Rockfish on Flies

rockfish rockfish
A black rockfish caught off the California coast.

Ask most California anglers about fishing for rockfish, and those who have tried it will likely recount their experiences on party boats. The story usually goes something like this. After an hour or more motoring out from the harbor, the boat stops above a deep-water reef, and the captain broadcasts instructions over a loudspeaker. Floating over as much as 300 feet of water, eager anglers, standing shoulder to shoulder, drop baited hooks and hefty sinkers into the abyss. When a fish bites, the lucky angler winches it to the surface and drops it into a gunny sack.

While this approach works, the “meat” rods, big reels, and heavy weights render it a rather industrial affair. Not surprisingly, this doesn’t appeal to a lot of fly fishers. Fortunately, you don’t need 12 ounces of lead, gobs of suppurating squid, and a crowbar rod to catch rockfish. Many species can be caught on fly gear, either from shore or from a seaworthy craft.

“Rockfish” is a term used to describe a number of species, including cabezon and greenlings. As the name implies, these fish inhabit outcrops of rock (reefs) located along the shoreline (intertidal) and offshore. While the exact species of fish vary by location, rockfish can be found along California’s coast from Crescent City to San Diego. California’s angling regulations for saltwater species are complicated, varying by type of fish, region, and marine management area, so you should read them before venturing to the coast. Fortunately, there’s a mapbased system that can be accessed at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife website at https://wildlife.ca.gov/ Fishing/Ocean (see QR code on page 8).

Fishing as a Landlubber

Perhaps the easiest way to fish intertidal reefs is from shore, and for folks who suffer from seasickness, it may be the only way. There is no season for shore-based rockfishing, but the smaller surf typically makes July through October a better bet. You generally won’t get the numbers or size of fish you can on offshore reefs and kelp beds, but it’s a fascinating form of fly fishing. The scenery is usually stunning, and the intertidal wildlife can seem positively Jurassic. If you don’t have the time or desire to learn how to fish the rocks firsthand, there are a few saltwater fly-fishing guides who can help get you up to speed.

If tackling a natural rocky shoreline seems a bit intimidating, harbor breakwaters provide a man-made alternative that usually offer plenty of parking, easy access, and relatively sheltered waters. For anyone whose fly-fishing experience is limited, this is definitely the way to go. Plus, you can often find fresh coffee and hearty clam chowder nearby, should the fishing be slow.

For the slightly more adventurous fly fisher, there are numerous spots along Highway 1 that will have a small sandy bay sandwiched between rocky bluffs. Below the bluffs, you’ll find outcrops and reefs that typically feature a mix of boulders, tide pools, and flat rock platforms. Many of these places have a trail leading down to the beach, which makes access pretty simple. If you aren’t familiar with a section of coast, a few minutes on Google Earth should help you locate a number of suitable places with decent access and parking.

Unless you have experience with bait or lure fishing from rocky shorelines, it’s probably best to take your first outing with a friend and on a day when the surf is predicted to be mild — two feet or less. It’s always a good idea to check a swell or surfing website before you head out, just in case sea conditions have changed. The UC San Diego Coastal Data Information Program (CDIP) wave model provides easy-to-understand color-coded maps that are usually pretty accurate. Typing “CDIP wave model” into your search engine should take you to the site, then click on “California Wave Model.”

Flood tides (when water levels are rising) have an unnerving habit of covering dry rocks faster than you expect. Fishing during an ebb tide is generally safer, though you’ll still want to keep your eyes peeled for larger-than-normal waves. When it comes to navigating the rocks, avoid weeds, which can be very slippery. Carry your rod in a sling or backpack so your hands are free to provide additional balance and support. A pair of work gloves helps protect your hands from barnacles and mussels.

While it’s important to mention these basic safety concerns, don’t let them deter you from going. In many respects, fishing the rocks is the same as fishing along a rocky river. You’ll usually be fine if you think twice before taking every step, keep your eyes on the water, and preplan an exit/escape route to dry land every time you change locations.

When it comes to gear, you don’t need anything fancy. A medium-fast 7-weight or 8-weight rod, an inexpensive reel, and a fast-sinking line (six inches per second) is more than adequate. If you don’t want to risk beating up a pricey fly line, simply spool an old weight-forward floating line backward (fat end first) onto your reel and then attach 30 feet of T8 tungsten line to the front end. You can also use a T8 head with a mono shooting line such as Amnesia, but it can be tough to hold onto.

As far as f lies are concerned, stick to weedless patterns two to three inches long. Seaducers (with a mono weed guard) and Hud’s Bushwhacker in red and white or chartreuse and white will do the job nicely. Jig-hook Clousers are good, as long as they have plenty of bucktail to shield the hook point.

If you tie your own flies, use size 1 or 1/0 hooks with a few wraps of lead wire so the fly can get down through sluicing currents. They’ll slide off kelp and rocks a whole lot better if you add a V-shaped weed guard made from stiff 20-pound mono. Regardless of the pattern, red and white and chartreuse and white are good color combinations.

Whether you buy or tie, don’t forget to crimp the barbs. Many species of rockfish have sharp spines on their heads, jaws, and fins, and lingcod sport a mouthful of T-Rex dentition. Barbless hooks and long-nosed forceps will make unhooking a lot quicker, easier, and safer.

There’s no need for a fancy leader — 2 feet of stiff 10-pound to 15-pound-test mono keeps the fly close to the bottom and is less prone to damage than regular, less-stiff mono. Should the fly lock into the Earth’s crust, the mono will break before your fly line does. Scientific Anglers Absolute Hard, RIO’s Alloy Hard, and Mason Hard all fit the bill. Just make doubly sure to lubricate and pull strongly to seat the knots properly, and occasionally check the leader for damage.

It is usually easiest to start fishing from the sandy beach. You may be able to cast straight out toward rock outcrops or along the edge of the reef below a bluff. The sand/rock interface provided by these features can be very productive. When fishing from the reef itself, look for places where you can safely access water that’s not choked with kelp. Prime spots include channels, rocky points, rock outcrops, and larger tide pools close to the low-tide mark. Cast your fly near rocks, let it sink a few feet, and bring it back with a varied, but not aggressive retrieve. Hard pulls on the line increase your chances of snagging.

There are going to be times when the fish stay hunkered down in the rocks and kelp. A scent trail is a good way to get them out and searching for food. You can use squid or anchovies, but all you really need is a small bag of cheap cat kibbles and a long-handled serving spoon. Open the bag, mix in some salt water and sand (available nearby), then mash the contents for a few minutes. What you want is a bag of al-dente kibbles in a thick sea-salt gravy. Pitching a couple of spoonfuls into an area within easy casting range every 10 to 15 minutes can work wonders. Jack smelt are often the first to sample the chum, followed by surfperch and rockfish.

Fishing Offshore

If you’d like to head offshore to fish for rockfish, the season runs from March 1 to December 31. California has a number of harbors located reasonably close to shallow inshore reefs, and many of them have captains who offer charters on seaworthy boats. Some captains even specialize in fly fishing, so your learning curve can be quick and painless. Another option is to rent a boat. Some harbors and wharfs have boat rental businesses, and this can be a great way to fish local reefs. The staff usually provide a map of nearby reefs and can tell you where fish have been caught over the past few days.

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From top to bottom: a jig-hook Clouser and a weedless Seaducer for shoreline reefs and kelp beds, and basic white and green streamers for offshore open-water reefs.

The boat-fishing setup is pretty much the same as the shore rig — a 7-weight or 8-weight rod, fast-sinking line, 6 feet of 15-pound (regular mono) leader, and some generic three-inch debarbed streamers. If you go out in a rental boat, a portable fish finder can help locate reefs as well as schools of suspended rockfish and baitfish. If the finder has a GPS, you may be able to preload coordinates (as waypoints) for known reefs. This makes it much easier to find and stay on top of fishholding structure. If you don’t have a finder or map, it’s usually easier to locate kelp beds and work your flies as close to the edge as you dare. Not surprisingly, weedless flies are much better in this situation. Most of the time, it’s best to fish during neap tides, about three days either side of the half moon. Spring tides (around the full and new moon) produce stronger currents, which can make it tough to get the fly down to the fish. When it comes to timing, mornings are usually best, because there is less likely to be wind, and fog is more likely to be present. Black, blue, and olive rockfish tend to feed higher in the water column during periods of low light. The ideal situation is a calm morning with high fog above the water and a neap tide that peaks or bottoms out around midday. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Tides and Currents website, https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov, provides an easy to use map-based system. The fishing itself is relatively simple. If you are working a kelp bed, set the boat up so it drifts parallel to the edge of the kelp, if the currents allow. In general, the easiest option is to position the boat about 40 to 60 feet from the kelp and cast directly toward the floating kelp fronds. There’s usually some submerged kelp beyond the visible edge, so your fly may run through some stout vegetation. Alternatively, you can move in a bit closer and cast parallel to the edge of the kelp. Water movement and wind usually dictates which approach works best.

Fish can be found anywhere in the water column, so it pays to use the lake fly-fishing countdown technique. If your line sinks at 6 inches per second, you can fish at one-yard depth increments simply by counting to 6, 12, 18, and so on before beginning your retrieve. Don’t be in too much of a hurry to get deep. Schools of black and blue rockfish can often be found in the upper water column. I’ve had some brutal takes followed by short, unstoppable runs from fish that were hanging out just a couple of feet below floating kelp fronds. There are some serious predators lurking in and around the kelp.

If you are fishing over a deeper reef, cast out to the side of the boat and let the current take the fly around to the back. Think of this as a saltwater version of the wet-fly swing. Begin your retrieve as the fly starts to drag behind the boat. If you have difficulty casting the line, just flip the fly and about 10 feet of line over the side of the boat and wave the rod from side-to-side (much quicker than an up-and-down flip) to feed out extra line. This is a variation of the “pitch-and-pay” technique developed by UK competition fly fishers. Start with adding 30 feet of line and add an extra 5 or 10 feet with each subsequent pitch. Takes are usually unmistakable jolts and may occur at any point in the retrieve. As for the retrieve, experiment. Most of the time, a steady one-strip-per-second retrieve is fine, but sometimes a faster strip can produce a reaction bite. As with fly fishing in lakes, don’t be in a hurry to pull the fly out of the water. Quite often, a fish will follow the fly all the way to the surface before slamming it.

These techniques will usually enable you to fish in 30 to 40 feet of water with a 6-inch-persecond sinking line. If you want to fish reefs in 50 to 70 feet of water, there are a couple of options. The first is to slip a one-eighth-ounce to one-quarter-ounce bullet weight onto the leader so it butts up against the fly. Don’t try to cast this setup, just do the pitch-and-pay routine described above.

Another option is to attach 25 to 30 feet of T17 or T20 line to the running line from a standard sinking line. Either of these rigs will get your fly down 50plus feet in a typical neap tide. The T17/ T20 setup can be cast, but you are going to need a 10-weight or 12-weight rod to handle the load. If the tide or wind speed makes it hard to get down far enough, add a quarter-ounce bullet head to your T17 setup. This isn’t a delicate way to fly fish, but it can keep you fishing when you would normally be heading back to shore.

If you are tired of doing the same old same old and want to try something completely different, take a trip to the sea and fish the rocks. When it comes to fly fishing in California, this is about as different as it gets.


Clean Your Gear

While a lot of fly-fishing gear these days is made with saltwater-safe materials, it never hurts to give your rod, reel, line, and flies a thorough rinse when you get back home. Pay special attention to rod guides, reel seats, and the entire reel. Let everything dry before you put it away.

— Robert Ketley


Tips for Staying Safe

You should be fine if you follow four simple rules when fishing from the rocks or beach.

  1. Fish with a friend.
  2. Keep your eyes peeled for large (rogue) waves and always have a preplanned exit route to dry land.
  3. Take small steps, place your feet carefully, and avoid walking on seaweed, which can be very slick.
  4. When in doubt as to safety, get out.

You don’t want to wear waders when fishing from rocks, because they can get damaged by barnacles. Wearing them might also tempt you to move closer to a “good spot” and end up in trouble. It’s best instead to wear sneakers with good traction and denim jeans, which can help prevent your legs from getting cut or scratched. I also always wear an inflatable personal floatation device. Useful, too, would be a whistle or other noisemaker to alert others if you get into trouble.

Robert Ketley

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