Hook-and-Line Fishing for Sablefish

Sablefish, better known as black cod, live in the dark, deep and icy waters of the Northwest. Like halibut, sablefish prefer to scour the water bottom. The fish gets its name from the sleek and streamlined appearance. Due to the depth at which these fish live, using traditional hook-and-line methods requires some fine-tuning to ensure landing a few of the tasty fish.

  1. The Gear

    • In order to get to the depths needed for sablefish, you need a rig that has ample line. As a general rule, you need at least 1,000 feet of 30- to 50-pound line. An electric reel is highly recommended unless you want to spend the better part of the day reeling in a single fish from the bottom. If you are heading out without a guide, prepare the boat with a gaff, nets, backup electric reel and spare spools of fishing line.

      In addition, the line needs weights and sinkers. Use pyramid sinkers weighing at least eight to 12 ounces, 10 to 20 feet above the baited hook.

    The Bait

    • Depth, again, plays a heavy role in the bait you use. Choose "sticky" baits such as octopus for sablefish. Sticky baits are set onto the hook and, generally speaking, do not come off the hook. Because of the time needed to drop the line down to the bottom and the time needed to retrieve the fish, use bait that stays on the hook to prevent having to do physical checks each time.

    Conditions

    • Find water that has a depth of between 500 and 2,000 feet. Reports of sport fishermen in Alaska has black cod being caught in water as shallow as 500 feet in small inlets and fjords, such as those around Haines, Juneau and Ketchikan. Fish on days when the water is smooth and still. The sablefish has a soft mouth that pulls out if the retrieve is too rough. To try and ensure you retrieve the fish versus tear out the mouth, go when the water is calm and smooth.

    Boat Position

    • One other thing to keep in mind when hook-and-line fishing for sablefish is the position of the boat to the line. As a general rule, the more vertical the line the better. When possible, position the boat upwind and up-current of the lines. This is done to prevent aggressive retrieves or conditions where the hook might rip the sablefish mouth, injuring the fish and causing you to lose your catch.