Hali hunting 101

[NooB SaBass]

Well I'm getting a little more time on the sand and now I'm about ready to join the Elites in Hali hunting.
First off I guess I'll ask what rods do you all suggest?
My perch rod isnt going to bring down a Hali I know and my big rod cable of it isnt casting the LC's far enough for them to be effective... so...
-Rod?: 6',7',8'?, Brand/Name?, Composite?:Graphite,Fiberglass,hybrid, Poly?
-Reel?:Gear ratio?
-Threadz?:Im guessing 10lb on the lightest-15lb? Fluro? Mono? Braided?, Copoly?
-Lure?: I already know the LC Flash 110(SanDiego Surf and tackle dousnt carry it *my hometown fishing store*), any others?
-Tactics?: Cast in between waves like for perch? Jig it?, Retrieve slow?
-Extra's: Anything else you all found helpfull on you development as a Surf fisherman/women... umm person lol...

I know this was probably asked somwhere at sometime before but I wasnt surf fishing then and thus sadly missed it. I just want to become as effective as I can while not completely killing my wallet hahahah I am a college student after all....
Thankyou all and Godbless :Big Grin:

[bsp]

http://fishingnetwork.net/forum4/search.php?searchid=1120005

Read through all of these threads. Justl1keRaven asked pretty much all of your questions back in August, and is now off sticking solid halibut. You should be pretty solid on the halibut know how after reading all of that.

Quick answers:

Rod: I currently use a 7'6" Phenix X-12 Crankbait rod. Used to use a 7' X-10 and a lot of fish on it, so IMO as long as you have a moderate or mod-fast rod to prevent the hooks from tearing out you're good to go. I like the Phenixs for the price point, but there are a lot of choices if you move up or down. Just look at crankbait rods rated for 10lb-20lb or 8-17lb and 1/4oz-1oz you are good to go.

Dropshot/3in swimbait rod and reel: Any 7'-7'6 Medium power fast action dropshot rod with a 2500 size spinning reel will do well. I use a Phenix 76M and have never had any problems with power. Caught several legals with it, and the rod never felt underpowered. Use 8lb fluoro because this will make the dropshot lure swim a lot better.

Reel: 5:1 reels are most guys' personal preference. Keep in mind you're cranking the LC slow and steady, and the 5:1 helps with that. Round or low profile, your preference. I don't have gigantic hands, but a round reel just feels comfortable to me. Don't worry about raw power. Modern reels from Daiwa and Shimano are both plenty powerful in any gear ratio. You might want to upgrade the drags on the older Daiwas to Carbontex, but that's about it. I use a Daiwa Luna and love it, but Shimano Cardiffs, Calcuttas, Curados, Chronarchs, Abu Garcias, and Daiwa Plutons are all used very successfully in the surf. 7:1 is an option too, but I don't see the use. I've used them and it's fun to have warp speed, but I just found it more difficult to keep the LC swimming at the right speed.

Line: 12lb-14lb or 50lb-65lb braid. Any name brand line is good. Fluoro/Mono/Braid have different applications, so figure out what you want. Braid makes the LCs run shallower, no stretch, and great pulling power to muscle fish away from kelp and rocks, but is expensive initially. It lasts a long time though. Fluoro makes them run deeper and has little stretch, but can get really expensive since you have to replace after a few trips. Mono stretches so the hooks probably won't pull out, and it's really cheap. Visibility doesn't matter to halibut on the reaction baits, so that's why I didn't mention it. Most guys use mono or fluoro, and each have good results. If I could afford it more, I would always spool up with Seaguar Invis-X, but I generally go with Izorline XXX or P-Line CXX since I can change them often without it being expensive.

Lures: LC 110 mainly, and a few other hardbaits to experiment with (Imas, Megabass Vision 110, Rapala XR-10, and Daiwa DB Minnows) retrieved slow and steady. Maybe throw in a twitch or speed up the retrieve once in a while too to see if the halibut want it like that. For swimbaits, 3in Pearl or Big Hammers on a 1/4oz to 3/8oz lead head (big waves) bounce on the bottom. Krocadile spoons bounced along the bottom too in 5/8oz. Dropshotting brings you into a whole world of stuff. Stick with shad imitating plastics like Zoom Flukes on a size 2, 2/0, or 4/0 depending on how you rig it with a 3/8oz dropshot weight set up just like you would for bass and you're set. Bounce it off the bottom and experiment with a fast or slow retrieve, letting it stay in one place for a little while, how much do you bounce it, how far, drag it for a while, and all around experiment to see what the fish want.

Tactics: Find areas with low waves, and fan cast to structure. That could be a rip current, a hole, a bowl, kelp, boiler rocks, near a jetty, or anything that alters the structure of the sand and creats ambush points for the halibut. If you see bait boiling, cast to it too! That screams predator fish. Birds are also a good indicator.

Extras: Clean your reels after every trip. This means a complete teardown if they got wet or sand on them at all. Re-grease and Re-Oil EVERYTHING to keep it in top working order. At a minimum rinse your reels off in freshwater. Use a scent. It can't hurt and might make a difference. Uni Butter, Smelly Jelly, and Pro Cure are all good. Boil your plastics to soften them up. Don't wade out if it's dangerous (once waves start getting taller than you it's a good time to stop). Know your surroundings, like the location of underwater boilers that you can trip on. Have an escape route for when a rogue wave shows up. Know when to rush a wave and bounce over it, and know when retreat (ie RUN TO SHORE) is a perfectly valid option. Wetsuits are better than waders... no problems with water filling them up, ie "water retention." :LOL:

Hope that about covers it, and I'm sure other guys will chime in.

Best of luck!

Marc aka bsp

[Wingnut]

Damn Marc (BSP), you didn't have to show the world our S.W.A.T. playbook! :LOL: :Envious: :Twisted:

Private NooB SaBass, that's some solid information that BSP gave you... use it for the good of mankind. :Wink: :Cool:

[NooB SaBass]

Damn Marc (BSP), you didn't have to show the world our S.W.A.T. playbook! :LOL: :Envious: :Twisted:

Private NooB SaBass, that's some solid information that BSP gave you... use it for the good of mankind. :Wink: :Cool:

Whoo thx BSP!, Yes sir General Wingnut, will do! ^^b

[murrieta angler]

Whoo thx BSP!, Yes sir General Wingnut, will do! ^^b

If you head out with me on Thursday, we will stop by the tackle store in Oceanside and get you a couple of LC110's....

[bsp]

Damn Marc (BSP), you didn't have to show the world our S.W.A.T. playbook! :LOL: :Envious: :Twisted:

Private NooB SaBass, that's some solid information that BSP gave you... use it for the good of mankind. :Wink: :Cool:

In regards to that SWAT playbook, it's secrets are safe with me... once I figure them out that is! :ROFL:

As for the other info, it's the Holidays and I would never have caught any halibut if a few guys didn't take the time to teach me certain things. A lot of of guys take fishing way more seriously than they should, and lose sight of what it's really about. Just passing what I learned forward. :Big Grin: :Wink:

Good luck to you guys for Thursday! Post up some pics of your legals, and remember to always release your personal best.

[spooks]

In regards to that SWAT playbook, it's secrets are safe with me... once I figure them out that is! :ROFL:

As for the other info, it's the Holidays and I would never have caught any halibut if a few guys didn't take the time to teach me certain things. A lot of of guys take fishing way more seriously than they should, and lose sight of what it's really about. Just passing what I learned forward. :Big Grin: :Wink:

Good luck to you guys for Thursday! Post up some pics of your legals, and remember to always release your personal best.

Well said my friend. I thank you for taking the time to type such an informative piece,
after all, one of the main reasons to join a forum is to learn what other already know and to find this kind of help can only help the forum.
the job of the ones who know (Teachers) is to show the ones that don't know how to get there, show you the way.
not to take you there but to show you the way.
thank you for sharing your knowledge with those that have not figure it out yet
or just simply need a boost or some one to point them in the right direction.
we should all take a lesson from this young man.
stay this way young man and you will go far.

[PESCADOS.LOCOS]

Marc i always enjoy reading anything you write. Love the reports and the info you have lot of people want to tell you research you will find it. But it is not always that easy. I usually fish in the harbor and and have done well latlely this past summer and always willing to help you catch some fish share the info i have with anyone. Keep up the greatwork!

CARMA

[bsp]

http://fishingnetwork.net/forum4/showthread.php?t=41562

Here's a more complete version for you guys in the article of the month section. Please comment on it and let me know what you all think!

Spooks and PL, definitely appreciate the kind words. I can't say I am really a teacher yet though. More of a pretty decent student. Lots of guys out there who are way better than me, and I'm lucky enough to have them help me out. Still, I like to pass on information that helped me reach where I am today. Info and reports from others are great to read when you can't write reports and hit the sand. I haven't been able to fish as much as I would have liked these past few months because of college applications and illnesses, but I should be able to get out there again by February.

I also just wanted to give some credit where it's due. I wouldn't be able to write this stuff without the help I've gotten from the SWAT guys. I've done some on my own, but Wingnut, Bones, and JerryG have taught me a lot more while we're fishing or via posts/PMs online. I know they make it a point to answer everybody's questions because that's the kind of guys they are... especially Wingnut (gotta wonder how many PMs he gets, AND responds to every message left on his reports). They'll show you everything about catching halibut except the spots (and who would give those away)! Great guys, and I am grateful for their friendship.

Happy Holidays everybody!

[fish_sauce]

NooB SaBass,

BSP gave you some pretty good pointers...if you're working with a tight budget, i would focus my attention on bait type, line weight, lure presentation, and most importantly, how to READ the water. Make short notes of the conditions you encounter when you are out fishing, and narrow down the common variables...like tide movement, current, water condition, structure...etc... you will soon realize that each location has its own characteristic or requires a certain condition in order to produce a good fishing day. Even if you're having a no-fish day (happens to all of us) try to learn from it.

as far as gear goes, it is always nice to be able to afford expensive gear, but it isn't a must. most typical 7-8 foot rod rated at 8-12lbs should do the trick. Start out with 12lb test and move down to 8lbs as you go...it really depends on how comfortable you are with line weight. Most freshwater bass gear will do okay too, assuming you clean them out after a trip to the salt. my first dozen or so legals were caught on a $20 combo someone bought for me at walmart. :ROFL: If you need further proof of how successful good tehnique and skill can help you land fish even with crappy gear...just watch this video clip....:Wink: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de2pZpdzhas&NR=1

andrew

[NooB SaBass]

OMG Wingnut is so freaken beast lol, thats ridiculas

[CRESTLINER16]

You guys are so freaking awesome! not all of us are able to spend the time to go fishing to gain all the knowledge that you guys have shared. I am alway so very grateful for guys like you, Wingnut and Trout Only who freely share their knowledge experiences. If this site only contained pretty pictures of fish and the guys boasting about the catch without real info I don't think anyone would really come back. You guys really make this site a rocking place to visit. THANKS!!!

[bman90278]

You guys are so freaking awesome! not all of us are able to spend the time to go fishing to gain all the knowledge that you guys have shared. I am alway so very grateful for guys like you, Wingnut and Trout Only who freely share their knowledge experiences. If this site only contained pretty pictures of fish and the guys boasting about the catch without real info I don't think anyone would really come back. You guys really make this site a rocking place to visit. THANKS!!!

I couldn't have said it any better myself.

brian

[flyngby]

Some valid statements by all!

Great!!!!! I get to relive how tough it is to net a very fresh legal Flattie under huge pressure! In the end it is was all good!!!!

Steve

[NooB SaBass]

I couldn't have said it any better myself.

brian

Ditto.....

[NooB SaBass]

Some valid statements by all!

Great!!!!! I get to relive how tough it is to net a very fresh legal Flattie under huge pressure! In the end it is was all good!!!!

Steve

Man its tough, its part I want a new species and part I really want a Hali just to get my Tactics and skill down better... plus to join you guys with a Hali pic would be pretty sweet hahaha....Thanks again for all the 411 and tips Wingnut,BSP and every-1 else who helped :Big Grin: