Harbor Halibut

Question
Hi
  im 15 and i love to fish i always go to the harbor and catch bonitos all of the time and i want a challenge how do u think i should fish for harbor halibut in southern ca oceanside harbor

                       thanks
please respond back

Answer
Hi ya JJ- I just happen to live in Oceanside and have gone fishing in the Harbor since just after she was built! Guess that's pretty close to 35 years or so for me!
 Good job on catching the Bonita...they're great scrappy fighters. So ya haven't caught a Halibut yet hunh? Well there are lots of them in the harbor and with a bit of savvy, we'll get you hooked up.
 For the most part, the halibut you're fishing for are California Halibut and get up to about 60lbs or so...I've seen 35 pounders taken from the harbor but my biggest is only about 15. The Halibut is a predator and they love live bait. They go crazy for anchovies, sardines and smelt but my favorite bait to use for them is the Queenfish...lots of guys just call'em "Brown Bait" or herring. If you will take the time to fish for "Brownies" for awhile and keep them alive in a plastic bait bucket, you'll catch your fair share of BIG halibut. You can catch the brown bait from the fishing pier with small hooks and small pieces of frozen or fresh-dead anchovies (use about a size 8 hook) you may also get more than one at a time by using a yozuri or hayabusa bait rig or a "lucky joe". Just jig'em up and down near the bottom between the pilings of the little pier or if you have a small boat, right along the bait dock...(just stay out of the way of the boats and dont tie up to the dock...the guys will get ticked off at ya!)
  After you get some live baits, just rig up like this to fish themf or the halibut...Use 10or 12lb monofilament (forget the spider wire and super lines)...trim off about 2.5 to 3 feet of line for a leader. Now run a 1/8oz/ 3/16oz or 1/4oz sliding egg sinker up the line. Tie on a small black swivel(not a snap swivel) and let the slider rest against the swivel. Now tie the leader to the other side of the swivel. Attach a supersharp, small livebait hook...about a size 4 (match the hook to the size of the bait) to the end of the leader. This rig will allow you to feel the slightest bite and allow the halibut (especially if they're being spooky) to pick up the bait and move off to swallow it without dragging the weight.
 You're gonna learn alot about the behavior of the halibut as you fish for them. Remember thay have a small stomach that fills up quickly but because they are predators, they will often take your bait even when they're stuffed and swim off with it in their teeth, then stop and try to  swallow it, then move off again...more often than not, the second time they move off, is when you need to set the hook. A sure sign that a halibut strikes your bait is when you get the bait back without a halibut and the bait has deep gashes in its sides from the head back to the tail caused by the halibuts sharp teeth.
 Another way to fish for them is to use small 3 or 4 inch swim baits on 1/4oz lead heads...cast them out and let them sink to the bottom, then wind them back slowly and hesitate once in every 6 or 8 turns, letting it sink back to the bottom.  When you get bit, you have to set the hook SUPER FAST! Then keep the line tight all the way in. The halibut and the small white seabass( a great bonus in the harbor!) will often stop and shake their heads while you are fighting them... BE SURE TO KEEP THE LINE TIGHT and keep them moving toward you...they can shake loose because the tissue around their mouths is soft and tears.
  Remember to let ALL halibut, white seabass, calico bass, spotted bay bass and sand bass go if they are not over the minimum size limit...22 inches for halibut, 28 inches for white seabass and 12" for the Calicos, Spotties and Sandies.
  Next time you are down at the harbor, I want you to stop in at Kens Rod and Reel and talk to Ken Corwin...he's a good friend of mine and I think he is the best harbor, surf and Lagoon halibut fisherman I have ever met. He can tell you some super secret hot spots to check for big ol' halibut just hiding out and waiting to slam your bait!
  JJ, I hope this helps you catch the biggest halibut of your life- Thanks for asking your question and E-Mail me a picture of your fish! ... Thanks again- Mark Rimmer- AllExperts.com. e-mail:  [email protected]