vgabndo - 10-20-2006 at 04:40 PM
All the nets around San Nicolas have made the Gene Kira style fishing that we've often favored a bit unproductive recently. We've never targeted
halibut, but there are lots of nice sandy bottoms around Punta San Antonio and around past Pulpito. Are we just talking drifting and bouncing a leaded
jig with a plastic worm across the bottom?
Got your note below, Cap'n. I'll be around. P
[Edited on 10-21-2006 by vgabndo]
Hook - 10-20-2006 at 04:46 PM
lets talk off the boards this weekend. I have some techniques that will work. I'll send em. No time right now.
It's not shrimpers dragging the bottom is it? Cause they will get the flatty as bycatch and can decimate an area. If you're just having to deal with
floating gill nets, then they should be around.
Don Alley - 10-20-2006 at 09:49 PM
There's tons of sandy bottom around Loreto that one would think would be great for halibut, but all I seem to get off these sandy bottoms are
lizardfish and sometimes a marine catfish.
But...sometimes there is a run of Cortez halibut into the small Loreto marina. Lots of locals come out to fish and get quite a few.
Last halibut I caught, I was kayak fishing shallow, rocky water north of town and saw the faint outline of one on a small sandy spot. I dropped a jig
down and hooked up.
Other than the run in the marina, as far as I can tell they are an incidental fish around here.
Bummer about all the nets around Ildefonso and San Nicholas. I've also seen them fishing yellowtail at Ildefonso with lines dropped off tied to buoys.
We're also seeing lots of gill nets around Loreto, which is OK with the Marine Park "management plan." There are some longlining pangas here too.
jerry - 10-20-2006 at 10:19 PM
its been about 10-12 yearsago i was out at junkaleto and 2 kiakers came out on the beach and took off to carman in the dark they came back 3 days
later said they caught 2 halabit one on the way out and i saw the one on the way back nice fish about 2 foot or so long
pacificobob - 10-21-2006 at 06:00 AM
here in alaska we do some halibut fishing. i believe the derby winner locally was 386lbs. herring bounced off the bottom is the most popular
bait.(all charter boats use herring) ive used jigs with good results. but its the stink of herring that gets most results. ive also used strips
of other fish, cod, salmon....we always get best results on a slack tide...but that is more of an alaska thing...(up to 36foot tides!) good luck!
Cypress - 10-21-2006 at 02:32 PM
pacificobob, 386 lbs.
According to my math that's close to 400lbs.
One heck-of-a fish!
howat - 10-23-2006 at 09:26 AM
I have not fished for the pacific halibut that is common from oregon north to alaska. The the californian halibut off san diego and into baja is a
fish i target weekly while i'm fishing for other local species, i.e. sandbass. The technique that is most successful for me is a sliding egg sinker
with about 6' of leader and a circle hook to fit the size of the live bait. The livelier the bait the better the chance of getting a bite. I
sometimes use a small treble hook about 3-4" further down the line from a snelled single hook (trap hook setup). Without a treble trap hook you have
to play with the halibut sometimes biting and releasing the bait for 2-3 minutes before it takes the bait up to the single hook. I have not had much
luck with dead bait or cut bait but others have. A friend of mine "bounce balls" for halibut using a white hoochie on 2-3' leader attached to a
salmon dodger on a 18" leader which is attached to a 3-way swivel, i.e. hoochie to salmon dodger to 3-way swivel. The 2nd eye of the swivel is
attached to 1' of leader and a 1-2 lb weight depending on the current/wind. Then slow troll this outfit at 1-2 mph, no more. To get the speed down
while trolling I put a 5-gal bucket on each side of the boat tied from the bow. i also have a electric trolling motor. The weight should just bounce
on-and-off the bottom with a thud. I do not like this setup cuz it gets tangled upon itself but it is very effective for big halibut plus you do not
need live bait. I believe the commercial halibut fishermen from santa barbara invented it. I use the electric motor now as a spare motor when in
baja.
HH
[Edited on 10-23-2006 by howat]
[Edited on 10-23-2006 by howat]
vgabndo - 10-23-2006 at 10:36 AM
Howat:
These techniques are somewhat similar to the TOP SECRET method shared with me off line by Hook. It seems that the biggest problem is that Halibut
don't eat the "bait" and the first foot or so of the line in one gulp the way some of our other aquatic friends will do. 
You've got to give them time to enjoy their last meal before you invite them into
your boat.
Thanks to all for your tips.
Cypress - 10-23-2006 at 11:58 AM
Sure it's not legal nowdays, but gigging 'em at night in shallow water was a tried and true method way back when.
Skipjack Joe - 10-23-2006 at 12:31 PM
I've had good luck fishing for halilbut from shore in baja with small kastmasters. Cast out and let it settle to the bottom. Sweep the rod sideways
towards you and let rising kastmaster settle back to bottom again. Keep repeating. The take is usually on the sink or the start of the swing. I also
fish leadheads with plastic in the same manner.
Live bait is of course better but not easily available in baja.
From a boat I troll a deep diving rebel close to shore very slowly. The lure should be ticking off the bottom now and again. I think Kira describes
this technique in his book.
I've always caught halibut incidentally in the area you speak of. It's far better on the pacific side.
SoCalAl - 10-23-2006 at 01:02 PM
I fish for the halibut along the Long Beach, San Pedro coast adn each year I catch several legals on 10lb test a 1/4 oz lead head and a 3" grub.
Colors prefered are anchovie and sardine. Largest in 3ft of water about 40lbs a few years back. This ear a 30" and a 32" on the same night. Live
bait works well but therei is nothing like when a halibut strikes your grubs as you drag it slowly on the bottom. Technique well that depends,
sometimes draging it on the bottom works and other times bouncing it, while others slow retrieve and if you think that are not aggressive, I have seen
the mini stealth bobmers go air bourne a few inches above water after their prey. That is awsome to watch...
SoCalAl
tripledigitken - 10-23-2006 at 01:27 PM
I had success earlier this year at Animas Bay with crocodiles. I used a plain crome. Casting from shore with a slow retrive. Grilled with a butter
wine sauce....delicious! By the way a fisherman from the adjacent fish camp told us there were no halibut there. So it came as a big surprise when i
reeled it in. Good luck to you!