Spring vs. Summer vs. Fall Rockfish techniques

[Yak Fish]

Hey guys,
I'm trying to understand how fishing for rockfish changes throughout the year. In the spring, the large fish come into the bay to spawn so most people seem to troll larger lures to catch them. What is left after these fish leave the bay...just the smaller ones? Is it any use to troll anymore or does chumming and casting for bridge pilings take over? Can you still catch large fish outside the spring trophy season?

[jet]

after the migratory fish leave, schoolies stick around. in the upper bay, they range from dinks to over 30", but rarely over 35". you can continue to troll, but you will really have to find them as the dinks will school up. casting towards structure, bottom fishing, and live lining are the typical methods for summer bay stripers. chumming love point will produce some nice fish over the next few weeks. fall, casting to breaking fish, structure and trolling work. summer and fall trolling depths are different though. tend to keep the lure shallower int eh spring than fall.

[MDSmith370]

stupidjet is right on. There are some large resident fish that are here all year but mostly small schoolies are all that stay. Big fish do come back in the fall on their way south but they are just chasing baitfish so they don't come up the bay as far as when they spawn.