halibut tides...

Ive got the time of year down. Seems like march april may and sometimes june are spawning months. But what about tides? Anyone that read my tomales 8/28 and 8/29 report you know that day had a big incoming. Bout 5ft. And nobody caught shit really. Starting to think smaller tides are more favorable for the butts, what do you guys think?

Ive got the time of year down. Seems like march april may and sometimes june are spawning months. But what about tides? Anyone that read my tomales 8/28 and 8/29 report you know that day had a big incoming. Bout 5ft. And nobody caught shit really. Starting to think smaller tides are more favorable for the butts, what do you guys think?

It would make sense if vision is their primary method of prey detection.

rumor has it that the smallest tide changes are the best.
halibut are kinda lazy and dislike a lot of water movement, so they say.

OK, so I just skimmed a few articles on halibut regarding their "sit and wait" style  of foraging behavior.

In summary: Olfaction (smell) and Vision are their primary methods of prey detection. Olfactory prey cues are associated with halibut preparing for lunge behaviors(orientation, posture etc.), while visual prey cues are associated with the lunge itself. Fast approaches may dissuade a halibut prepared to lunge.

... so it goes to reason that a small swing will be associated with higher visibility and slower lure approaches, which means better hali fishing.  No?

Decent halibut tides this weekend...

Decent halibut tides this weekend...

Decent weather too 

Tides are key for halibut. Cal butts are visual predators so big tides can dirty the water, speed-up drifts, etc. to reduce fishing success. Pac butts use smell even more. For Cal butts, in general, best tides are small swings. On big tide swings it is best to fish around the tide change when the tide slows down (though water clarity can be a factor if its roiled up due to the big tide).  This is more a factor in SF Bay and Tomales Bay that can get dirty.

Learn the lunar and daily tide cycles. There are usually two high tides per day, one bigger, one smaller. Last weekend was the full moon - biggest tides occur around full and new moon. Not so good for halibut, good for injuring your arms and shoulders from using poor paddling techniques fighting against big tides.   

Control of drift and presentation is key - use a drift sock to control for wind if it's blowing and screwing up your drift.  Just enough weight to have your presentation ticking the bottom. Don't want it dragging/plowing.

Ya safe to say I wont be fishing big tides anymore. Great info I didnt even think about the tide messin up the visibility thats huge!

From diving I can definitely attest to the fact that big tide swings can really mess up visibility.

I have also generally found that outgoing tides mess up the viz worse than incoming....incoming generally brings in cleaner water from offshore whereas outgoing seems to suck up all the crap from the bottom and further inshore...

Also, for Tomales area at least, an incoming is generally preffered cuz (as you found out) it can be pretty strenuous after awhile paddling against the tide....which could be dangerous if the outgoing tide pushes you offshore and prevents you from getting in....

Also you mention time of year....don't count out July and August....

Check out the months when these halibut were shot...all these were taken by freedivers in relatively shallow water when the females came in to spawn:

http://doty.norcalkayakanglers.com/speciesleaders/list_by_species/6

And for a bigger sample look at when the AOTY butts were caught:

http://aoty.norcalkayakanglers.com/speciesleaders/list_by_species/4

Anyway, looking forward to seeing you catch a nice one!!

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Whats considered a good tide swing for halibut?  any examples?

Decent halibut tides this weekend...

Decent weather too 

And me and the Mrs. Will be giving it a decent try this weekend out your way Al..

Str8t will be  guiding on this one

Decent halibut tides this weekend...

Decent weather too 

And me and the Mrs. Will be giving it a decent try this weekend out your way Al..

Str8t will be  guiding on this one

i want to go too....but the long range forcast is showing CRAP for the wkend

Aww dang, does look a bit swelly out there.   

Aww dang, does look a bit swelly out there.   

i was seeing 6ft predicted, yuck.

yep. Small tides=better halibut