Number of Fishing Rods With Rockcod Aboard

October 10, 2013

Question: If we are fishing on a boat in Monterey, how many fishing rods are allowed? If we already have rockcod aboard, do I need to use one rod? Can I use two rods to target lingcod or halibut if we don't have rockcod? Can I still use a second rod for bait fishing if rockcod are aboard? (Kenual L.)
 
Answer: Generally, any number of hooks and lines may be used in ocean waters and bays, but there are exceptions involving certain locations and species of fish. When pursuing rockfish, lingcod, cabezon, kelp or rock greenlings, or salmon north of Point Conception, or when any of these species are aboard or in possession, only one line with not more than two hooks may be used (California Code of Regulations Title 14, Section 28.65(c)). When rockfish are aboard, you may not use a second rod even for bait fishing. Instead, plan to fish for bait before fishing for these species. Anglers should read Section 28.65 on page 46 of the 2013-2014 Ocean Sport Fishing regulation booklet before fishing with multiple hooks or lines.

I wonder if dropping your jig back down while deploying a rod rigged with a pin descender to release a rockfish at depth would be ok. I haven't done it, but a line with no hooks in the water shouldn't count against you.

I wonder if dropping your jig back down while deploying a rod rigged with a pin descender to release a rockfish at depth would be ok. I haven't done it, but a line with no hooks in the water shouldn't count against you.

I'd give that a .0001% chance of not getting you a ticket.   

Thanks for posting this, Howard - how about finding the part where people ask (over and over it seems) if they can fish two rods until they catch and keep one of the species listed above and then go to one.  Totally illegal.

I wonder if dropping your jig back down while deploying a rod rigged with a pin descender to release a rockfish at depth would be ok. I haven't done it, but a line with no hooks in the water shouldn't count against you.

I'd give that a .0001% chance of not getting you a ticket.   

Thanks for posting this, Howard - how about finding the part where people ask (over and over it seems) if they can fish two rods until they catch and keep one of the species listed above and then go to one.  Totally illegal.

True, and yet somehow people are still very confused by this.  It seems to be clearly spelled out in the regs to me: 

When pursuing rockfish, .......  or salmon north of Point Conception, or when any of these species are aboard or in possession, only one line with not more than two hooks may be used

If salmon in possesion. Hooks must also be barbless

If salmon in possesion. Hooks must also be barbless

Last year, by the end of salmon season i'd just gone full Abking and didn't even have barbed hooks with me. I don't imagine I'll be using barbed hooks at all during salmon season for the foreseeable future.

Correct me if i am wrong. If salmon. In the boat and cod fishin.  Besides barbless . They also. Have to be circle hooks.

Correct me if i am wrong. If salmon. In the boat and cod fishin.  Besides barbless . They also. Have to be circle hooks.

Only when using bait & not trolling:

(3) Other Hook Restrictions. When fishing with bait in the ocean between Horse Mountain
(40°05’00” N. lat.) and Point Conception, if angling by any means other than trolling, then no more
than two (2) single point, single shank, barbless circle hooks shall be used. The distance between
the two hooks must not exceed five inches when measured from the top of the eye of the top hook
to the inner base of the curve of the lower hook, and both hooks must be permanently tied in place
(hard tied). A circle hook is defined as a hook with a generally circular shape, and a point which turns
inwards, pointing directly to the shank at a 90 degree angle. Trolling is defined as angling from a
boat or floating device that is making way by means of a source of power, other than drifting by
means of the prevailing water current or weather conditions. See Section 28.65(g).

Using bait, not trolling, and south of 40°05', which is about five miles north of shelter cove.

Trolling.  Mmmmmm    

Using bait, not trolling, and south of 40°05', which is about five miles north of shelter cove.

So mooching chovies or herring at shelter cove need circle hooks?

So mooching chovies or herring at shelter cove need circle hooks?

To legally catch a salmon with bait south of Horse Mountain (which is a few miles north of Shelter Cove) you must use the barbless circle hook UNLESS you're trolling.  See a note I made on the GS8 thread, page 19.   

It's complicated, but once you've reviewed it you should have it.

Makes sense. Much more likely to swallow bait mooching and we arent trying to gut hook silvers or kings that might be released.

Not just any circle hook. It has to be barbless, and the point of the hook must be at 90° to the shank pointing directly back at the shank. No offset hooks.

I went shopping online for salmon hooks a couple weeks ago and there were tons of circle hooks that are not CA salmon legal, and only a few that are.

(3) Other Hook Restrictions. When fishing with bait in the ocean between Horse Mountain (40°05’00” N. lat.) and Point Conception, if angling by any means other than trolling, then no more than two (2) single point, single shank, barbless circle hooks shall be used. The distance between
the two hooks must not exceed five inches when measured from the top of the eye of the top hook to the inner base of the curve of the lower hook, and both hooks must be permanently tied in place (hard tied). A circle hook is defined as a hook with a generally circular shape, and a point which turns inwards, pointing directly to the shank at a 90 degree angle.

Good read. Didn't know that it is only five inches from one hook to the other for cod. Knew the other Reg's.