Took 5 kids to Neah Bay for a spring break fishing trip. Stayed Thursday night at Curley's in Sekiu then launched from Neah Bay and motored out to Duncan Rock. The currents were ripping and every time I got a jig down to the bottom it immediately got snagged.

Here's a couple of suggestions that might help.

1. Black, Blue and Yellowtail rockfish are frequently found on the surface or high in the water column above the bottom. These pelagic rockfish can be caught on light jigs (1/2 to 1-1/2 ounce) with plastic curl tail worms, (Black or White are very consistant colors) fishing on or near the surface. If you see bass flipping on the surface, just cast into the school and swim your jig back with a steady reeling.

You can find schools of rockfish haystacked from the bottom to near the surface with your depth sounder. Drop leadhead jigs or metal minnow style jigs like a Point Wilson Dart down until you feel a tick. It is common to hook Blacks and Yellowtail in the top 20 to 30 feet of water where the depth might be over a 100 feet deep.

When fishing with kids or others that haven't learned jigging skills really well, here's a suggestion that works particularly well in deeper water of 100-250 feet depths.

Instead of using a jig, rig a gangion with two hooks with six inch curl trail worms and a eight to sixteen inch drail sinker (torpedo). A gangion is a leader with two hooks, set about 12 inches apart, with a swivel at the bottom end of the leader to which you attach the sinker and a barrle swivel on the top end to attach to your main line.

Sebastes Jigs who are no longer in business first marketed these bottom fish rigs in the 1980's, but you can find a copy sold under the Wally Whale brand in many tackle shops.

Drop the rig to the bottom, then reel up two or three turns and place you rod in a rod holder. Bottom fish, including lings, halibut and rockfish will all nail these plastic worm rigs.

Leave the rod alone until it starts bouncing and the tip is drug into the water. You will not need to set the hook. It is a good idea to let it bounce a bit as double hookups and occurr.

If you want to tie your own, use 40 lb. mono and 7/0 surge hooks and sturdy swivels.

It is important to use a drail (torpedo) sinker as it will slide along the bottom easier than cannon ball or mooching sinkers and will hang up less.

This technique is particularly useful when fishing with a boatload of kids as you shouldn't hang bottom as much. In such cases, its best to not plan to fish much yourself. Be the guide and tackle untangler. Your kids will have a ball and it will be less frustrating for you.