Bait for halibut in the surf?

[gavin310]

I've always used lures for halibut in the surf, but I'm taking a friend and his son surf fishing for their first time and want to set them up with some bait like squid or anchovies. What do you guys recommend?

[vanillagurilla]

anchovies. if u use squid ur most likely to catch rays and lepord sharks.

[tacklejunkie]

anchovies. if u use squid ur most likely to catch rays and lepord sharks.
+1

Chovies look kinda live or injured on a C-rig in the surf.

[gavin310]

Would mackerel work just as well? I have a bunch of frozen mackerel in my freezer...

[vanillagurilla]

nah mac has the same effect as squid unless u have some smaller 6-8" green backs.but yeah use a c-rig or what i like to do is use a 2-4 oz weight tied directly onto the rod then i take about 2 feet of line and tie that to the sinker, not the main line and use a circle hook. thats my fav. hali rig.

[fish4keep]

If you don't want to get the live stuff, your next best thing will be the artificial. Frozen chovies are good at times but it will be more of a hassle to keep it on the hook (this is if you're working the chovie and not letting it soak). Although not set in stone, butts are ambush predator. So unless you cast it pretty close to where a butt is, it's most likely you will be getting some other fish while soaking the chovie. You could strip the squid but again, you can't soak it or else you'll get other fishes. Either C-rig or drop shot the squid strip. The main thing is to keep your bait moving for butts..........

[bsp]

Frozen grunion is the best, smelt come in second, and sardines/anchovies are last for good halibut bait in the surf. Macks and Squid will attract rays and leopard sharks for the most part. Fish them on a C-rig like everybody else said. Use a 1-2oz weight with a 12lb or 15lb floruo leader for the best shot at a halibut on bait. Lures are much more effective the majority of the time though.

[gavin310]

Alright cool. Thanks for the info guys. I guess no matter what you're using you have to make it look alive, so I'll explain that to the kids and hopefully they'll catch something. I'll stick them on some surf perch at first so they'll be excited and more patient to wait for the bigger things. :)

[Zombie Bass ATTACK]

Mold some power bait into the shape of a lucky craft :lol:

[fishindude420]

flyline bluegill or shad

[bones]

For the kids......It's always better to use artificials IMHO if you REALLY want to get them into it. I have three kids and the bait and wait thing bores them REAL fast. I used to bait up my kids in the FW all of the time but they would also bring their IPODS and Gameboys or Nintendo DS. I even had a portable dvd player to keep them entertained while they watched their poles but when they started fishing artificials......They got hooked as soon as they got their first surf perch. Then they started the competition between themselves trying to see who could catch the biggest fish. The caroilina rigged gulp sandworm was the ticket and then I just started using gulp smelt nose hooked.Flukes are cheaper to use for kids and I told them to slow roll them in. If you set them up in a carolina fashion use a little bit heavier weight so they can always feel the bottom and it makes it easier for them to cast as well. Fishing artificials also makes the kids get more involved and they feel like they are really fishing.Of Course.....They also get better at casting when using artificials not to mention you won't be spending all of your time re-baiting up their rigs!
Trust me ....artificials last much longer in the surfline. 3" gulp smelt or mini flukes on either a carolina rig or a dropshot setup will get hit by perch and small halibut. You can bump the kids up to 4" or 5" baits to increase the odds of them sticking a bigger flattie.
A fun thing to do is to tell the kids that they are your army and their job is to LOCATE the fish. So pack light and keep them on the move and hopefully you will find that pack of perch and a flattie here or there.Using cut bait or dead whole bait should be the last resort when they get tired or bored and want to just sit on their butts.If you do hit the surfline at a lower tide get the kids into picking the mussles off the rocks. Fresh mussel is a serious de-skunker for perch by the jetties and breakwalls.
Good luck and We are looking forward to your report!

Tight Lines--------<><

[spooks]

Smelt the number 1 hali bait

[smokehound]

It doesnt matter what you use if you find one.


My last legal hali was caught with a piece of squid that had been frozen and defrosted several times. Try drop-shotting a strip of mackerel or squid.

[Skyler]

mold some power bait into the shape of a lucky craft :lol:

ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!

[Skyler]

It doesnt matter what you use if you find one.


My last legal hali was caught with a piece of squid that had been frozen and defrosted several times. Try drop-shotting a strip of mackerel or squid.

Ditto. I've caught quite a few halibut on squid too, though none legal. I find it's best to suspend it on a dropper loop/dropshot if you are going for buts, and cut it into a long strip and "nose-hook" it. If you let it sit on the bottom, you'll just catch a bunch of rays instead.

[smokehound]

Try live goldfish :D

[PUDD MASTER BAITER]

If im using ancovies ,i tie on a large hook drop shot style,then i tie a smaller trailer hook . The ancovie will swim straght up natural like a drop shot. The trailer hook will help keep the bait on, when casting ,and a better hook set. I like a weight appriate to the size of the tackle being used.