Rock Fish and Jig Hooks

2 questions:

1.  Why are rockfish so damned lock-jawed when you pull them up? 

More importantly:

Gonna hit the salt again soon, and I'm in need of jig heads.  I want 2 or 3oz, but I always find them with huge hooks.  Will a smaller hook result in fewer misses, or does it matter?

2 questions:

1.  Why are rockfish so damned lock-jawed when you pull them up? 

More importantly:

Gonna hit the salt again soon, and I'm in need of jig heads.  I want 2 or 3oz, but I always find them with huge hooks.  Will a smaller hook result in fewer misses, or does it matter?

I've never seemed to have a problem with them being lock-jawed. A swift whack on the head with a stroker usually opens their mouth right up!. I use a Berkely lip gripper and once I grab them with that, they usually cooperate pretty nicely.

I use the jig heads with the large hooks on them and also use the triangle or "shad head" ones. I have not really noticed a difference in hook-up rate when using those compared to smaller, more fine hooks.

Being as rockfish aren't supposed to be retained, I don't bonk them and try to get the mouth open so they let go of the hook.  Maybe it's just coppers?  Not sure.

Being as rockfish aren't supposed to be retained, I don't bonk them and try to get the mouth open so they let go of the hook.  Maybe it's just coppers?  Not sure.

Right, my bad.

I would also suggest a game clip. You can simply slip the pointy end up through their gills to gain control of them. I also used a little hook device which was basically just a stainless steel rod bent into a hook design with a screwdriver handle stuck on one end as the handle. It was a pretty handy little tool. I realize this creates the possibility of damaging the gillets underneath the gills, but it seemed to be small enough and smooth enough that it would cause much harm.

not sure how it works up where you are..  as your rockfish seem to be smaller   but here in Oregon hook size doesn't matter that much.  The hooks that come standard with your basic saltwater 1-4oz jig heads work fine.  In fact I would want bigger hooks over smaller as they are easier to unhook and keep the teeny ones away from your gear. For releasing them, I'd get a lip gripper and a pair of pliers. I would steer short of running things through the gills etc if you plan on releasing them.

If the  rockfish has lockjaw and your barbs are filed off, just release the drag and let it freespool back down.  by the time the jig get halfway down the rockfish should have managed to free itself... or it just became bait for lingzilla.

not sure how it works up where you are..  as your rockfish seem to be smaller   but here in Oregon hook size doesn't matter that much.  The hooks that come standard with your basic saltwater 1-4oz jig heads work fine.  In fact I would want bigger hooks over smaller as they are easier to unhook and keep the teeny ones away from your gear. For releasing them, I'd get a lip gripper and a pair of pliers. I would steer short of running things through the gills etc if you plan on releasing them.

Yeah, PP is right, that may not be such a good idea. Guess I don't have any good options for ya. 

i usually cut off the treble hook that comes on jigs and replace it with an open eye siwash hook, pinch the barb, sharpen....less bottom snagging and few missed hook ups

i use a pair of pliers, grab the hook in the fish lips and hold the hook upside down and off pops the fish into the water

To clear things up a bit, they were holding their mouths shut so tight, that I couldn't get my lip grippers in there on 2 of them.  Just thought there was a way around it.

The hook size question isn't for catching the rock fish, it's for catching the lings   

To clear things up a bit, they were holding their mouths shut so tight, that I couldn't get my lip grippers in there on 2 of them.  Just thought there was a way around it.

The hook size question isn't for catching the rock fish, it's for catching the lings   

Sometimes they just lock jaw, give 'em a minute and they will usually open up. Or carefully slip a couple fingers under there gill plates a pry mouth open with thumb, works sometimes.
 
you want the bigger hook so theres more space between the point and the jig material to hook the fish

To clear things up a bit, they were holding their mouths shut so tight, that I couldn't get my lip grippers in there on 2 of them.  Just thought there was a way around it.

The hook size question isn't for catching the rock fish, it's for catching the lings   

You can lip rockfish pretty effectively.  Just reach down and grab your jighead.  You can leverage their mouths open with the hook, slip your thumb in and work the hook out with the other hand.  Don't try this on Lings (unless you're EOBasser)

Big hooks = More hookups.  If they're tail biting, use smaller plastics or a slower bounce.

I like big hooks.  I don't like thick hooks.  I get a better tacky, sticky hookpoint with thinner hooks.  Thick hooks have bigger barbs, harder to remove the barb, or harder to remove the hook if you're fishing with the barb.  A big barb is not necessary.  I like a lot of exposure, to the point that I'll run the hook shallow through the top of a worm/swimbait and come out early.

-Allen

I'm thinking this must be an issue with some rockfish species and not others. I never seem to have that problem with any of the more common ones down here like blacks.

Roger on big is good.  Yeah Allen, the barbs are monsters and my pliers got loose when pinching them, clipping them off would have been impossible.   Currently I get my jigs from Sportco, but when I go back I'll see if they have thinner hooks available. 

The coppers I had trouble with were just plain locked up and wouldn't let my lip grippers in.  I didn't want to lift them up by the hook, thinking it might harm them more (though probably it wouldn't)  They were also clamped shut really tight at the gills too, and I was definitely not going to force gills open.  1 poor guy got hooked right in front of the eye, but there was a negligble amount of blood so I figured he was ok.  They all fought like hell for their size, and swam away with some vigor.  Fun fish to catch, just hoping for lings this time, and not so many coppers.

I don't like ordering stuff online, and Sportco and Cabella's don't have game clips.  Anyone know a South Sound area shop with game clips?  Same thing goes for thinner jig hooks - if you know a place, let me know. (Gotta check mine against Rav's since he picked up a few from Wholesale Sports)

I like a lot of exposure, to the point that I'll run the hook shallow through the top of a worm/swimbait and come out early.

-Allen

I do the same thing, i don't stick the hook down the middle of the scampi, stick it more towards the edge so the space is greater between the point and the jig