I use Google Maps to spot the structured areas. For Capitola, I have my Garmin GPS with spots marked but for Santa Cruz, I had to use my cellphone with Google Maps running. On Google Maps, switch to satellite view -- from there, you'll see the topography of the ocean floor. Basically, any solid blue colored areas will be flat surface...Areas of structure will appear as rough texture. Look for the rocky textured areas on the map. Look for large block textures on the map, rockfish will tend to hang out around them, they're pinnacles. If there is current and you're near one of these pinnacles, drop the bait on the downstream side. If one bit of structure doesn't produce anything, try another one. I'll often drive our boat over a structure area, drop the bait straight down -- if nothing bites, I'll just cast and retrieve out in different directions until I do get a bite. Once I've established the direction where the fish bit, I move the boat over that spot approximately, then have everyone else drop their lines down.
Most of those on light tackle and power worms? Very cool. Did you have your weight pinned a couple feet from your worm or some sort of sliding sinker setup?
I'm just using a Carolina Rig here--sliding a 2oz egg weight. My leader is a 30lb mono with a 2/0 Baitholder hook. The worm is a Berkley Powerbait Power Worm. I'm basically doing a cast and retrieve. Cast out, let it hit bottom, reel back in slowly. Repeat.
So where do you even know where to fish. Do the boats come with a fish finder/sonar thingy, or do you just randomly drift?
I use Google Maps to spot the structured areas. For Capitola, I have my Garmin GPS with spots marked but for Santa Cruz, I had to use my cellphone with Google Maps running. On Google Maps, switch to satellite view -- from there, you'll see the topography of the ocean floor. Basically, any solid blue colored areas will be flat surface...Areas of structure will appear as rough texture. Look for the rocky textured areas on the map. Look for large block textures on the map, rockfish will tend to hang out around them, they're pinnacles. If there is current and you're near one of these pinnacles, drop the bait on the downstream side. If one bit of structure doesn't produce anything, try another one. I'll often drive our boat over a structure area, drop the bait straight down -- if nothing bites, I'll just cast and retrieve out in different directions until I do get a bite. Once I've established the direction where the fish bit, I move the boat over that spot approximately, then have everyone else drop their lines down.
Alex Pham loook for the birds on water and taste the water where it’s more salty more fish under you
Most of those on light tackle and power worms? Very cool. Did you have your weight pinned a couple feet from your worm or some sort of sliding sinker setup?
I'm just using a Carolina Rig here--sliding a 2oz egg weight. My leader is a 30lb mono with a 2/0 Baitholder hook. The worm is a Berkley Powerbait Power Worm. I'm basically doing a cast and retrieve. Cast out, let it hit bottom, reel back in slowly. Repeat.
What did you guys use for bait
We try to use live bait if possible; rockfish, smelt, etc. If we don't have live bait, we'll use 6" swimbaits.