Personal Use Sablefish/Black Cod Slinky Pots

[minotaurskinner]

I just bought a couple slinky pots for personal use sablefish. How does anybody have theirs rigged and weighted? How long long do you let them soak? Hard or sand bottom?
Any hints or input would be great

I know such knowledge is hard won so thanks in advance for any input y'all have...

 

[kobuk]

Those pots look interesting. What part of the state are you going to fish for black cod? Are you in SE?

 

[minotaurskinner]

I am in Juneau; from what I understand I’ll have to run out a bit to get the depth required…

 

[Tenbuck]

Is there a source for those pots in Alaska?

 

[minotaurskinner]

It probably depends on where you are if it’s better to get them locally or from Seattle; LFS Sitka is where I got mine but they have stores in Kenai, Homer, Dillingham, Dutch, Anchorage and Cordova…Daren at the Sitka store is aces.

 

[Tenbuck]

Thx, will try LFS in Anchorage.

 

[polardds]

You are allowed two pots, but they won't let you long line them. Since they are round you need to weigh them down pretty good so they are not getting rolled around by your buoy line. Line management can become a problem when you are that deep. We try to attach some weight where we attach the buoy line. We don't like anchors as where we go there are some submerged cables and we have caught them on an anchor before. Nice thing about the slinky pot over the long line is you don't have to check it as often and not having to deal with a bunch of hooks. They work good once you get them figured out.

Here is a website for the pots and they can tell you who has them

Longline Pots

www.longlinepots.com

 

[minotaurskinner]

This is good info! My thanks!
Are you using all sinking line or do you have floating on the pot end? What kind of depths do you have to contend with where you’re fishing?

 

[BAH468]

Where I'm at we can longline our Cod pots. I'll set them as deep as possible, 1,500' or more. It seems the deeper the water, the bigger the fish. I can't tell you the bottom composition as my sonar is really struggling at that depth. It's imperative that the slinky pots are right on the bottom, so each pot gets some weight next to it. I'll leave the pots down overnight, but I have had the fish eaten by the fleas down there. People who know the fishery better than I do tend to leave them down for shorter periods. Bait is similar to Dungys, but I try to include a fine mesh bag with ground fish as well. Quality pots are available at Pacific Pride in Ketchikan, but I had to make the escape slit longer to be legal.

 

[Brian M]

Definitely true that deeper water provides bigger sablefish. I longline for them in the Sound, and the size difference between 1,200' and 2,400' is beyond substantial. Every few hundred feet makes a difference.

 

[akfunhog]

Out of curiosity I contacted ADFG about using pots for sablefish in PWS in a sport or subsistence capacity and they are not legal.

I do plan to submit a proposal to the board requesting they be allowed like they are in southeast. Apparently the next open period for PWS is next year so don't hold your breath.