Non-Fly Strait/Sound Halibut

[speedbird]

Did my first Halibut trip of the year, the weather forecast proved inaccurate. Forecasted wind 10 kts to SE and wind waves less than 1 feet. The reality was waves exceeding 3-4 feet in height. Hugging the shoreline when possible improved the ride, although I learned the hard way that double bluff has nasty rapids created by topography under the green bouy. No target fish to hand, but caught a small sanddab (How his lips got around a 12/0 hook we will never know) and a dogfish. Really incredible size on some of the bait we marked, and some huge baitballs.

Anyone else on here venture to this fishery?

 

[headduck]

The dabs are amazingly hungry... 3-4ft can be brutal in the sound...just beats ya up all day and terrible for the drift. Way to put some time in.

 

[speedbird]

The dabs are amazingly hungry... 3-4ft can be brutal in the sound...just beats ya up all day and terrible for the drift. Way to put some time in.

For what it's worth, 3-4 feet in admiralty inlet, thankfully the bay was pretty calm, closer to 1-2ft

 

[ThatGuyRyRy]

Hoping to do a trip out to some of the banks this Friday. I'm thinking try the tops for lings first and then spend the rest of the time for butts.

 

[Russell]

Halibut fishing is picking up down here. Went out yesterday and we got 8 shakers but no legal fish. Beautiful day though on the SF Bay.
A bad day of fishing is better than a good day in San Quentin.

 

[ThatGuyRyRy]

Halibut fishing is picking up down here. Went out yesterday and we got 8 shakers but no legal fish. Beautiful day though on the SF Bay.
A bad day of fishing is better than a good day in San Quentin.
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This fishery sounds so fun. It would be much more my speed and comfortability with the depths that you fish

 

[speedbird]

Halibut fishing is picking up down here. Went out yesterday and we got 8 shakers but no legal fish. Beautiful day though on the SF Bay.
A bad day of fishing is better than a good day in San Quentin.
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Mooching reel and halibut must be quite some fight

 

[Russell]

This fishery sounds so fun. It would be much more my speed and comfortability with the depths that you fish

A good chance to pick up some nice stripers or even a sturgeon as well.

Mooching reel and halibut must be quite some fight

The california halibut does not get so big but if you get hooked into a large leopard shark or bat ray you may end up with some sore knuckles...
People look at me pretty funny down here when I show up with the Mooching rig.

 

[ThatGuyRyRy]

Alright, any seasoned halibut vets care to chip in, do you subscribe to all the fancy mumbo jumbo about lights, glow, sound that some of the YouTube channels do?

 

[Nick Clayton]

Alright, any seasoned halibut vets care to chip in, do you subscribe to all the fancy mumbo jumbo about lights, glow, sound that some of the YouTube channels do?

I do not. Scent and tasty bait trumps all.

 

[ThatGuyRyRy]

Well no halibut were harmed in my outing with all the bells and whistles. We had bait on too but no butts. But I think that is mostly due to us drifting too fast and getting blown around like crazies

 

[speedbird]

Well no halibut were harmed in my outing with all the bells and whistles. We had bait on too but no butts. But I think that is mostly due to us drifting too fast and getting blown around like crazies

Honestly if you were fishing the inlet I've been told by the folks at Johns Sporting Goods that scent bags and anchor is the way to go. When I fished a few weeks ago I spent more time setting up drifts than I did actually fishing