Halibut Fishing

If I wanted to go and catch some Halibut, what kind of bait would I use?  Anyone?? 

Best all around bait is the trusty squid. That is what we used last Sunday there however, no hookups on Hali.

Live anchovies (hard to keep alive..need a air pump & bucket)  You can drag around a live bait bucket or one of the PVC tubes the other guys make.  Frozen anchovies work, frozen squid will work.  Even, swim baits (Channel Island color with a lead head w/eyes 2 to 4oz).  Silver Kastmasters w/ a white bucktail.  If you are using bait...let them eat it.  Do not swing on the first bite.  Also, if you play them easy the will come up without too much of a fight.  Just make sure to hit them hard between the eyes or a little farther back.  They will come back to life if you do not hit them hard.  Hit them until their own mother would not recognise them.

I like to cut the gills and let them bleed.

Ken kickfish

I'd go with something live.  Sabiki up whatever you can like anchovies, smelt, or sardines.  Drop a dead squid down while you're trying to make bait or if you have a hard time making bait.

-Allen

Thanks for the tips guys!  I really appreicate it!! 

All sounds great! I am also wanting to go after the Halibut. Sounds like a real kick to get a hawg out of a yak. I have heard most people say that you can not go wrong with squid.

The problem is squid is you catch a lot, but not necessarily halibut.

you catch kingfish, sharks, etc. rebaiting takes time out from fishing for halibut.

I caught one on a live anchovy, one on a megabait and got one to gaff on a megabait but
blew the gaff. so all three on an anchovy or anchovy imitation.

more than one halibut came on bait-fishin imitating iron (diamond jig, megabait) while jigging for
lings or rockfish this year from how I read the reports.

personally, I am real happy with swimbaits by fishtrapp or big hammer, in 5 or 7 inch size or
iron, like megabait or diamond jigs or braid slammers with single hooks, either a big siwash or
a big free swinging assist hook.

that said, squid is a great option.

best,

J

Oh, I forgot, don't forget spinnerbaits.....



Scott "Fishtricks" Johnson in San Diego with a ~16# hali taken on his "spin bomb" creation in less than 10 feet of water.

MolBasser