I haven't fished Neah Bay in years, but last time I was there, I'd say average about three pounds at that time. Early 90's.
Before bottomfish became acceptable, this goes back to the mid-sixties, I routinely caught Blacks over 7 pounds off the kelpbeds by the garbage dump and out around the Cape and Duncan Rock.
Some of them might have gone 9 or 10, we never weighed them.
We didn't even count them until the fish box was full.
The limit was 25 fish a day back then and a lot of people didn't even know there was a limit.
Our ingnorance then, undoubtably contributed to our current situation, where rockfish that use to pave the bottom are virtually non-existent in some parts of Puget Sound.
I've become a complete advocate of shallow water ,( less than 60 feet, preferably much less) fishing for rockfish so I can safely practice catch and release fishing of this valuable resource.
I do keep a few, as I love them as table fare, but had we been more educated and conservative 20-25 years ago,both as sport fishermen and commercials, our rockfish populations would be much better than they are at present.
They are a great sportfish with light tackle in shallow water. Try casting on the surface with leadhead jigs and plastic worms for Blacks and Blues and Yellowtail Rockfish or even fly fish for them.
Caught shallow they can be released.
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