Fishing nets on the 9 mile bank

[yellowfin1]

Any of you have any idea what the commercial guys are targeting with their nets on the 9 mile bank? Seems that every time I've been out there this season there have been a few net markers (I guess that's what they are?) I've always seen them out there but, never really though about what they are targeting. Swordfish?

Scott

[Wizard]

I have seen those markers out there for years. The orange ball/buoys? I don't know if they are nets or not. I've seen them all times of the year. They line up along the bank. I used to think they just mark the high spots along the bank for someone. Maybe oceanographers or someone?

[NoSlack]

Up around the 178 you'll run into some set lines for Blackgill cod. Back in the day when we could fish deep, most of the slopes in the 1200' range were loaded will Blackgill. It's still good fishing for the guys with a commercial ticket.

The old man I took marlin fishing last week keeps current on his commercial ticket just so he can fish that spot.

Mike

[DOGHOUSE26]

Most if not all of those buoys on the upper 9 and off Torrey/ Del Mar are shrimp cages.

[NoSlack]

You are correct Jeff. I forgot all about the shrimp guys.

We looked into the sport regs for shrimping and found out the opening in the traps we could use were so small, you weren't going to catch anything bigger than a thumb nail.

That's a lot of work for a hand full of shrimp to sprinkle over your salad at the end of the day.

Mike

[DOGHOUSE26]

The shrimp cages are huge, maybe 6-8' long, 4' wide, and 2-3' tall. My buddy runs a few and it's a different kind of shrimp, much sweeter than you normally get and fairly large.

[yellowfin1]

Jeff/Glenn/Mike,

Thanks for that information. Very interesting. I'm from Florida and am use to hanging a lantern off of the causeways at night and netting some really good shrimp. Not uncommon to fill up a 5 gal bucket in one evening. I did not realize that we had shrimp out here in SOCAL (except ghost shrimp). I have never seen them in the bellies of any fish I've caught. Of course lately I haven't caught any fish to cut open and check. Can't say that I've ever seen or caught a blackgill rockfish either. Not even in the local asian seafood markets.

Thanks,
Scott

[Nomad]

Growing up in Palm Beach, Fla we used live shrimp for bait. Remember those days well!