Kayak Jigging Setup for Offshore - Rockfish, Lingcod

Hi Guys! I am started preparation to my Westport expedition that I hope will be in nearly future. I already have a rod, but I am a little bit stuck with reel and with braid, somewhere people call different numbers for braid like 30-70 lbs test. What do you think? What is optimal test for rockfish/lingcod? And about reel - is Tatula 100 that I already have will be enough for Westport or do I need something larger? Thank you in advance

No need for a huge reel, fishing along the Westport jetty is in about 30 feet or less so you don't need anything larger than what you have. I've caught tons of fish there with a size 2500 spinning reel.

 I use 30 pound braid because you can break it off in a kayak without too much trouble if you get hung up and its never broken while fighting a fish, even held when I hooked a seal! The concern with really high lbs test line is that when (Not if) you get snagged bottom fishing around rocks it may be very challenging to break it off. Some folks like higher test line and there are merits to it but its not necessary at least for Westport.

Basically bottom fishing for lingcod and rockfish along the Jetty does not require heavy or specialized tackle.

Feel free to PM me about Westport, I've been there many times.

Yeah. Don't get hung up on what rod and reel you use. Take a Barbie rod with you for that matter! FUN! You would be surprised what lighter gear is capable of and your arms will thank you later after a day on the water. Bass rigs actually are just about right for near shore rockfish. 30 to 50 lb is about right if you tie on a lower lb leader/topshot. I use 25lb mono or Fluro. If I ever get hung up real bad, a couple wraps around my fish bonker and pedal straight away. No sweat.

The less experienced you are at ocean fishing, the lower the breaking strength of your line should be. Until you get a good feel for how things move out there and what it's like to try and break off a snag from your kayak I would suggest using 20lb test or less.  Like previously mentioned, 30lb test is great. Kayakers really don't need to fish with line heavier than 40lb test IMO.

I have used 20lb for most of my days offshore.  I have also caught a huge amount of ling, cab, and rockfish on my 6.6 UglyStickLITE spinning rod/Shimano Sienna 2500 reel loaded with 10lb braid main/10lb mono top.  A lot of fun.

Then as Browneyesvictim mentioned, have a Shakespeare Barbie rod with you.  I have mine spooled with 20lb braid, and have caught some of my largest fish on that rod.  Way to much fun not to bring it with me.

Ok, guys! Thank you all for response! I decided to go for 30lbs. About light rod - model I use for salt is kinda light - it is Trevalas S TVSC63L 6'3" Light 1pc. I am also wondering what kind of leader everybody prefers? Usually I just buy these Maxima spools from groceries like FredMeyer or Walmarts. I am happy with Maxima's quality and performance. But no so happy with a price - high test line becomes kinda expensive because the same spool size but much less feet. Do you have any recommendations how to buy good leader line and save some money?

Don't overthink it. 

Most of the time I just tie my lure directly to my main line with a Palomar knot, as I only use 20lb.   Now that I think of it, my meat crane rod has 30lb braid on it now due to using it for sturgeon and halibut now.  I would still just tie directly to the mainline.

I tie directly to my mainline with my UglystickLite as well as my Barbie rod. 

BUT.....

I have stuck to the bottom enough times now that I have my technique of getting my jig back 90% of the time.   Maybe lose one or two jigs a day to sticking a good 30+ times or more per day.

That is part of the game, if you are not hanging up you are not fishing.  (Mostly true  )
You just have to learn the tricks of jig recovery, and your need to compensate for hung jigs can be reduced, as well as reducing the extra hardware/leaders to fish the bottom.

   ^ yeah that.

 Keep it simple and you'll do fine.

 Do we need a like button ?

 
 Do we need a like button ?

I'm for that.

Thank you all guys for responses! Now I feel my responsibility to report about my first trip to offshore. Actually I was targeting for rockfish, but guess how many I caught? ZERO! Zero rockfishes.... But two nice cabezons 21 and 23 inches (If I identified them correct) and 1 nice one-eyed lincod 22 inches. Plus 2 awesome greenlings By the way - can anybody explain with limits in area 2? So do these cabezones, rockfishes, lingcods etc count to bottomfishes or not? For example if I caught 10 rickfishes 2 cabezons and 2 llincods - can I cautch 12 additional bottomfishes or not? Thank you in advance

I nice man... I bet it was a fun trip for you to west port )))I didn't get anything today on a river , I will my luck again tomorrow and planning to get a new hero 4 black GoPro

I nice man... I bet it was a fun trip for you to west port )))I didn't get anything today on a river , I will my luck again tomorrow and planning to get a new hero 4 black GoPro

Thank you! Good luck for you tomorrow and tight lines! Westport it is kinda fun, but it is also hell of adventure

All the larger fish you caught were lingcod, unless you didn't take a picture of the cabezon. All your fish count towards your bottom fish limit. Only 12 total combination of all bottom fish species other than halibut.

This should tell you everything you need to know for Area 2.
http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/creel/halibut/southcoast.html

How I read it:
12 total bottom fish.
10 can be rockfish (cannot keep Canary or Yelloweye) = Open year round.
2 can be lingcod, at 22" minimum. = Open March 12, 2016 – October 15, 2016.
2 can be cabby, no size limit. = Open year round.

Now, to identify what you catch.
http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/bottomfish/identification/rockfish/rockfish_species_id.pdf

Print this out and laminate if you like.

Oh, hell, my bad guys!  Looks like I kept one illegal lincod  Seriously I thought green ones are cabezons and brown one is lincod. Thank you for explaining about quantity - I thought the same way, just wanted to be sure)