Halibut Baits
Bait Rigs
Talk to a hundred halibut anglers and you’re likely to hear about
dozens of ways to send bait to the bottom. Since most sport fishing
for halibut occurs in 100 or more feet of water, you need lots of lead
to keep baits near the bottom. Factor in winds and currents and the
weight increases, sometimes unbearably so.
When using heavy monofillament, I like a sliding weight system that
allows the fish to mouth the bait without feeling the weight. {see
illustration}. This method works great, but relies on smell instead of
sight.
I prefer using Berkley 20 to 30-pound Fireline because it doesn’t
stretch, signals all bites, and cuts through the water with its
super-thin diameter which enables me to use half the weight of
comparable mono line. I attach a drop sinker tied on 30-inches of
12-pound test to a heavy-duty three-way swivel. A short 16-inch piece
of heavy 50-plus mono or wire leader tied to a 5/0 to 10/0 hook holds
the bait away from the swivel and provides durability against sharp
teeth. This setup allows the bait to dangle above the bottom which
attracts halibut from a greater distance.
With either rig, the amount of weight could vary from a few ounces
to two pounds – any more than that and you’ll just tire needlessly
from cranking dead weight up and down all day. Always use the least
amount of weight possible to keep your bait near the bottom.
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John
L. Beath 2000 halibut.net a division
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