Rock Piles and lingcod

Hello all,

I’m going to be up in the Ucluelet area with a small boat in the next couple weeks. Fishing isn’t the main reason, but I’m going to try crabbing and jigging for bottom fish when I have time and the weather allows. I’m not going to have any electronics other than my Boat App. I’ve been reading that guys jig for Lings around rock piles.

Looking at the image below, is this what they mean by “Rock piles”?

I won’t be getting outside the protected waters but Is there a depth you look for targeting lings? Rockfish?

Also, I see there are a ton of Rockfish species. Is there one that is better eating than another? Common in inner Barkley Sound?
 

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What's your "small boat" and what engine. Honestly anywhere 30 ft or more. Honestly pick up a sounder even for safety of knowing the depth, the portable Garmin Stryker 4 are decent and very cost effective.
 
It’s a high end inflatable, and I have a 20hp on it. As long as we’re inside the protected areas, it handles the water pretty nice. I do have a finder that I could mount on it, funny it is a Garmin 4, I use it for ice fishing.

I notice they look like they have some sharp fins, so I’d need to be careful with that, it looks like rockfish in general are pretty well armed.

Good to know one doesn’t have to fish at extreme depths, we will give it a try.
 

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I see the big area around the BGI, that’s the only one In unit 23 I see relevant/close to where we will be. For the most part we would be north of that, and I have the extents of that in my GPS and will be staying away from that for several reasons.
 
Features in your images are the right idea. Shallow drops in the 30-50 ft range need less weight than for deeper, but more important is drift rate. Ideally you keep it under 0.5 mph to keep lines fairly vertical, within 15° is good. This allows lures to act as designed. Light/no breeze and current is ideal, but rare. Usually you'll need to bump the engine in and out of reverse to control drift. Some people use a drift sock.
 
Features in your images are the right idea. Shallow drops in the 30-50 ft range need less weight than for deeper, but more important is drift rate. Ideally you keep it under 0.5 mph to keep lines fairly vertical, within 15° is good. This allows lures to act as designed. Light/no breeze and current is ideal, but rare. Usually you'll need to bump the engine in and out of reverse to control drift. Some people use a drift sock.
I disagree on the no current . Most places fish very well on heavy tidal pushes as lings are ambush predators and lay and wait during these periods . Back troll to slow drift and adjust weight of leads or lures to counter act scoping out on your drift .
 
I disagree on the no current . Most places fish very well on heavy tidal pushes as lings are ambush predators and lay and wait during these periods . Back troll to slow drift and adjust weight of leads or lures to counter act scoping out on your drift .
Yes that's a better explanation.
 
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