Rockcod Fishing Part I

Before this year's season ends, I was fortunate enough to go on a couple of rockcod fishing trips.  Rockcod fishing is fun but at the same time it's hard work.  Dropping heavy sinkers or jigs down to several hundreds of feet to reach where the fish are holding then cranking the line back up loaded with fish is quite a workout.  Do it over and over again, and by the end of the day you feel like you got a beating.  It's all worth it though, rockcod fillets are awesome on the dinner table.  For my first rockcod trip, I hopped on a 2.5 day trip with 21 other hardcore anglers.  I prepared well for this trip.  I rigged some glow-in-the dark hoochie skirts as you've read on my previous post.  I brought some torpedo sinkers ranging from 8oz to 16oz.  As I went through my disorganized fishing tackle, I found some 9 inch glow-in-the-dark B2 Squid skirts which I've totally forgotten.  The 12oz  to 16oz torpedo sinkers fit perfectly inside its body cavity, and I rigged it with two assist hooks.  It would later prove deadly on this trip.  I also brought along some 7oz jigs which I plan on rigging with hoochie skirts.  But during the trip, it turned out 7oz wasn't heavy enough get you down.  The current was just too strong.  I did use the hoochie skirts; dropper looped with 12 oz sinkers to get it down.  It too was deadly.  Lastly, I also brought some frozen baby octopus to tip the B2 squid.  Although we had live squid on this trip, I figure baby octopus would stay on the hook longer.

The deadly glow-in-the dark B2 Squid.  I rigged it with torpedo sinkers and 2 assist hooks.

When fishing deep, it's a must that you fish with spectra/braid lines with just a short mono leader.  Just long enough to allow you to rig a couple of dropper loops about 5 foot apart.  I used about 10 to 15 feet leader max.  With this setup, it'll allow you to feel the slightest nibble or bite of the fish.  I also recommend stiffer and fast action rods if you're fishing deep with heavy sinkers.  It'll allow you to detect the slightest "tap" of the fish.  Vertical jigging  rods are perfect for rockcod fishing.  On this trip, I used my Sea Magic Dragonfly jigging rod most of the time.  It's rated for 450 gms jigs.  As far as reels, you'll need one with enough line capacity to reach the depths, and also compensate for the current and drift of the boat.  The reels I brought along on this trip were the Shimano Stella 20000FA and Accurate Twinspin 20.

We left the docks at 9 PM and headed to the squid grounds to pick up some live squid.   We dropped a spotlight to attract the squid from the deep, and boy did they came up.  They were thick!  The deckhands just scooped them up like candy.

Some videos of the deadly B-2 squid in action.  I'm using the Stella and Sea Magic jigging rod on these videos.

On this video I was using a VS 250gm jigging rod and the Accurate SR20, and dropper looped live squid.  The 250gm rod is just too light to sling the fish and sinker on the boat.

Some pictures from the trip.  I'll post Part II (one day rockcod trip) next.