Rockfish season...newbie needs help!

[Gunn]

I'm trying to get the hang of all this fishing terminology. This will be my first full season with a fishing license, some poles and some lures looking to do some damage.

One of my remaining questions that I've never found answer to is running multiple lures off the same line. ie: Tandem rigs. So you have your main line, then you split that into two other lines, one longer than the other. These seperate lines are usually on the order of 20' or so. My question is this: How the heck do you reel all this in to get the fish? The way I see it, you'll reel up to this swivel where it hits your rod tip, but you still have 20 or so feet of line still out in the water. Do you just use your hands to pull it the rest of the way in?

Needless to say, I've never been on a charterboat before to view it firsthand, but...I'm a DIY'er, and now have my own boat. :smt001 So I learn the hard way... :smt021

I found a representative photo of what I'm talking about at: http://www.cnksaltwatertackle.com/catalog/item/3214874/4107731.htm

 

[tdappleman]

That looks really complicated and probably not something I'd tackle without someone showing me how to rig it and then of course, retrieve it. For rockfish in my area I use a single hook with a live eel on about 3ft of leader and enough weight for the rig to go down in the current. I've also replaced the hook with a bucktail (usually white) and added shrimp or even an eel on it. I honestly can't imagine trying to go for multiple rockfish - when they bite - they bite hard! I also usually go for them near bridge pilings so it becomes an instant battle to keep them away from the pilings and barnacles. Good luck!

 

[Four Suns]

I have never run a rig like that...

Something similar, however, is a mojo rig with a 3-way swivel. Take that diagram you have and take the inline weight out. On the bottom line, switch it to about 3 feet long and put a 18-24 oz mojo with a shad on it and then on the 3-way is about a 20 foot leader with another shad or bucktail... Trolling is usually in the 2-3 knot range. When you catch a striper, you do have to pull the leader in by hand... not a big deal. Make sure you have a big net.

You may want to check out the tidalfish board ( http://www.tidalfish.com/ ) as they cover this kind of stuff for the Chesapeake Bay. You'll find that rigging is very geographic dependent and also time-of-year dependent.

 

[Mike]

Gunn,

Your rigging will depend on when you are fishing for them. For example Trophy Rockfish season opened this past weekend. While the southern bay (tilghman, chesapeake beach area) was pack with boats and the fishing slow we did alright, two 38". We had six lines out, each with an "umbrella rig" w/ "shads" (one on white shads (usually used in clear water) and the other on chartreuse). You can actually buy them all rigged and all you will need to do is store them in what I find best a 3" dia PVC pipe cut to length. When are you fishing?

 

[DragonAnchor]

Now you've done it!

I wanna go FISHING!

I havent really been fishing since my late teens, and mostly rivers and streams in the midwest. Group of us would get together, pack some beer and fish for Channel Cat. Much different than rockfish. With catfish, you toss in a line with chicken liver on the end, drink beer and reel them in. :grin:

Good times...

 

[2000SEARAY280SS]

Are you fishing the Potomac or the lower bay. From your St. Mary's signature I am not sure. The Potomac has separate rules for stripers than the bay so make sure to check out the PRFC web site if you are fishing the Potomac, I am pretty sure eels are not allowed right now.
http://www.prfc.state.va.us/sports/sport_fishing_blue_sheet_2007.htm#reciprocity

The rig you have described is a tandem rig and I fish them on the Potomac and the lower bay. I use 4’ and 6’ leaders with the 3 to 4 oz jig heads. You have to use very light weight in the Potomac since it is so shallow. If you use the long leaders you will need to hand over hand the line in and those lengths are just not manageable in the Potomac.

I hope the weather breaks soon so I can finish the work on the boat and get me a couple.

Fish ON :grin:

 

[VTSeaRay]

Neat, some day I'd like to try striper bass fishing, I've heard it's a good fight. Is it? What is their range, are they all up /down the Atlantic coast (even in Florida?).

-Garth

 

[Gunn]

I've been "studying" up on rockfish/striper/striped bass fishing for awhile now. Unfortunately, my boat isn't ready yet for the opening of the trophy season, which started last weekend. But that's ok; any sizeable rockfish would be great in the next couple of months.
I mostly fish the lower Pomotac river; near the St. George's Island area. I've been in the bay twice, but...its a bit nervewracking for my wife in our little boat, even under ideal conditions (the kids love it; I don't mind).
Last year when we finally started fishing we caught some croaker and flounder, and a black sea bass. So at least we're getting something! But those rockfish would be great fun to reel in.
Thanks for all the info on lures, rigging and other forums. I'm tapped into the Chesapeake Angler forum now.

Thanks,

Tom

 

[midway]

A 3 to 4 foot shark gives a pretty good fight, stingrays are fun also, just gotta watch out for the tail.