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I know that you mentioned rockfish, but I wanted to make mention of grey cod (Pacific Cod).  A lot of halibut fishermen throw these back as "trash" fish, which I think is a foolish move.  First of all, they're really good as a deep-fried fish.  If you're not interested in eating them, though, there is absolutely no better halibut bait than a 4"x4" hunk of cod.  I commecially fish for halibut during the summer, and though we typically fish in areas too deep for cod, sometimes we get into them.  When we catch them we cut them up for bait.  We typically use herring, but when we also use cod the halibut will comepletely ignore the hooks that are baiting with herring.  Not only that, but we honestly seem to catch bigger fish when we use cod.  It is phenomenal bait for halibut, and it won't fall off the hook like some other baits.  Don't throw them back if their swim bladders are inflated - at least put them to good use as bait.  

As for rockfish, I think that anglers should keep whatever they catch.  If you reach the limit, well...perhaps try fishing somewhere else next time.  A limit isn't there to tell you how much meat you can take home, it's there to protect the resource.  Throwing back multiple fish that probably won't make it isn't violating the letter of the law, but it certainly goes against the spirit of it.  Just my opinion, though...

-Brian

Message Thread:

• deflating swim bladders Ripface Feb 25 2006
  • Releasing Rockfish Brian Richardson Feb 27 2006
  • "throw back" fish B_M Feb 26 2006
  • needle PatrickH Feb 26 2006
    • bladders stid2677 Feb 26 2006
  • bladders BrownBear Feb 25 2006
    • bladders dipnet Feb 25 2006
      • bladders BrownBear Feb 25 2006