Rockfish

[Saba Slayer]

Rockfish season opens Monday 4/1
One of my favorite fish to hunt and eat.
https://wildlife.ca.gov/News/Archive...ions#gsc.tab=0
The new DFW Regs are not officially published yet so the old 2023 Regs are applicable till then.
It looks like the main changes in the new 2024 Regs will be that we have to be in possession of a descending device and the limit on Reds is reduced to 2 fish and only one Copper
IMHO it looks like another case of "bad science" on the reduction of the Reds, just as it was with the Boccassio a few years back.
The DFW isn't specific on the descending device, so a large inverted hook with the barb filed off or a weighted crate should both be acceptable along with the fancy descending devices.

[Saba Slayer]

Get those Reds while you can
Nothing this morning but a couple of Sand Dabs and a few small rockfish
The bite didn't turn on until the wind picked up and the tide bottomed out around 10:30
They bit the AHI pink Squirts with a strip of squid.
I was stopped on the water by the DFW and a couple of Homeland Security officers today. They looked at my bait tank and the kill bag and checked my license. We discussed the "new Regs" and they had no idea when they will be enforced, so the 2023 regs are still in effect. One of the DFW wardens had to check the website and his phone to confirm. I told them I checked the website last night.LOL
They saw my descending basket and OK'd that too, saying that just about anything will work as a descending device since the commission was so vague in the new regs.
Soooooo with that confirmed, it's time to load the freezer with some of those delicious Reds before the limit gets dropped down to two fish.

[Saba Slayer]

Another productive day out in the deep water on Wednesday
Really quiet out there mid week, even with spring break, there were only 2 other kayaks that I saw and just a few boats that looked like they were headed to the offshore banks. Beautiful weather till about 11am then it switched around and started blowing.
Lots of small to medium Reds so many that I must have released/descended at least 20 Reds and also a few Starrys just plugged with eggs. It sure doesn’t seem like there’s a shortage of Vermillions out there Mr. DFW.
I'm stocking up on those delicious Vermillions 4 at a time while I still can, before the new DFW Regs are published and the limit drops to two Reds.
AHI pink Squirts and squid strips did the trick again

[TJones]

before the shutdown. Dig the basket. Do they swim out after being descended? Thanks for sharing.

[bernie3674]

Originally Posted by Saba Slayer

Another productive day out in the deep water on Wednesday
Really quiet out there mid week, even with spring break, there were only 2 other kayaks that I saw and just a few boats that looked like they were headed to the offshore banks. Beautiful weather till about 11am then it switched around and started blowing.
Lots of small to medium Reds so many that I must have released/descended at least 20 Reds and also a few Starrys just plugged with eggs. It sure doesn?t seem like there?s a shortage of Vermillions out there Mr. DFW.
I'm stocking up on those delicious Vermillions 4 at a time while I still can, before the new DFW Regs are published and the limit drops to two Reds.
AHI pink Squirts and squid strips did the trick again

Good job, I searched all my usual spots last Saturday at redondo, got nothing, looks like I need to go further out.

I like this type of descender the best https://myodfw.com/articles/make-you...cending-device