Bay halibut fishing

[yellowfin1]

Just went over to the bay (SD) on my lunch break to eat a sandwich and toss a few casts at my secret spot. Earlier this week a co-worker caught and released 4 short halibut and lost 1 big halibut as he attempted to drag it up on the beach (all in 30 minutes). All of his fish were on a krocodile spoon. Thought I'd give it a try except I used a small 3" megabait. On about the 2nd or third cast I caught a large smelt. A few casts later I got hammered. I was using a smallish spinning reel loaded with 30lb spectra. Here's the problem. I only had a 10lb mono leader. I can see the light brown back and wide outline of the fish as it's ripping my line off. I started to get worried when it showed no signs of slowing up. A few seconds more and I can see the spool through the little bit of line left. Now I am forced to apply more pressure. The fish is way out in the bay but, I manage to stop it and slowly work it back. It took me a solid 15 minutes to pull this fish to within 20 yards of where I was standing. Just when I felt confident that this fish was mine the line went slack! Bummed! I still had 15 minutes to fish so I threw a small blk/grn fishtrap and nailed two fat but, illegal halibut (19-20" each). There seemed to be a lot of bait swimming around. The tide was fairly high and rising.

[NoSlack]

This is the time of year you should be pounding the shallow parts of the bays. Forget about running to the 302 for micro yellow. Hit the bay hard and take home a 30 pound Hali.

Mike

[hijole]

We had non stop shorts in front of the Del 2 weeks ago on anchovies. I agree with Mike, stay home.

[Knot Now]

I would agree with Mike, but you might want to go out to the 43 for your chance at a bluefin. I went again on Thursday and got the hell beat out of me, but we got a bluefin. It was only 9 ft swells on 8 sec. with 15-18 knot winds.....not counting the wind waves (white caps). We got the bluefin on the troll within one mile of the San Clemente Buoy.

Phil

[Malu Lani]

Phil your an animal !

[yellowfin1]

As a follow-up to my Friday afternon post, I am providing another post from Father's day.

Since it was father’s day I thought that I’d drag the whole family down to the secret spot. We brought some subway sandwiches and had a picnic then Ryan and I walked out onto the pipe to throw a few casts. The water was super high and there was a decent sized south swell. We were actually standing in ankle deep water. When a swell came in we were in knee-waist deep water. Ryan nailed a small halibut. Then it happened! A solid strike on a fish trap. This time I was using Ryan’s ambassador with 12lb line. Once again I find myself getting spooled? I managed to stop the fish and bring it back to the pipe. At this point I still haven’t seen the fish but, I just know it’s a huge butt! It was the exact type of hook-up I had on Friday. Finally I pull it to within a foot or two of the surface only to find it is a big 30lb + batray!!! Now I’m thinking that the other hookup might also have been the same. Pretty strange to snag a ray in the wing like that though.
Anyway it was a god fight and a beautiful day.

Scott

[Sleigher]

Scott,
I didn't want to rain on your parade but as you described the fight from your first fish I was thinking, batray.
I've hooked a lot of them from shore and the fight is usually as you describe. They run and just when you think it is all over, they let you get a little line back. Then, they go again and it is time to say goodbye.
The reason you hook them in the wing is that they flop on your jig.
Next time try fishing for batrays. If you catch any the day will be a total success!

Peter