I got out to fish Balboa Pier today with my friends Frank and Gerritt. We got out around 1pm and it was really slow. We managed some smelt on the sabikis and rigged up for halibut. I managed a shorty (12") and that was it for a while.

Then this one guy shows up and catches a handful of smelt in a net. He immediately hooks and lands a 26" halibut. I was jealous!! He then hooks into 2 more that runs him under the pier and breaks off. This whole time we're catching nothing (except 1 thornback ray).

I then took a smelt and threw it out in the surf zone. The bait stops so I gave it 30 seconds and set the hook. Fish on! I knew it was a halibut but I didn't know how big. I was using a trout rod equipped with my Shimano Biomaster 2000 loaded with 6lbs P-Line. After a great fight I got it to the surface. It looked close to being legal. We didn't have a net so I walked it down the pier so I can land it in the surf. There was some awsome moments where it kept trying to swim between the pylons. I finally got it to the shore and the surf proceeded to wash the fish up the sand, but it then pulled it back into the water between the pilings! I thought it was over but it miraculously stayed on. I then had Gerritt hold my rod while I ran down the pier, onto the sand, and into the water. It was a true moment of victory when I finally got my hand around the tail and pulled it out of the water.

Frank then threw down the tape measure. (drumroll here) ;) After all of that action, the fish measured at exactly 21 and 1/2"! Man!! I'm still left in search of that ever elusive legal halibut....

Tom