halibut fishing

Donna asks…

where is the best halibut fishing spot on shore near seal beach?

I am looking for a good halibut spot that is not a pier near seal beach.

andre1 answers:

Shore line close to the jetty south side of pier with sand crabs or across the pch bridge so. To the other side on the left or pch to Warner left to bird sanctuary building theres about 100 yard in back that is loaded but you need artificial chartreuse AAA ,s with a foot ball head or live smelt from big fish if he has them

Ruth asks…

whats the best way and the best bait for fishing halibut?

can you guys tell me or girls i need an answer ganna go fish on sunday in the morning like at 8:00pm malibu in l.a is it good in morning or at noon?

andre1 answers:

As for the time to fish, check the tides. The fishing will be best when the current is running, which is generally between the high and low tides. I did better off the side of the pier than the end, but I've only seen a handful of keepers taken off the pier.

If you can get live bait (whether anchovies, sardines, or queenfish (herring)) that will do you best for halibut. Rig with a treble hook (#4 to #8 depending on the size of the bait) on about a 2 foot leader and about a 3 ounce sinker, hook the bait through the nose, and cast it out. Once it hits bottom, work it in slowly. If you get a bite, let the fish mouth it for about five seconds, then tighten up and bring the fish in. Don't set the hook too hard, as halibut have soft mouths.

If there's no live bait available on the pier, get a small bait-catcher rig and see if you can catch small fish off the pier (queenfish, perch, jacksmelt) for bait.

If you get a keeper-sized halibut (22 inches), you'll probably need a net to get it up to the pier. If you get a short halibut, release it carefully -- don't drop it on the deck or squeeze it. But be careful-- they have sharp teeth.

Halibut fishing has been pretty slow this year in the bay, so it's likely you won't see many. You're more likely to catch tomcod or small sand sharks.

Mandy asks…

24 inch halibut fishing at CA san diego shelter island pier?

i normally go to shelter island pier and ive been catching mackeral. ive never had any experience in any other fish and i wanna know how to catch those 24 inch halibuts at the pier? i set a weight and the hook about 1 to 2 feet down. im gonna use squid to catch it but im not sure what size of squid should i use or if i should use the whole thing. i normally use thin 2 inch long strips for halibut and i wanna know any other techniques for 24 inch halibuts while pier fishing. is there a better bait for halibut?