So, I'm heading over to the Oregon coast in a few weeks. I'm hoping to go tuna fishing if they're in that close yet, but if not I'll do the rockfish/ling cod bottom fishing thing. Last time I went I discovered that it's more fun to take my own gear and fish how I want. So this time I wanted to tie up some flies to fish above my jig. I couldn't really find much about rockfish flies on the internet, but this is what I've come up with so far.
Does anybody have any experience on what patterns work and what doesn't (I know rockfish aren't very smart but still...)?
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I always used plastics for rockfish and lings when I lived in WA. But I remember white, bright orange, and motor oil being very popular colors. You might try tying up something with colors close to those.
Just remember not to jig right off the bottom, or you will snag. Reel up about two feet and jig away.
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I used Showgirls and Popsicles for Dusky & Black Rockfish in Alaska. I think your flys will work just fine. Have fun!!!
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Well, I just got back, no tuna yet, so we went bottom fishing. And the yellow and red ones were the trick for the rockfish (and also for the ling cod if there was a little rockfish on it!) I caught several rockfish then got bored and set my sights on something a little bigger and toothier.
Here's what the bait looked like
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I got several bites and lost a total of 4 big fish but the biggest one managed to get hooked well and we got her on board for a couple quick pictures, then I let her go to make more babies.
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I didn't get any actual measurements on her but she is definitely the biggest ling cod I've caught (or seen for that matter). She sure put up one heck of a fight!
Here's a couple other fish that I brought home:
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Looks like you had a great time!
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Congratulations! That is a huge ling! I makes me homesick for the coast again.
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Way to go. That was a big girl and I'm glad you let her go. That may be the biggest I've seen as well. To many years of everyone saving the big ones (girls) really hurt the ling population. Again congrats on the fine catch!
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That is awesome. Makes me hungry just looking at them. Rockfish are some of my favorite and it has been a long time since I caught them.
Windriver
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Congrats on a nice trip!
Makes me miss washington and oregon. I grew up fishing in the puget sound of washington and catching some nice sized fish.
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Wow, nice ling cod! That is a real trophy and thanks for the photos. I appreciate you putting her back.
I fished up there for a weekend last summer and kept about 600 ling cod that size. Plus, I put out around 100 crab pots baited with stinky crappie I caught in Brownlee but never got around to cleaning. I fish for rockfish with dynamite and use posts like this to fish for the elusive Bovis.
C'mon baby.....hit it......hit it.....
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Lets be fair and let it drop. No need to stir the pot. Bovis's last few posts have been fine.
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What port were you fishing out of?
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We went out of Depoe Bay. I always go with Tradewinds Charters, but this time it worked out better to go with Dockside Charters. I'll definitely go out with them again. They seemed to try to put us on bigger fish rather than just filling our rockfish limits and getting home early like some of captains do. Here's a link to their site:
[url "http://www.docksidedepoebay.com/home.cfm?dir_cat=44122"]http://www.docksidedepoebay.com/home.cfm?dir_cat=44122[/url]
Our boat was the Cha-Son and he only takes 6 people out at a time so it's not really a party boat situation. What I'm trying to say I highly recommend them if anybody's thinking of going, check them out.
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