BAJA ROCKFISH

Come the first of each year, California Department of Fish and Game regulations close off access to the vast family of structure-dwelling species collectively referred to as “rockfish,” and they stay closed until March. Considering that rockfish might be the only thing to target between Point Conception and the Mexican border during January and February, Southern Californians are left with few options.

Fortunately, party boat landings in San Diego have popularized a new kind of trip over recent years — the Mexican-waters rockfishing excursion. These trips are becoming increasingly popular with action-starved winter anglers. They not only provide an opportunity to get on the water, the day or two-day long trips reach rarely-fished areas of the Baja coast like Punta Collnet and Sacramento Reef, where XL-sized rockfish and lingcod are eager to jump on your offerings.

When fishing in shallow waters (250 feet deep or less) you can target these fish with the same tackle you might use for halibut, calico bass or white seabass angling. This style of fishing is ideal for low-stretch, thin-diameter superbraid lines. They sink faster, allow you to feel every tick and bump through the line, and provide a more solid connection when setting the hook. Whether bait or lure fishing, it’s a good idea to tie on a three foot section of lighter monofilament so you can break it off, if your rig gets snagged in the rocks.

As far as terminal tackle goes, hook size depends largely on the size of the bait being used. For anchovies I prefer a number one live bait hook, while I’ll usually pin squid or live sardines on larger 2/0 or 3/0 hooks. How much lead you need depends largely on the speed of the drift and the depth you’re fishing — maybe eight to 12 ounces, in good conditions.

You want to remain close to the bottom and even make contact occasionally, but not let your line drag across it. If there’s a lot of wind and you’re drifting quickly, be ready to reel up and re-drop when you get to much scope out. You’ll feel more bites, and set the hook much more effectively, when your line is as vertical as possible.

This can also be an excellent time to drop down a heavy iron jig. This is undoubtedly one of the most fun ways to target shallow water rockfish, and this method often takes the largest fish. There are a wide variety of effective jigs to choose from, each designed with extra weight to help them sink quickly. Often anglers will add action and scent to these lures by hanging a strip of frozen squid or a Berkeley Gulp grub on the jig’s hook.

The basic jig fishing technique involves lowering the jig as quickly as possible to the bottom and working it with a pumping action of the rod. Be ready for strikes on the fall, and drive the hook home aggressively—just as aggressively as you run for the border, when you feel the need for a winter rockfishing trip.