Hello and a Request for Halibut Advice

[Nonlegit]

Hi SDFish,

First post and so Hi to everyone. Good info here.

My wife and I picked up surf fishing this year and she in particular has had a nice year. Corbina (23.5in current PB), Croaker (20in), some surf perch... and too many stingrays and seaweed hookups... Have also caught a couple spotties, barricuda etc. Bonus Sierra trip yielded some Golden Trout, but I digress...

We've been targeting Halibut for maybe 3-4 weeks now. Dove all in and cleaned out the internet of information. Have watched the usual suspects on YouTube, Benjie, SDSurfFish Nick. Have the usual gear, have tried LC, drop shot with 3-5in white softbait, texas rigs, trap rig w/ stinger and live sardines drifting from a skiff over the usual spots in MB, routinely over to Shelter Island... have learned a decent amount of reading the surf fishing for the other species and have applied that approach to the bays, fishing sand next to structure...

Skunked on Halibut, legal or otherwise. Both of us, probably 10 sessions and many hours more. Any advice? I broke down and got some from Point Loma Seafoods and it was so good on my sandwich it just made me mad all over again

[Rj576]

I am by no means an expert. I personally have yet to catch myself a legal hali, but so far this year ive managed at least 1 for about 75% of my trips. I fish mostly mission bay but have managed 2 from the surf. In the bays my luck has been on the on the luckycraft and a 2.8in kietech 3/16 jighead in varying colors. I went out 2 weeks ago and targeted for 2 hours on a low incoming tide and caught 6 with the largest being 20.5in. Most came off of fishing sandy bottoms right next to structure casting up current and reeling back with the current. the swim bait slow and steady retrieve and for the jerkbait its either few cranks and a pause or a twitch pause twitch twitch pause retrieve. Im sure you find yourself one soon enough maybe you'll get that legal before me.

[inthedeep2]

Its all about time on the water. Hali bites differ day to day. Took me 2yrs to get my first legal. Keep trying you will get them, they are there especially this year.

[DarkShadow]

I catch 'em accidentally while fishing for other stuff. Whenever I try to target them specifically, I catch nothing.

[vito1023]

I’ve caught one legal in the bay at the Ingram street bridge by the sand and rocks (low tide), was not targeting them going for spotties.
I was fishing a top water lure back when I thought you could catch spotties on top, I realize now that’s not how you get them, but it was amazing when I saw a fish take it and then when I finally got it in it was a 23 inch Halibut, stoked out of my mind, I let it go for good karma but haven’t caught a legal one since then, I guess the karma thing didn’t work. All we can do is keep at it.
I have a hard time getting around due to double knee replacements and haven’t tried the surf because I can’t stand for very long so tend to fish the bays more but haven’t fished the bays this year and been thinking about going to fish them soon is there a good time of year to fish them from shore? I’m fairly new to the bays so curious when a good time October or?

[Gotfish?]

Halibut in San Diego Bay are likely to have high heavy metals contamination from industrial activities. I always release them anyhow.

Have caught lots of them, including legals, while fishing for spotties. Learn how to catch spotties and you will catch halibut.

viewtopic.php?p=19483&hilit=spotted+bay ... ips#p19483

viewtopic.php?p=17051&hilit=halibut+gotfish+26.8#p17051

Live bait is probably the best. Catch a smelt, lizardfish or mackerel, rig it on a 3-way swivel with about 18" to the bait, 18" to a 1 ounce sinker. I have done this a few times and dragged it behind my float tube while fishing for spotties. Just about the time I am bored and annoyed with it being in the way, the rod tip goes down. You won't hook many short halibut with a smelt or mackerel as bait.

Like DarkShadow, I don't have the patience or success to only fish for halibut. I need more action. I would rather catch lots of spotties and have an occasional bonus halibut.

[Bigdog]

I have most luck catching halibut on low tide

[Nonlegit]

Please keep the wisdom coming in, I appreciate it very much.

Drifted MB today in a rented skiff, good fishing although no legal halibuts. 1 short hali (first one!), 1 spottie, 1 barricuda, 6 corvina. What's a good size for a Corvina? Very fun fish, although I wasn't looking for them.

I appreciate all the advice, I don't want to be a kook...