Offshore Are Thornyheads Legal Now to Catch?

[Halibut Howie]

While reviewing the new regs on depths and what's legal to catch deep, I noticed under the federal regs on groundfish, that sablefish and thornyheads are legal to catch all year and at any depth. I thought the thornyhead was a rockfish and thus not legal until Apr 1st.

Shortspine Thornyhead

Shortspine thornyhead are found from the Bering Sea to Baja California, Mexico. They are distinguished from other rockfishes by the spiny ridge across their cheek. Shortspine thornyhead can live in depths up to 1,500 meters, though they are more comm

www.fisheries.noaa.gov

Also, now that sablefish are legal to catch, I'm heading out to find them. Anyone caught one lately?

A good thing about these new regs is that people like me will head offshore more often and not fish as often for near-shore fish.

 

[AKSalmon]

I don't believe that thornyheads, aka idiot rockfish, are a "true" rockfish and thus are subject to different regulations. I do know they are great on the table.

 

[Halibut Howie]

Deepwater = Great Eating

 

[skrilla]

Since "idiot fishermen" has taken on a new meaning I will revert to the classic term "dumbasses" from now on. Carry on...

 

[luckyfisher7]

Since "idiot fishermen" has taken on a new meaning I will revert to the classic term "dumbasses" from now on. Carry on...

While reviewing the new regs on depths and what's legal to catch deep, I noticed under the federal regs on groundfish, that sablefish and thornyheads are legal to catch all year and at any depth. I thought the thornyhead was a rockfish and thus not legal until Apr 1st.

Shortspine Thornyhead

Shortspine thornyhead are found from the Bering Sea to Baja California, Mexico. They are distinguished from other rockfishes by the spiny ridge across their cheek. Shortspine thornyhead can live in depths up to 1,500 meters, though they are more comm

www.fisheries.noaa.gov

Also, now that sablefish are legal to catch, I'm heading out to find them. Anyone caught one lately?

A good thing about these new regs is that people like me will head offshore more often and not fish as often for near-shore fish.

They will be next to impossible to target recreationally. The catch rates are small for the guys that commercial fish them with 1000s of hooks. Also you will be fishing in over 2000 feet of water. A 2lber is a really nice one.

 

[MattFred1414]

I didn’t even know these existed. Pretty cool

 

[notgoodatfishing]

Caught 2 few weeks ago. 14mb 1800 ft of water. about a pound each. fillets are very similar to sculpin

 

[Rabid Fish]

Caught 2 few weeks ago. 14mb 1800 ft of water. about a pound each. fillets are very similar to sculpin

pics?

 

[hucklongfin]

I’m not dropping 1000’ for a 1# Rockfish!

 

[jer dog]

I’m not dropping 1000’ for a 1# Rockfish!

I’m not dropping more then 24 OZ , for anything.

 

[notgoodatfishing]

pics?

There was at least one other guy targetting black cod with me close to the 14mb. I didnt get any. wonder if he did?

 

[Kareem Korn]

There was at least one other guy targetting black cod with me close to the 14mb. I didnt get any. wonder if he did?

View attachment 1461074

They don't look very swollen for being pulled up from 1800ft. Trip

 

[notgoodatfishing]

They don't look very swollen for being pulled up from 1800ft. Trip

Nope, they didnt suffer barotrauma, and survived in the livewell until I got back to the dock. Again, very similar to sculpin

 

[stuman]

There was at least one other guy targetting black cod with me close to the 14mb. I didnt get any. wonder if he did?

View attachment 1461074

Can you post a picture of your rig? I need to make so e ganglion I'm Looking for new ideas

Or can you describe th rig

 

[walter heim]

Regs changed this year and black cod and thorny heads are legal in the deep. I remember catching black cod at 1200 ft back in the 80s. I was hoping that there would be no limit to the number of hooks, but upon reading the regs, you are limited to two hooks and one rod, like fishing for rockfish. I would use a good circle hook to keep them from spinning off. I bought 1000 meters of #80 cheap braid to spool a 6/0. I plan to try my luck when the ocean settles down.

 

[skipjack]

Break out the Tanacom electric reels.

 

[jer dog]

Regs changed this year and black cod and thorny heads are legal in the deep. I remember catching black cod at 1200 ft back in the 80s. I was hoping that there would be no limit to the number of hooks, but upon reading the regs, you are limited to two hooks and one rod, like fishing for rockfish. I would use a good circle hook to keep them from spinning off. I bought 1000 meters of #80 cheap braid to spool a 6/0. I plan to try my luck when the ocean settles down.

Side wash hooks would work too.

 

[joshc1024]

Regs changed this year and black cod and thorny heads are legal in the deep. I remember catching black cod at 1200 ft back in the 80s. I was hoping that there would be no limit to the number of hooks, but upon reading the regs, you are limited to two hooks and one rod, like fishing for rockfish. I would use a good circle hook to keep them from spinning off. I bought 1000 meters of #80 cheap braid to spool a 6/0. I plan to try my luck when the ocean settles down.

Interesting.
I was under the impression there is no limitation on how many hooks you can use for sablefish/thronyhead kinda like sand dabs.
I Will have to re-read the regulations..

 

[walter heim]

I looked briefly this AM and could not find it. I will have to look further later. I know I saw it. Hope I am wrong. I would be nice to drop 10 hooks down.

 

[NoSlack]

28.65. GENERAL. Except as provided in this article, fin fish may be taken only on hook-and-line or
by hand. Any number of hooks and lines may be used in all ocean waters and bays except:
(a) San Francisco Bay, as described in Section 27.00, where only one line with not more than three
hooks may be used.
(b) On public piers, no person shall use more than two rods and lines, two hand lines, or two nets,
traps or other appliances used to take crabs.
(c) When rockfish (genus Sebastes), California scorpionfish (Scorpaena guttata), lingcod (Ophiodon
elongatus), cabezon (Scorpaenichthys marmoratus), or kelp or rock greenlings (Hexagrammos decagrammus
and Hexagrammos lagocephalus) are aboard or in possession, where only one line with not more than
two hooks may be used pursuant to Sections 28.55, 28.27, 28.28 or 28.29, respectively.

EDIT: this was from the 2022-2023 regs. Walter's post below may be from 2023-2024 that will be published March 1 2023

 

[walter heim]

Look at (c). Interesting that they lump sablefish and some sharks like dogfish and soupfin. So, next time you fish for dogfish, only one rod.

 

[NoSlack]

Good catch Walter. Hopefully section 28.65(c) will say the same thing when DFG updates the web page on March 1.

 

[Rabid Fish]

delete

 

[Halibut Howie]

Has anyone out there caught sablefish lately? Not looking for your secret holes but just trying to find out if there is a fishery out there in the deep. Sablefish is on my "Bucket List" to catch. The last one I caught was back in the 90's at the La Jolla Trench after drifting off the shelf into deep waters. It was Delicious.

 

[walter heim]

Most of the sablefish have been "out of range" because they live so deep. We need to go out and find them. I know some of the boats in Monterey Bay were catching them in their depth range last year, but I suspect they occur at shallower depths north of Point Conception. I will start looking soon. I will probably target 1000-1200 ft as I have caught them at that depth in the past. I remember we were fishing flat bottom, not structure. We were also catching hake (probably good swordfish bait).