Halibut Hunting

[bosshoss]

Originally Posted by todd one

I've been out there pounding it. I've only been catching barely legal ones. I got my 30lb leader broken off out in the deep water a couple weeks ago, by what I think would have put me in the 40lb club. I let my line pile up on one side, my reel started binding, and she was gone. I got more footage for my bloopers video.

Atta boy....At least you're still at it...Too bad on the break off...40lb club is in your cross hairs for sure.. Ok, take care.....

[YakDout]

Im surprised nobody mentioned the bounce ball. I've had some good luck with those. I make my own to modify leader lengths because I've had problems in the past with getting em tangled up. But a great technique in open water for flatties.

[taggermike]

I haven't been hali hunting much lately but the techniques that work best for me have been a Carolina style sliding sinker rig for shallow water and a dropper loop or 3 way swivel rig for deeper water. Depth and speed of drift dictate what weight to use but I like to fish heavy enough to keep the line close to vertical.

Some times you get the bait you get. Big fish get caught on chovies, but I like dines or macks for targeting bigger fish. Really, who wants to target small fish. Maybe I'm old school or just missed the memo, but I never use a trailer/stinger hook, ever. I've found that trailers restrict the baits movements, allow you to catch more short fish, and seriously gut hook sand bass and other fish. Big halibut will eat a bait.

I fish a light wire circle hook, sized to the bait, set in the baits nose.
For halibut I slow every thing down. longer free spool at bite, slow rod lift to "set" the circle hook, slow steady pressure on the fish, slow pumps of the rod (or none at all). You can keep a hali calm, usually, by raising her steadily from the bottom. Aggressive pulling or pumping can get the fish shaking her head. Never a good thing.

Lastly, it's easy to say but stay calm. IMO, except for maybe sharks, at landing big halibut are the most anxiety inducing fish we have. I've had em lay there, get gaffed, and dragged in to the hatch with out a twitch. Also had em go off like bombs.

I know, long reply. These are techniques that have worked for me. Mike

[taggermike]

I haven't been hali hunting much lately but the techniques that work best for me have been a Carolina style sliding sinker rig for shallow water and a dropper loop or 3 way swivel rig for deeper water. Depth and speed of drift dictate what weight to use but I like to fish heavy enough to keep the line close to vertical.

Some times you get the bait you get. Big fish get caught on chovies, but I like dines or macks for targeting bigger fish. Really, who wants to target small fish. Maybe I'm old school or just missed the memo, but I never use a trailer/stinger hook, ever. I've found that trailers restrict the baits movements, allow you to catch more short fish, and seriously gut hook sand bass and other fish. Big halibut will eat a bait.

I fish a light wire circle hook, sized to the bait, set in the baits nose.
For halibut I slow every thing down. longer free spool at bite, slow rod lift to "set" the circle hook, slow steady pressure on the fish, slow pumps of the rod (or none at all). You can keep a hali calm, usually, by raising her steadily from the bottom. Aggressive pulling or pumping can get the fish shaking her head. Never a good thing.

Lastly, it's easy to say but stay calm. IMO, except for maybe sharks, at landing big halibut are the most anxiety inducing fish we have. I've had em lay there, get gaffed, and dragged in to the hatch with out a twitch. Also had em go off like bombs.

I know, long reply. These are techniques that have worked for me. Mike