Rockfish/ling thoughts

I would like to mix things up and try something different for rockfish and lings (aka. catch rockfish while making the long paddle out the halibut grounds).  Most of the rockfish and lings I catch are in over 50 ft (most near 100).  I have been thinking of playing around with "trolling/mooching" for rockfish that are suspended off the bottom in large schools.  I know the concept works as I have done it with real herring etc.  I purchased and have been looking at the Rapala Magnum plugs, in particular the CD-14 in Sardine pattern.   I was thinking a heavy shock (3ft or so) leader then a mooching sinker (3-5 oz should be fine).  Troll these through the schools and it should be game on!  Also thinking that they would be killer slow mooched over deep reefs for lings, but at 10 bucks a pop a couple snags could be painful!  Anyone ever use these? 

http://www.rapala.com/products/luresdetail.cfm?modelName=magnums&freshorsalt=Salt

I've used the freshwater version a bit in the Willamette and caught a number of bass trolling and casting. I agreee that these would be an interesting way to target lings but maybe replace the treble with siwash hooks to keep those greenbacks in your wallet.

Jay

replacing the hooks with swivels and siwash hooks was the 1st thing I did on my "test" lure.

I was thinking about this myself while staring at magnum rapalas at wholesale sports recently. The blue/white mackeral pattern magnum (the older model) is the go-to trolling lure with a lot of kayak fishermen down in SoCal. I think we'll have to try this out on the salt this spring or summer. I think it's an idea that has a lot of potential to maximize the amount of time your line is in the water which can only up the catch rates if anything at all.

I think it's an idea that has a lot of potential to maximize the amount of time your line is in the water which can only up the catch rates if anything at all.

My thought exactly!

What does a mooching sinker look like? Is this less likely to hand up on structure than other types of lead?

Jay

Maybe a touch less snaggy, but my main focus would be those schools of rockfish you always see on the depthfinder well off the bottom.  Mainly a way to pick up fish while covering water, the more water you cover the more fish you put your bait in front of, the more you catch.  
            
http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/salmon/graphics/howtocatch/troll2.jpg

What does a mooching sinker look like? Is this less likely to hand up on structure than other types of lead?

Jay

Someone correct me if I'm wrong because I've never run a mooching rig, but I believe they're also referred to as a "banana weight", or "trolling weights". They have an integrated bead chain swivel on one end. Here's a pic I found on Cabela's:

Yep, I've got a few of those. I've always used them for trolling...didn't know I was doin' it right 

Another thought I had would be to go back to the Carolina rig setup that I'd use when trolling mackerel along the edges of kelp beds. That would probably also work for trolling a large rapala. I've got a bunch of egg weights in the 2oz. to 3oz. size that would work.

I'm assuming that this troll would be rather quick to cover said water (2-3.5mph), or are you're not in any kind of hurry to get out to the 'butt grounds (1-1.5mph)?  If your cruise is faster, would you have the rod going straight out the back to eliminate side drag steering?

Great idea PP. I have a bunch of magnum Rapalas in the sardine pattern (and a few others). I'd be happy to sell some at a reasonable price.

That is a mooching sinker. A lot of moochers run a slydo with a ball type weight attached. It's a nicer setup just because the fish doesn't feel the weight and munches the bait more or commits to attacking the lure more. I think Yakinitups' carolina rig idea is in the same school of thought.

Z

There are some at NCKA that slow troll a plug.  Most use it on a 3 way with a dropper lead right off the bottom.  No need to go expensive on the plugs.  Use whatever cheap ones you have.

For suspended rockfish, I've been know to troll a large kastmaster or krocodile spoon.  Something in the 2-4 ounce range.  And if you go over a nice pinnacle you can just drop it to the bottom and jig it like an iron.

-Allen

I'm assuming that this troll would be rather quick to cover said water (2-3.5mph), or are you're not in any kind of hurry to get out to the 'butt grounds (1-1.5mph)?  If your cruise is faster, would you have the rod going straight out the back to eliminate side drag steering?

My "game plan" would be to troll slowly over good structure and schools of fish,like near the rock at PC (and other places ), then pull it in and continue the paddle out to the halibut grounds, maybe drop it down if I see a suspended school offshore, then do the same thing on the way in.  The benefit I see, would be how light and compact a couple of these "rigs" would be, leaving more space/weight for halibut gear (harpoon,float,heavy sinkers, bait, hopefully nice halibut on the way back) while still allowing you to pick up some rockfish on the way.  I'm sure lings would hit it too if fished near the bottom, but my main purpose would be getting a few/limit of black rockfish (maybe even a coho once offshore ) without having to take all my rockfish/coho stuff.  Since the fish would also hook themselves I think I could get away with leaving my rockfish/ling rod on the beach and just use my halibut rod.

Yaknitup/Zee....What would be the purpose of trolling a plug like these with a sliding weight?  Traditionally when the weight is on the bottom (ala sturgeon) a slider makes sense, allowing the fish to pull line without feeling the weight, but in the water column, while trolled, I don't see how a slider helps? With traditional mooching, I can see it helping, as its a more "vertical" presentation with more potential for slack line bites particularly when the bait is falling, trolling  is mostly a  horizontal presentation with constant pressure on the lure from the boat? Doesn't the forward motion/force of the boat pulling the plug through the water negate the effect of the slider?  Am I missing something?  School me up..

Got it.  Sounds like a cool game plan, and definitely a way reduce tooling if you can still catch a wide variety of fish with the same rod. 

Wonder what kinda of beast you could hook up if you trolled a small gimped rock fish?