VietReefer
08-24-2011, 02:01 AM
2011 hasn't been a good halibut-hunting year for me. I've caught nearly 10 legals just in the last 3 months of 2010 when Wingnut introduced me to surf fishing and provided me lots of arsenals for halibut hunting.
Since the beginning of 2011, I've caught lots of halibut in the surf around 19-21" range, but it took me 4 months to catch a 35 1/2 halibut in April and another 5 months to catch my 2nd one of the year.
Got home from work about 6pm today and there was nothing to do so I grabbed some leftover frozen squid from last outing and headed to Newport Harbor to target some sand bass. I've never caught anything on lures or plastic @ this spot so on the last couple sessions I always bring an extra rod to soak bait while throwing the plastics. There's a thick eel grass bed around the spot so I can't use the LC or BH because I would pull up a big chunk of eel grass every single cast.
Soaked the squid on the extra rod and throwing a 4" Saltwater Gulp Minnow on a weighted hook, weedless rigged on the other rod for 2 hrs without a single nibble.
Around 8:30 pmish, as I casted out my Gulp Minnow, jerk jerk, let it sink and rest for a couple second, jerk jerk ... I got that usual snag and thought I snagged a bunch of eel grass again. Set the hook anyway. Nothing moved. Gave it a few cranks and it started moving and peeling drag on my light setup and 4# XXX izorline. My first guess was a sand bass, and it must be a good size at least around 16-17" but then the way it run was different and familiar. But a halibut never came across my mind since I've never seen or heard anyone caught one around this spot except some kayakers caught them in the harbor with live bait. Also, the whole bottom of the area is covered with thick eel grass bed and no sand so I never thought they would hang around.
It gave me one heck of a fight on a small reel and 4# line for nearly 10 minutes. As I got the first glimpse of the flat fish in the dark, I said "$%^&", a ray??? and still didn't believe a ray would fight like that. As I pulled it closer I almost jumped in joy, a halibut. How? Here? Hell yeah.
Anyway, tapped out 27". My first halibut @ Newport Harbor. First one on 4# test and this rig. I've never caught any fish with this rig the last 5-6 times. All in all, it was a good session and the first made my night.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6084/6076103962_0225a5116f_z.jpg
Since the beginning of 2011, I've caught lots of halibut in the surf around 19-21" range, but it took me 4 months to catch a 35 1/2 halibut in April and another 5 months to catch my 2nd one of the year.
Got home from work about 6pm today and there was nothing to do so I grabbed some leftover frozen squid from last outing and headed to Newport Harbor to target some sand bass. I've never caught anything on lures or plastic @ this spot so on the last couple sessions I always bring an extra rod to soak bait while throwing the plastics. There's a thick eel grass bed around the spot so I can't use the LC or BH because I would pull up a big chunk of eel grass every single cast.
Soaked the squid on the extra rod and throwing a 4" Saltwater Gulp Minnow on a weighted hook, weedless rigged on the other rod for 2 hrs without a single nibble.
Around 8:30 pmish, as I casted out my Gulp Minnow, jerk jerk, let it sink and rest for a couple second, jerk jerk ... I got that usual snag and thought I snagged a bunch of eel grass again. Set the hook anyway. Nothing moved. Gave it a few cranks and it started moving and peeling drag on my light setup and 4# XXX izorline. My first guess was a sand bass, and it must be a good size at least around 16-17" but then the way it run was different and familiar. But a halibut never came across my mind since I've never seen or heard anyone caught one around this spot except some kayakers caught them in the harbor with live bait. Also, the whole bottom of the area is covered with thick eel grass bed and no sand so I never thought they would hang around.
It gave me one heck of a fight on a small reel and 4# line for nearly 10 minutes. As I got the first glimpse of the flat fish in the dark, I said "$%^&", a ray??? and still didn't believe a ray would fight like that. As I pulled it closer I almost jumped in joy, a halibut. How? Here? Hell yeah.
Anyway, tapped out 27". My first halibut @ Newport Harbor. First one on 4# test and this rig. I've never caught any fish with this rig the last 5-6 times. All in all, it was a good session and the first made my night.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6084/6076103962_0225a5116f_z.jpg