Rockfish and ling cod shinner bait?

[Mr Crowley]

This summer me and my friends are going fishing for rockfish in BC. We are also trying to catch a ling cod using a smaller rockfish as bait. Me and my friends were wondering if you can use anly shinny bait to help catch a rockfish or lingcod. Rockfish are pretty stupid. They would pretty much go for anything. Im usually not very optimistic when we try to catch ling cod since they can avoid our rockfish and go for another one.



Any suggestions? Thanks

 

[RiverBoy]

do you mean shiny bait? if so the answer is no. rock cod and lings will readily take all sorts or jigs. and there is a huge grey area in doing what you propose using consumable fish ( rock cod )to catch other fish. check the regs for clarification

 

[Go.Fish]

Assuming you aren’t from BC? It’s very important to check for Rockfish conservation areas and the regulations where you plan to fish. Unfortunately in Vancouver we have no options for either Rockfish or Lingcod unless we cross the straight. And even that has its closures.
Good advice above about not using small rockfish as bait. Pretty sure it’s illegal however it does happen from time to time without the intent while reeling the little ones in. Let them live and help keep the populations healthy where they still exist
Shiners aren’t the greatest bait to use. They much prefer Herring or anchovies on a tandem rig with a mocching weight works well. Or Buzz bombs are really effective

Speaking of rockfish being stupid and going for anything, they’re just very territorial. I once snapped the top of a bowling trophy off and used the little gold plated bowler as a lure. It worked almost as well as the standard lures and bait. They like shiny things, or hate them, up for debate. Yum yum

Good luck out there

 

[Mr Crowley]

We have fishing liscence. One per person one fish per liscence and we fish in summer.