advice on salt water fishing. plzzzz

[lunker-hunter209]

I'm a new fishermen and I just move to santa ana. I heard you can catch huge habuit off the shore. My question is what do I need as far as pole, reel, line, bait and where to go? Plz help me thanks

[zzzfish]

look in the Surf, Bay fishing section. There are sticky instruction report that has all the info you'll need.

[onekrzyboi]

Hi lunker-hunter209.

It is true, you can catch halibut from the shore. Huge is relative to what you consider huge, but I'd say there are good sized fish out in the surf. First and foremost you'll need a fishing license since it is required in a majority of the beaches and bays where halibut are most commonly found. As far as poles, I like to use something that's about in the Medium range and 7' or longer. The reason for that is because my favorite baits to use are crankbaits, in particular, the Lucky Craft Flash Minnow 110. With a Medium rating pole, you can feel the bait wiggle while fishing in the surf, and can usually feel the bumps of the rocks, the wiggle in the bait against the water, and of course, telling the difference between a fish hit and a snag. Also, the longer pole will help in casting distance. I personally use a 7'2" Medium Powell Endurance but I think a lot of the guys use Shimano Clarus rods.

As far as reels go, I use a baitcaster, and to be more specific, an Abu Garcia Revo SX. This part really comes down to preference. Whether you prefer a baitcaster or spinning reel is solely up to you. I'd say decent baitcasters are generally more expensive than decent spinning reels. For example, for Shimano baitcasting reels, a lot of people I've talked to usually recommend a Citica series reel or above which usually starts at about $100+ whereas decent Shimano spinning reels, you can get a Sedona, or the next model up, Sahara for under $100! Of course this is just an example of one brand, but you should ultimately decide what's best for you based off of your own preferences. What I've noticed is that baitcasters are cool and have a lot of settings, has good range in casting, the only thing is, it's a tad more difficult to operate in the dark. Bird nesting is common (at least for me) in the dark and even when there's light outside, I still tend to birdnest. You'll probably run into less trouble with a spinning reel as they don't typically tangle up while casting.

For line, myself and a lot of members on the forum like to use braided line. PowerPro is generally the brand of choice. Depending on how you want to bring the fish in and how much of a fight you're looking for, tests ranging from 20lbs to 40lbs is usually a good start. I use 40lb, but that's because I'm fairly new and don't want to see a $20 lure snapping off during a cast and watching it helplessly fly into the water. Also, if you do happen to get snagged, braided line aids in retrieving your lure back without losing it. If it weren't for braid, I probably would have lost at least 5 Flash Minnows so far this season. I personally wouldn't recommend monofilament line if throwing out cranks because the odds of losing it to a birdnest cast or rock increases. Also, since it stretches, getting a feel for your lure in strong current or big waves is a bit harder. With braid, since there's generally no stretch, whatever action you do to your rod, will translate faster to your lure since there is no stretch. I have no experience with Flourocarbon line, so I don't have much to say about it but I do know some members prefer that over all else. Some downsides to braid include it not being as abrasion resistant as the others and that it is more visible as well.

Lastly, for bait and location, you'll have to find that out for yourself. :LOL: The way I look at it, you can't really target halibut like how you would bass. If the butts are there, they're there, and will sometimes hit. Frozen baitfish (anchovies/sardines), swimbaits either on a leadhead or dropshot, crankbaits... halibut are predators so they'll essentially hit any of those and you'll have to decided the best presentation for the fish based on the conditions. I think its easier to target halibut using the LC FM110 because of the action it creates in the water, enticing predatory fish to bite whereas any fish, will generally snack on frozen/live bait. When deciding on a location, try to look for structure. Halibut like to ambush their prey in holes, troughs, trenches, and where rock meets sand (jetties), and usually doing a recon mission (checking out locations during low tide to see structure) before hand will aid in knowing whether that particular A.O. is better during low or high tide.

Hope this helps. I am by no means a pro or even close, but these are bits and pieces of information I have retained from experience out on the water, and advice from others on this site!

-Danny

[skunked4life]

Danny posted a great reply! Kudos.

:Applause::Applause:

As for my advice, you stated that you were a "new fisherman." As such, my advice is to start at the beginning. Everyone, even myself, wants to land that trophy fish, but baby steps are required just as in any type of sport.

Start with what you have. Do you have a rod and reel? If so, what kind? Any rod and reel can help you catch fish, even large fish. The problem lies in the maintenance, ease of useability and the target fish. For example, Danny offers great advice in terms of what to use. Most 7 foot or greater rods and most 2000 (spinning) sized reels or 200 (casting) sized reels will do the job. You want versatility.

Second, I suggest starting with the BSP as your target species. They are abundant and will boost your confidence level way up when you start catching them. I started out with Berkely Gulp sandworms (aka crack) on a carolina rig. As you gain confidence and experience, bump it up to larger swim baits and grubs (ie: big hammer). The reason that I do not recommend LC Flashminnows right from the start is because they are expensive (around $20 a pop) and for inexperienced anglers, easy to lose.

Third, like Danny mentioned, read the stickys. This is the most important part of your training. Read, read and read. Then, do, do and do. Not doodoo. :Dog Piss:

Fourth, buddy up with FNN members. There are alot here that fish your area. I cannot speak for all of us, but there are a few that will definitely go out of their way to fish with you. Do not get discouraged.

Fifth, do not get discouraged. If you ain't having fun, then your focus is off. Look at the bigger picture...when surf fishing, the bigger picture is grand. You are out in nature along one of the greatest coasts (Left Coast!) and breathing fresh air (unless you are near Huntington or Long Beach - of course I love those beaches but they do stink a little), and you are learning the sport. I always try to learn something on every trip. You will be on fire some times, then go on the skunk for awhile. It happens.

Last, THIS IS BY FAR THE MOST IMPORTANT PART next to the sticky notes mentioned above: Attend Hunting for Giants 5 in the fall. S.W.A.T. members, newbies, other FNN members will be there and you will learn ALOT!!! Also, you will see first hand the legacy of our founder...family, fun, fishing...something like that. Seriously, this is the Academy Awards of California surf fishing. You must attend.

Have fun and feel free to ask more questions.

[lunker-hunter209]

Danny!! Thank you so much for helping me out! Im set and ready to fish tomorrow. Wish me luck