downrigger fishing

[bighorn]

Since we cant fish springs i am going to troll for halibut. Is it legal to fish with just a clip 20 feet of line and a big spoon and no rod.It would be nice for fishing the bottom in deep water i cant find it in the regs

[Neckshot]

To my knowledge that is not legal, you must use a rod and reel as far as I understand the regs (which are extremely complex and hard to understand so you are not alone there). You may get away with it but you may also find a fishery officer who may be having a bad day in which case you will too.

[bighorn]

I cant even find the regulations. Anyone got a link for them

[Jagermeister]

You're in northern Vancouver Island and you do not know the regs?
Why bother fishing that way? Bottom bounce a herring rig by drifting over a bank with the tide and wind or anchor and jig around that.
You know, DFO would not allow the use of electric downriggers in the Pacific region solely for that reason. It took quite a bit of reasoning to get them to change their minds and one of those were regulations that rods had to be used and there would be no hooked lures attached to the downrigger wire. You could attach a flasher or dodger to the rigger line, but nothing bearing a hook.

Since we cant fish springs i am going to troll for halibut. Is it legal to fish with just a clip 20 feet of line and a big spoon and no rod.It would be nice for fishing the bottom in deep water i cant find it in the regs

[VI Blacktails]

2lbs is the max weight allowed on a rod without a release.No you cant put a hook on a line with a cannon ball.

[835]

x2 yes not legal

[835]

and why would you?
go ahead and Troll for the Halies... we did that all the time .... but why wouldnt you use a rod???

[Greg]

It way better without a rod that's why. Less blowback, you can put more hooks down. Easier to get the fish in just press the button and let the downrigger do the work. Way faster, less tangles. The haida from old masset do it.

[Jagermeister]

It way better without a rod that's why. Less blowback, you can put more hooks down. Easier to get the fish in just press the button and let the downrigger do the work. Way faster, less tangles. The haida from old masset do it.

Sports fishing rules and regulations do not apply to indigenous people.

[browningboy]

I don’t know if a downrigger would pull a 40 pounder up? Guess it may but once they see the boat and run may break the rigger?