What is your "GO TO" Halibut rig?

[StinkyMatt]

I ain't got no "Go to Rig" but a couple of observations from watching guys that know and recent experience. You do not need heavy gear. Seriously, I am watching guys Halibut fishing with what seems like heavier Trout rods with very sensitive tips ( )

Over the last couple of trips the rod that was getting bit was the light line, smaller hook/ trap set up.

I hope to soemday have a Go to Rig.

[theluckypig]

I hope to soemday have a Go to Rig.[/QUOTE]

haha, me too... until then i just follow gregandrew, aka "the halibut whisperer" around and ask a million questions and try to do what he does... and the light gear really does work... i think i'm right in saying that most standard halibut rigs will work, the real key is the landing technique when halibut fishing from a kayak... my 2cents...

[taggermike]

I'm with mtnbykr2, the carolina keeper is a great rig for shallower water. I go to a reverse dropper loop for deeper hali fishing. Lighter line has worked fine for me. I rarely fish over 15lb in the bay. I've landed some big fish on 10lb and wished I had been using 15. I've compleatly abandoned the trap rig. That trailing treble was nothing but trouble. It makes the bait less lively and I was only landing more short halibut and gut hooking sand bass. Mike

[Fiskadoro]

Originally Posted by taggermike

I'm with mtnbykr2, the carolina keeper is a great rig for shallower water. I go to a reverse dropper loop for deeper hali fishing. Lighter line has worked fine for me. I rarely fish over 15lb in the bay. I've landed some big fish on 10lb and wished I had been using 15. I've compleatly abandoned the trap rig. That trailing treble was nothing but trouble. It makes the bait less lively and I was only landing more short halibut and gut hooking sand bass. Mike

That's one way to look at it. I have ten pound rigs myself that I fish in certain times of the year in Santa Monica Bay, and like I said above I mostly fish 15lbs. I have a good friend who got a fish over forty on six pound. That said almost all the hook and line commercial halibut fisherman I know never use anything under 30lbs.

You can generally get away with light gear in the bays up here because there is little structure and usually no huge seabass or monster yellows in there to clean your clock. Fish the same gear at La Jolla though and you will end up loosing some quality fish.

There are ways to fish everything from 6 pound to 30 pound for halibut, each rig has it's place. Anyone can quickly learn how to fish one way in one location, the trick is knowing which way to fish, or what to use at any location.

Jim