Hello I'm using a drift rig im wondering if a 50# test line is good for a leader.thanks.

Kevin,
What depth are you drifting? 50# seems to be overkill, but I'm no drifting expert. 30# would probably be in the right vicinity. I know some bounce ballers like to use 40-50# leader, but for the drift, I'd imagine you only need something like 30#.
-Brian

Only a few feet of seacliff pier.

If you're only in shallow water, line stretch isn't as much of a factor (one of the reasons a lot of guys use the heavier line), so you can use lighter line. I'd say 20#. That'll be enough to pull the halibut off the bottom, but not too much so that it effects the bait, or spooks fish (hopefully). Basically, the more line you have out, the more it's going to stretch. Heavier line doesn't stretch as much, so for deeper water where you have a lot of line out, you want heavier line to cut down on line stretch. But when you're up shallow, there's not much line out, so it's not as much of a concern. Some folks even use spectra in the deep water, which has virtually NO stretch.
-Brian

I'd go with 15 or 20 max.

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You can't catch tomorrow what you kill today - please practice catch and release.

When I drift halibut I like to use a 12-20# leader, usually fluorocarbon. Most of the time I use the 12# since halibut can be line shy. Fluorocarbon is more expensive leader material, but it's got great abrasion resistance. That's my main reason for using it. 50# will not get bit nearly as well as 12 or 20# line. It's just too visible and if you're using live bait, it will hinder the bait's swimming ability.

TL,
Adam

I've fished Seacliff and would be interested in going again sometime. I've used 15# clear Trilene XL (or it might have been 14#) with some success on flattys to 22#s in that area. Keep in mind that you don't need to be out at the end for 'buts. Try 2 pillings past where the waves start to "make" (a little outside the sand cloud area). Are they going to have any live bait on the pier this year?

Tight lines,
Wade

No because they only have a small shop before the pier.But you can catch them on a sabiki or a net like I use (a umbrela net) the first time I used it the rope broke and it went to the beach. Seacliff is a great fishing pier.



-kev

Ya when things go right it can be pretty good. When things go wrong...
Anyway, have you gotten to try the net again?

Tight lines,
Wade

no. 50 is to havy of line ,use 20lb test and under

I haven't been to "The Boat" in years, and I can't remember how hard it is to walk a fish to the beach. How bad is it? I know I did it once (on the 22#er) on the South side of the pier.
How heavy is your main line? Describe your whole rig and maybe we can fine tune it.

Tight lines,
Wade