Sabiki regs

I know it’s legal to jig for bait with a Sabiki rig (say, 4 hooks) if I don’t have any other fish (other than bait) onboard.
But I’m confused about what happens after that..

Say I catch a RF, and then go back to using the Sabiki. As per regulation 28.65 (Gear Restrictions) I can now use at most one line with at most 2 hooks. So does it mean I can’t use the Sabiki anymore? Or does the restriction apply only to RF lines?

Another question: say I’m not actively fishing for bait, but just leaving my Sabiki line in the water for convenience, while catching rockfish/salmon. Does that violate the 2 lines restriction?

For question 1 you would have to trim your sabiki down to 2 hooks to be legal.

For question 2 yes that is a violation. You can fish one or the other, but not both.

This should not be confusing.

1 line with 2 hooks when fishing for rock fish or with rockfish on board.

That doesn’t mean 1 line that is specifically targeting rockfish and another line that is targeting something else, and can’t fairly be read to mean that. 

Who here would actually cut their sabiki down to two hooks if they have a salmon on board? And would a warden in their right mind seriously ticket someone for sabikiing anchovies while fishing for salmon, knowing full well that chances of catching a salmon on a sabiki rig are next to none (I know it can happen, but it's very unlikely)?

I suppose we should resign to the don't-ask-don't-tell policy on this one.

Sometimes I cut my sabiki leaders in half after the second hook, then I add a snap swivel to one end and a crane swivel on the other so I can snap down to two hooks when needed for this very situation. Then snap back together next trip for the full gambit.

Sometimes I cut my sabiki leaders in half after the second hook, then I add a snap swivel to one send and a crane swivel on the other so I can snap down to two hooks when needed for this very situation. Then snap back together next trip for the full gambit.

Strong move.

Sometimes I cut my sabiki leaders in half after the second hook, then I add a snap swivel to one end and a crane swivel on the other so I can snap down to two hooks when needed for this very situation. Then snap back together next trip for the full gambit.

Thanks for sharing. Salmon fishing is with barbless hooks. So.. do you crash the barbs on your Sabiki hooks? I think it’s very strange that the regulations would require that.

It also doesn’t make sense that catching bait with a cast net is ok anytime, but catching them with Sabiki is not ok if you have fish onboard.

I think there’s a good possibility that the people who write these regulations are not so dense above the shoulders …

Sometimes I cut my sabiki leaders in half after the second hook, then I add a snap swivel to one end and a crane swivel on the other so I can snap down to two hooks when needed for this very situation. Then snap back together next trip for the full gambit.

Thanks for sharing. Salmon fishing is with barbless hooks. So.. do you crash the barbs on your Sabiki hooks? I think it’s very strange that the regulations would require that.

It also doesn’t make sense that catching bait with a cast net is ok anytime, but catching them with Sabiki is not ok if you have fish onboard.

I think there’s a good possibility that the people who write these regulations are not so dense above the shoulders …

Most of the time I'm salmon fishing I'm salmon-less so not an issue for me  But yeah I guess just pinch the two barbs down if you really need to re-up on bait. Wind up hard and fast and if anything will make the little buggers easier to get off the hooks! As ridiculous as some of the regs seem, I think they are written with positive intent in order to protect our fisheries and prevent abuse and exploitation. Some of them are certainly hair-splitting though.

I always pinch down the barbs on my sabiki. I’m just as likely to hook a finger, clothes, bungee, passing kayaker, whatever, as I am to hook bait. So barbless sabiki keeps me safe 

I always pinch down the barbs on my sabiki. I’m just as likely to hook a finger, clothes, bungee, passing kayaker, whatever, as I am to hook bait. So barbless sabiki keeps me safe 

Smart move. One of my most unforgettable kayak fishing experiences was getting a sabiki hook embedded deep in a finger. I had to use my needlenose pliers to pull it out. It's amazing how painful those small hooks can be...

I make my own sabikis and make some with 2 hooks.  I usually only use 3 hooks anyways.

Benefit of homemade is even with more hooks they have way less tangles/mess as the leader to hook is about 1 inch.

I always pinch down the barbs on my sabiki. I’m just as likely to hook a finger, clothes, bungee, passing kayaker, whatever, as I am to hook bait. So barbless sabiki keeps me safe 

Smart move. One of my most unforgettable kayak fishing experiences was getting a sabiki hook embedded deep in a finger. I had to use my needlenose pliers to pull it out. It's amazing how painful those small hooks can be...

it can also help preserve smaller bait fish like Anchoives from bleeding out when you pull out the hook. 

One day fishing off the Wharf in SC catching a ton of anchovies I made the mistake of resting my rod against the railing with a sabiki attached but not dangling on the water side.  Catching a bunch of anchovies was attracting a lot of people that wanted to see what we were catching, and this family with a young daughter came close to look into my bucket, and got snagged in the leg with one of my sabikis    She was too young to try and do a removal, so cut it off and they went to the ER    I never let them where they can be snagged by a kid or small animal anymore.

I was dragging the Sabiki line at one point at the surface and Mabel fell off right into it in what could have been a nightmare scenario, dealing with a hooked, panicked dog on the ocean. Luckily they only hooked into her life vest in a couple spots and it wasn't that bad.

Not sure, but it seems to me if you’re Sabiki fishing for bait and hook a rockfish, you should be able to release the rockfish and keep on dunking the Sabiki.

Not sure, but it seems to me if you’re Sabiki fishing for bait and hook a rockfish, you should be able to release the rockfish and keep on dunking the Sabiki.

yes that's correct. if you consistently catch rockfish though, you are legally obligated to stop fishing there or to switch your rigs as its considered "targetting" to keep fishing in a known area for that species