Capitola halibut 5-18-08

I've seen a lot of pictures of california barracuda posted at the bait shop on the capitola pier.

http://capitolaboatandbait.com/wpg2?g2_itemId=4147

 I imagine they were caught in the summer months.  Does anyone know how I can hook into one of these?  Probably trolling krocodile spoons. 

Additionally, does anyone have any tips on catching white sea bass over there.  Thanks for the insight.

Way to get on them halibut regardless of the size.  I've heard of WSB in the bay up here, whats the word down there??  JTF

Way to get on them halibut regardless of the size.  I've heard of WSB in the bay up here, whats the word down there??  JTF

The WSB show up when the water gets warmer. My friend caught one last year about 100 yards off the wharf.

Huh, 100 yards from the pier?  That's really close in.  What did you get it on (whole squid I assume)?  Will they take plastics?

Huh, 100 yards from the pier?  That's really close in.  What did you get it on (whole squid I assume)?  Will they take plastics?

I have never caught a WSB. The one my friend caught was barely legal at 28 inches. He didn't even know what it was, so he didn't measure it!  At first, I thought it was around 24 inches, but I recalled that it stretched exactly from one side of the Prowler to the other, which is 28 inches. It's a good thing, because Fish and Game would have handed him his ass if it was undersized! People were catching much bigger ones between the Capitola kelp beds and the cement ship.

I'm not sure what he caught it on, because I had already landed on the beach. He got it on his Hail Mary drop before he headed for the beach. I think he was using a jig with squid.

they did catch them (WSB) on plastics and crocodiles but I think it was when they were chasing the schools of mackerel around. call todd @ bayside marine for the stories.

last year I went out, caught a mackerel and slow trolled it around but the school of WSB never came by me, I could see all the powerboats chasing the school whenever they appeared all over the bay.

I caught a barracuda with a deep diving jointed rebel going about 20 knots right off steamer lane (okay, I don't know how fast but I couldn't even feel the arracuda hit cause of the massive drag on the plug) on a zodiac in 1996. an el nino year. we were goofing around and had no idea what we were doing. my friend said, "holy cow, a baby wahoo!".

I caught a lot of atlantic barracuda in the florida keys in may 2003 off a kayak and off the bridge between no-name and big pine key in the florida keys.

the lure needs to be going fast. or be alive. it needs to run when the barracuda scares it.  a fast trolled strip of belly meat from another barracuda was great.

BArracuda caught at Captiola a couple/few weeks ago...Shen the water was really cold so go figure.  Bait was in at the time, so I guess that's it.

Also I mentioned in another post a WSB yesterday or today at Captiola by Ed Burrell.  Just legal on a swimbait.

so, it's looking good down there....

Allen