Using Rockfish as Bait?
 

Can you use rockfish for bait? I've heard different things?

Thanks,
JD

I suppose as long as you don't exceed a daily bag limit. I'd be interested to hear if using a small rockfish to catch a larger rockfish would count and being size selective (can't recall the legal term for sizing up)? Go nuts using Sand Dabs instead. ;)

I don't think you're allowed to use any game fish as bait. I know folks do, but as strip bait

I would never use a small salmon grouper fillets caught on a sibiki to catch reds or lings. It would be very very wrong.

I know I read this somewhere too, but couldn't find it in the regs. Maybe it's just for freshwater? Not sure. They definitely count towards your limits though and I would never use gamefish as live bait.

https://californiaoutdoorsqas.com/2016/05/
So yes you can. The bait fish should be counted toward your daily bag limit. No clue if using RF fillets would need to adhere to at-sea filleting rules but my guess would be yes.

Lings love Sand Dabs and there is no limits on those. You can fillet them and use them for bait too and they do not count

Would one use a whole Sand Dab as bait and expect to catch something?

Lingcod have big mouths and sand dabs are usually pretty small.

If the lingcod decides to tag along and hitchhike following the rockfish there is no harm. Just reel slow and get the gaff ready, plenty of times I seen lingcod tag along and try and chase a hooked up rockfish. These party/cow boats toss the small rockfishes so instead of reeling after it gets bit let it stay down for a larger bite so your not intentionally killing them by bringing them up to the surface.

Back in the winter of 1972/73 I was pinheading on the full day boat Pursuit out of Redondo. We'd fish the Kidney and other banks around Santa Barbara Island towards the Channel Isles, in 300+ feet deep. Whenever wed' catch 8-10" rockfish (especially striped) we'd often fillet out the sides to go after big Cows, Reds, Bocaccio, or Lings with good results. Rockfish this size were runts, and they would not survive if thrown back, not after coming up from that deep.
Regs were looser then, we were even allowed to use 10 hooks to go along with our 3-5lbs of lead.
I saw it a couple of times on the Pursuit where a Ling swallowed a whole rockfish on a ganion. Further up North in shallower water Lings regularly gulp down whole rockfish, or follow them up.

If it's legal, and you know the whereabouts of a good rock/shelf or lingcod location off of LJ, it might be worth a try, especially if you've caught a little 6-8" rockfish that's inflated and may not survive being released anyway. A rockfish that small will barely make 1 or 2 fish tacos, but catching a legal Lingcod off of it, or even a big Red means fish tacos for the whole family :)

If I get the chance to GPS some locations of lobster traps this winter, I would try it next year.

Oh, and yeah Lingcod love sand dabs and live squid. Just about anything they can get their big toothy mouth around.

Thanks for responding everyone. According to the above DFG article, yes you can:reel: