I might check out the halibut bite off of capitola this week from my kickboat. Never fished for them before. How are you supposed to decide where to fish?

Nico

You need to go get a Magic Eightball and that will help you locate Halibut. No, Seriously, I would just drift live bait for them. I'm no expert, but I have the best luck when I drift the bait over the bottom, that way you cover more ground. Good Luck.

Look for the reefs out from the peir. There are a few different rocky reefs around there. If you use a 3-way rig with a 2' lite dropper to a few oz of lead you should be able to bounce bait along until you find 'em. The 'buts should be on the sand close to the reefs looking for the bait attracted to the reefs. I'd bounce bait until I found a reef or fish then throw swimbaits or keep with the bait depending on water clarity.

Tight Lines,
Wade

what's a good color of swimbait for halibuts in stain/murkey waters?

I haven't tried it, but I met a guy who swears by a FT Green Sardine with the tail dipped in chartruese or day-glo orange dye.
The Power-bait Pogeys in chartruse tiger might be something to think about too. Don't forget some Sardine oil scent.
I'm free of kids and spouse Fri. after work and Sat. Do you want to link up?


Tight lines,
Wade

Saturday sounds beter for me. What time do you think?

LAST EDITED ON Jun-28-01 AT 08:24 PM (PST)

Where are you guys looking for butts? You mentioned a pier- down in DP, water from 55-100' outside of the San Clemente Pier is great for the butts, depending on conditions- usually 75-85' of water works pretty well, but watch the grunion runs, they move up tight during that time- talk to the locals, there are always a few guys dialed in wherever you are fishing- If you guys are down south, there a few good spots for drifting, let me know! Tight lines

--I just reread the first post- you guys are way north of me- but in prime hali area! Good luck!

Joe, here's a quick list of good 'but baits:
chartreuse, rootbeer, white 3" and 4" grubs w/ 1/4, 3/8 & 1/2 lead heads
AND 4" and 5" swimbaits in rainbow trout, anchovie, green sardine, brown w/ gold back, chartruese w/ gold back
There are others but these will do ya.
Oh yeah, DON'T LIP 'EM! I did it once when I was a kid. Ouch! They've got some big choppers.

Chris

Hey Wade,

thanks for the tips. We eventually decided to launch from New Brighten beach. The water right off that beach is full of buts. I got one 20" shaker and missed a bunch of hits for two hours of fishing. I think my fishtrap was too big, the tail was just getting chewed up. Or maybe I'm too jumpy with the hookset, but I was letting them eat it for a while. The fish are real close to the beach. We were sitting in about 8-10 feet of water casting to shore. Bait everywhere on my fishfinder and a lot of bombing pelicans.

The locals there swear by 3 inch Z-Shads in rainbow trout on a 1/4 oz darter head.

Nico

Pray really really hard and watch for the subtle taps on the pole. Them butts boss can be really sneaky. I mean really sneaky. They like to hide in the darkest shadoes. Sometimes I kiss my lime green plastic for good luck. Then if the wife let's me I will have beer. Make sure that you don't take in the butts that aren't big enough. Police man with gun could take away sack and give you speech about small fish, oh he take money too.

Good luck! I pray for you tonight.

good nutz

Last time I went there I was told to throw 3" pearl Kalins grub on a 1/4-3/8oz head or Carolina rig. 4th cast got a good tug and set on it, nothing-DAMN, 4' later I got another hit. This time I just started reeling faster figuring I missed the last due to wind-slack, FISH-ON!, but not a 'but, it was a 1.5# perch and the tail of the grub was gone. I was wondering if the first hit took the tail off so I cast out and got a 1# perch. In 1hr I got 14 perch over a pound each(I released all but the biggest 4), all on a tailess grub.

Tight lines,
Wade

That sounds an awful lot like the kinda but fishin we do up here. Might wanna try the fastrac on that beach. See if you can hit the sand, and drag it back... (seriously).
-Brian