  My bar tends to catch outsize rockfish. It's work to snap jig it correctly though.

Yep jigging or snapping it with a good technique  is really important. I sometimes forget and it takes a bit to get my rhythm going.

Yep jigging or snapping it with a good technique  is really important.

How would you describe it?

Andy is right about the rhythm. Some people just kind of move the bar around without much thought or effort. Or they put a gob of squid/rubber tails on it and kill all the action. The bar is designed to get down there quick and clean. Don't put stuff on it or it just floats around down there like an 8 dollar sinker. YOU must provide the snap, zip and clank. It's work! You're arms should be like rubber after a couple hours. The big lings/rockfish will reward you if you are doing it right.   

I snap jig by casting toward where the boat is heading on the drift to maximize my time where the lure is presented as vertical as possible for the longest time. Once you get too far off vertical, you increase the chance of snagging bottom and loosing contact with the fish.

Touch bottom and immediately snap it up hard using your rod like a pumping oil derrick. Left hand way forward of the reel while the right hand cups the butt end of the rod. One end you push up, the other (butt) end push down. The trick is to exactly match the speed of the lure down where your line isn't loose. You need to (barely) feel the weight of the lure going down without holding it up. And you need reflexes like a cat to set the hook when something taps or slows the lures fall. As soon as you touch bottom....snap it upwards HARD again.

Most fish bite on the drop or immediately on the upswing after you touch bottom.  Deeper water. Heavier gear. It's like jig fishing with soft baits, only heavier and harder. If the structure with fish happens to be in deep water, the bar will likely be the best option.

These are rockfish we're talking about. Drop down an old shoe or maybe a lead weight with an assist hook and you're good to go.

I personally prefer scampi twin tails. End up with lots of cabbies that way.

Im old school I guess. Blue and pink holo buzz bombs. Can't keep the rock fish off and 40+ fish days aren't uncommon. I've also been putting those Phat Squid to use this year and man they have turned up the size on the lings about 6 notches.