teaser for the summer-video

http://www.saltwatersportsman.com/saltwater/laptew_fluke_video

-Brian G

That was cool!!!

That is a SUPER cool video

Damn!  what a hit!

Very cool.

Great video.  The way they hit, it makes me wonder why a stringer hook is used by a lot of anglers when targeting halibut.

There was a guy at my office that used to SLAY halis in the bay and all he ever used was live chovies with a #1 through the nose.

It never ceases to amaze me how fast they can move for their body shape.
The independently rotating eyes are pretty cool too! 

It is making me rethink my halibut fishing techniques for sure. I think I would still use a stinger hook, but I doubt that I will let them 'chew' on it for a while. I'll be swinging on the take down.

I'll be on the coast camping the following weekends:

June 22 - 24 Big Sur
 
June 30 - July 5th New Brighton ( santa cruz )
 
July 8th - July 15th New Brighton ( santa cruz )
 


-Brian G

Well guys, remember we are looking at only one feeding event which may or may not be indicative  of their normal level of agression. 

California halibut can hit agressively, like that.  Especially those Fall flatties of the North Coast of Santa Cruz!  There's sometimes when it's no question, swing for the moon!

I have observed big halibut feeding at the Monterey Bay aquarium that could not be more different than what we see on that video.   The halibut approached slowly, gently took a dead anchovy into its mouth sideways, worked it around so it was pointed more or less straight towards the gullet, then inched  its jaws like a bulldog up the bait bringing it into the mouth. A take like that demands some patience if it's your bait.

Also, I've had enough tail-bit misses to keep the stinger on my rigs, as far back as I can.

Havng said all that, both Alan Tani and Brendan Crahan are very successful using a single treble hook rig vertical through the bait's head.  Tani puts two hooks up, not sure with Brendan.  Logic would suggest that the single hook method would be more successful when using live bait than when using dead.  Bait action would neccesitate the halibut striking with speed rather than deliberation

My 2 cents

Allen

ps I've caught halibut with a single and with trebles both vertical and sideways through the nose.  Best results over the years has been the stinger rig, but that may be because it's what I use for flatties 80% of the time.