DFO rules when jigging for lingcod/rockfish & a salmon hits instead

[Grant_J]

I've got a couple of questions for the more seasoned fishers - yesterday my daughter and I were in the Gulf Islands jigging for rockfish/lingcod when a big Chinook hit her Mac Fish lure. It really swallowed the lure which had a 3 pronged barbed hook, so it took longer than I would have liked to get it out and it was really a bloody mess. I was shocked that the salmon took it, but looking online today I guess it's not that rare an occurrence to be jigging and get a salmon? Anyways, my questions are:

1) what would happen if a DFO boat came by while I'm trying to fish a 3 prong barbed hook out of a salmon? It's not like that is what we were targeting. I have rods for salmon fishing, and rods for jigging, and we were using the jigging rods, so would DFO be rational about the situation or would they come down on us? Last thing I want is some huge fine or getting gear confiscated.

2) if the fish is unlikely to survive, what are the rules? This Chinook was hatchery and was 70cm, so it was technically big enough to be kept, but we were in a sub region that is currently closed to hatchery Chinook (while another sub region a few km away is open) Do we put it back in the water if only to avoid pulling a salmon out of an area that is closed to salmon fishing but open for lingcod? (these rules are a mess!)

 

[ship happens]

This is why I started using single barbless hooks on buzz bombs and jigs etc. Solves 2 problems. Not as snaggy, and bycatch fish mortality

 

[tinboatrobb]

Why use treble hooks at all when jigging? Trying to pull 3 prongs oug of any fish is going to cause damage. Switch to a single hook and avoid that. Also pinch all your barbs so if the fish gets off it swims away. The sport is landing a fish with skill, that takes practice and some lost fish. That salmon would have lived if you had a single hook. The rules are pretty simple, closed to retention means do not take a salmon. Also I hope you are aware of the RCAs in that area. Mac deeps are one of the best salmon jigs, to expensive to be using and loosing on the bottom.
Post meant to be informative nothing else.

 

[spring fever]

All barbs pinched-jigging is really too effective for salmon to not pinch them. Pinched it is an easy release beside the boat without handling-barbed and worse treble barb can turn into a nightmare.

 

[Flashman]

Same here, unless I'm using really big jigs, like the 14oz swim baits, I use barbless hooks. Small jigs catch a lot of rockfish as well that I really prefer to let go. It's so much easier with barbless hooks.

As for catching a salmon on a barbed hook, when retention is open. Pretty sure you have to release it. It's bycatch, which I think is generally not a big deal as long as you take care to release it with as little impact as possible. Similar to keeping a foul hooked fish I think?

 

[Tips Up]

Lets not be too hard on the guy. Seems like honest questions from a less experienced angler.

First don't be shocked that a salmon took a Mac Deep lure. They are a good jig often used for salmon. If you are using a jig that may catch salmon it should be barbless incase. As long as you are outside the RCA you are in a no retention zone not a no fishing zone.

Answer to question 1 is it would probably come down to the DFO you ran in to that day. Could go either way. You are in possession of an out of season salmon on illegal salmon gear even if you are letting it go. Could be a tough conversation.

Answer to question 2 is the fish has to go back. Dead or alive. No different than catching a wild salmon in a marked only zone. Can't keep them under any circumstance.

Best to change up your tactics or location.

 

[Stoisy]

1) It would be up to the discretion of the officer that found you fishing. So, to avoid any risk of a fine, as others have suggested, pinch your barbs and you're safe. Plus, you won't lose a noticeable amount of fish relative to barbed hooks. Barbs are effective, but not magic. Also suggested. Switch over to single hooks. Consistent results in studies suggest that you land more fish with a single hook than a treble. Also, less likely to cause more injuries to the fish with only a single point.

2) If an area is non-retention. It is non-retention. While this is problematic at times and you may have to watch a beautiful fish float away dead, it would be impossible to regulate any variable "it was a bleeder" type of regulation.

Swap your hooks to single barbless and always make sure you're in an open fishing area (RCAs, retention etc...). Great to hear you're getting your daughter out! Need the next generation to be excited about fishing!

 

[Grant_J]

Lets not be too hard on the guy. Seems like honest questions from a less experienced angler.

Thank you!

First don't be shocked that a salmon took a Mac Deep lure. They are a good jig often used for salmon. If you are using a jig that may catch salmon it should be barbless incase. As long as you are outside the RCA you are in a no retention zone not a no fishing zone.

Yup, I know where all the RCAs are and the sub region we were in yesterday has none.

Answer to question 1 is it would probably come down to the DFO you ran in to that day. Could go either way. You are in possession of an out of season salmon on illegal salmon gear even if you are letting it go. Could be a tough conversation.

Answer to question 2 is the fish has to go back. Dead or alive. No different than catching a wild salmon in a marked only zone. Can't keep them under any circumstance.

Best to change up your tactics or location.

When you mention it that way, I think you're right the best thing to do is to go barbless on all my hooks. I also like the idea of going to a single hook, as losing lures in the rocky bottom has been incredibly frustrating on its own, not to mention the difficulty in getting them out of the fish.
Thanks again

 

[Dale66]

Why wouldn’t you use a treble on lings and rockfish lol

 

[sam_n_leo]

My kids love jigging for lingcod that comes with all sorts of by-catch. Rockfish, greenling, cabezon, flatfish, salmon, P cod, starfish, barnacles, etc Barbless hooks and descenders (for the rockfish) are sort of essential, regardless of salmon regs.

But I can't say I do barbless on halibut gear--double standard? There is a lot less by-catch, but not zero by-catch.

 

[Birdbrain]

Here's another perspective: Catch a barbed treble hard into the palm of your hand, and you'll probably crimp the barbs on every hook you own. Been there, done that.

 

[SpringVelocity]

Personally I use barbed hooks all the time for bottom fish, and don't have any issue with it. Aren't barbed J and Trebles used with halibut anyway?

It isn't required per regulations, or really something I believe that needs to be implemented. A descender yes, but this isn't an issue at all IMHO in grand scheme of things. Just my view.

 

[tinboatrobb]

I use gamatatsu open eye big river hooks. Most often when I snag bottom the hook will bend allowing the lure to come free.

 

[SpringVelocity]

Back to original post. Incidental fish injured or not in a non retention area goes back. If stopped by CO make sure you have a fish descender all set up and rod or DR while you are fishing. If asked your fishing for bottom fish. The fine is steep if your caught without descender. It can't just be in the tackle box. It has to be ready to go, and being used.

 

[Whole in the Water]

Back to original post. Incidental fish injured or not in a non retention area goes back. If stopped by CO make sure you have a fish descender all set up and rod or DR while you are fishing. If asked your fishing for bottom fish. The fine is steep if your caught without descender. It can't just be in the tackle box. It has to be ready to go, and being used.

Can you elaborate as to what you mean ready to go and being used. If one is fishing for salmon why do you need a descending device ready to go and being used? Is this required in regulations and if so, where?

It seems to be a vague statement I’ve heard before that is open to much interpretation and hard to enforce from a legal point of view depending on how one defines “ready to go”and “being used”.

 

[SpringVelocity]

Can you elaborate as to what you mean ready to go and being used. If one is fishing for salmon why do you need a descending device ready to go and being used? Is this required in regulations and if so, where?

It seems to be a vague statement I’ve heard before that is open to much interpretation and hard to enforce from a legal point of view depending on how one defines “ready to go”and “being used”.

Not vague just needs to be ready to go when your fishing for bottomfish. Even if your jigging for salmon not sure why you wouldn't have on anyway.

It's too bad you don't have CO attend your meetings in Victoria. In Nanaimo this has been brought up many times. Luckily we have our local CO show up every meeting.

Here is an article Joel did on it:

$863 Potential Rockfish Fine - Island Fisherman Magazine

Did you know it is a $863 fine if you are fishing without a descending device on-board that is set up ready to release rockfish bycatch? Even if you are […]

islandfishermanmagazine.com

 

[Whole in the Water]

Did the CO provide info on how they define "ready to go"? Without same kind of definition this remains vague and open to all sorts of interpretation and enforcement issues

 

[SpringVelocity]

Yes they did. If you are bottom fishing you have clip on device like Seaqualizer attached on downrigger, or other descending device on a rod/weight set up. They were pretty clear about this.

The descending device is also a condition of your license. It's printed on it under Rockfish.

 

[Whole in the Water]

Ok good to know, thanks for the info.

 

[SpringVelocity]

Ok good to know, thanks for the info.

When you come on the trip To Bam I still have some of the manual ones on my boat. I got spare you can have. I usually use the Seaqualizer, but the manual works good too.