smokie

The halibut action is reportedly very good in SF bay right now, however anglers are getting quite a few undersize fish before getting a keeper. This would make it expensive using live bait.

Any suggestions on artificial baits/rigging for "butts"?

greggo

frozen squid on a three way
or
B-2 or hoochie trolled behind dodger
In Santa Cruz there is a sh#t load of live bait chovies and macs that are free to catch
Good luck.
Greggo

bc22

never fished for halibut down south, but in pac NW i rarely use bait anymore (real hassle and the dogfish like bait too much).
i don't troll for my halibut, but prefer to jig vertically.
on a spreader bar using 1-2 pound weights, i use artificial soft plastics (my buddy uses berkley 8"-10" power grubs with twist tails to great success), i prefer large 6-12" power tail shads in various colors scented and non.
i have found that these soft plastics perform just as good if not better than bait and can be used over and over again as long as they don't get too mutilated after a catch.
the bigger the bait generally the bigger the fish--i've seen them make a solft plastic power tail shad up to 14"!!!
i generally use a 8" shad with either a tandem single 9/0 hooks or a single and a large treble hook, but prefer the 2 single.
the pac NW hali's i fish for average 20-40 pounds with frequent larger fish.

the only and i mean only time i use bait for halibut is when i feel adventurous and want to hook a big one and then i take a large fillet off a 2-5 pound kelp greenling or cod. i've never had to revert to natural bait cause the fish were there and not taking plastics and only bait.

auguste

A large 1/2 lb of octapus works great . . . very durable and tough

You want a large enough bait that only a large halibut can inhale

Make sure that the point of the hook is clearly sticking out of the bait

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BigShrimpin

If you get a 1/2 scoop of anchovies . . . There's no way you're going to use all that bait in one day.

Paul Barnard

Vertical Jigs!!!

fitz22

Bright orange or anchovie patterned rapala cd-14 off of a 3 way length of leader relative to speed of troll and length of dropper linr to weight. Make sure the lure is hanging 1-2 feet above lead at troll speed(1.5-3 mph) sometimes i attach a platsic wom or hoochie. Important to find sandy bottom free of herring eggs and other debris.

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halibut the other white meat

nedarb2

BERKLY GULP

fishwww

Lots of halibut fishing in Los Angeles harbor and Santa Monica bay is done via slow troll of artificial baits.

We do have some good info at the Marina Del Rey Anglers page at
http://www.mdranglers.com/Fish-tips-halibut.html

Santa Monica Bay is home to a large Halibut population and the fishing is important to the local community. just ask any of the anglers in the annual Marina Del Rey Halibut Derby.
http://www.halibutderby.com

Like the tip above of the Hoochie. Works well if not going to deep. Downrigger is needed if going to the 50 foot level.

Good luck.

Keith L.

c_mccann

Hootchie or large rattle trap crank bait. Killed 'em with the hootchies in the past, pink and green are great colors

RCook

Kalin's Big'N jigs with 10" grub tails, preferably tipped with a piece of squid or octopus. Very durable, sometimes several fish on one piece of squid or octopus.

We jig them in BC and AK with 9-foot salmon rods and salmon reels - like the springy action much better than using a heavy rod. Depending on depth and current, use 8, 12, or 16 oz jigs, and of course braided line. 40lb is plenty strong, and pretty skinny, so it's affected less by current. Have caught several upwards of 100lb buts with these rigs.

Here's a pic of one over 6 feet long, upwards of 200 lb, caught with a bullet-head jig tipped with octopus. Took over an hour to bring to boat side with the salmon rod and Abu 6501 reel.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2061/...68f0dbe64e.jpg

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