HMD 19 - Yoda's legacy continues
-
- * Bateau Builder - Expert *
- Posts: 8921
- Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2011 4:23 am
- Location: Kasilof, Alaska
Re: HMD 19 - Yoda's legacy continues
Is trolling the normal way you fish for halibut there? I have caught a few trolling but our normal way is to use bait on bottom.
Re: HMD 19 - Yoda's legacy continues
It is a slow-troll called "Bouce balling". 3 way swivel with a ~12" dropper to an ~8oz weight, then the other eye on the swivel goes to the bait, either with a dodger/flasher or without. We were using frozen anchovies. Set the speed at about 1.5-2.5mph and the weight just drags and bounces along on the muddy bottom. The bouncing of the weight supposedly helps attract the fish. If we had access to live bait, we'd be drifting live anchovies, but it is a little early in the season for that. I just read on one of the local forums that someone bagged a 37"er on Saturday while we were our there.
I'll also add that we are usually fishing in 10-25 feet of water. Any deeper than that, and it is tough to hold the bottom while "bounce balling"
-
- * Bateau Builder - Expert *
- Posts: 8921
- Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2011 4:23 am
- Location: Kasilof, Alaska
Re: HMD 19 - Yoda's legacy continues
I guess we do fish some what like you are doing. If we just drift and not anchor the tides will carry us along at up to 5 knots. We normally fish in 100-300 foot of water so if the tide is running hard it can be tough to get bait to bottom even with 16-24 oz sinkers.
-
- Very Active Poster
- Posts: 511
- Joined: Sat Apr 11, 2015 11:58 pm
- Location: Western Canada
- Location: Ladysmith, BC
Re: HMD 19 - Yoda's legacy continues
That's really interesting - around here you fish halibut in 200-800 feet of water. I genuinely had no idea that there would ever be halibut in water shallower than a hundred feet; I wouldn't have guessed that in a million years.Cowbro wrote: ↑Mon Mar 08, 2021 3:42 pmIt is a slow-troll called "Bouce balling". 3 way swivel with a ~12" dropper to an ~8oz weight, then the other eye on the swivel goes to the bait, either with a dodger/flasher or without. We were using frozen anchovies. Set the speed at about 1.5-2.5mph and the weight just drags and bounces along on the muddy bottom. The bouncing of the weight supposedly helps attract the fish. If we had access to live bait, we'd be drifting live anchovies, but it is a little early in the season for that. I just read on one of the local forums that someone bagged a 37"er on Saturday while we were our there.
I'll also add that we are usually fishing in 10-25 feet of water. Any deeper than that, and it is tough to hold the bottom while "bounce balling"
Re: HMD 19 - Yoda's legacy continues
Important to note, we get California Halibut down here, they are smaller than pacific halibut (generally top out around 30-40lbs). Anything over 10lbs is considered respectable.
They come in shallow chasing schools of anchovies all over the bay all summer long. It would not be uncommon to catch them from shore in 6' of water.
They come in shallow chasing schools of anchovies all over the bay all summer long. It would not be uncommon to catch them from shore in 6' of water.
- Jaysen
- * Bateau Builder *
- Posts: 6499
- Joined: Wed Aug 05, 2015 7:59 am
- Location: St Helena Island, SC
- Contact:
Re: HMD 19 - Yoda's legacy continues
Big flounder vs giant flounder vs “awww that’s a cute flounder” like we get get around here.
-
- Very Active Poster
- Posts: 511
- Joined: Sat Apr 11, 2015 11:58 pm
- Location: Western Canada
- Location: Ladysmith, BC
Re: HMD 19 - Yoda's legacy continues
Okay, that does seem less shocking...the 30-40 pounders we see are little guys that are highly desirable eating fish. The big sea monsters are interesting to behold, but I don't know anyone who wants to eat a 200 pounder.
-
- * Bateau Builder - Expert *
- Posts: 8921
- Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2011 4:23 am
- Location: Kasilof, Alaska
Re: HMD 19 - Yoda's legacy continues
I have picked up a few halibut while trolling for salmon. Water around 30-50 foot deep and the gear was maybe 15 foot down. Around here you can catch halibut in about any water depth. I do not like to hand crank fish up from much over 300 foot. Commercial fishing I fished a lot in water 50-150 fathom deep.
Re: HMD 19 - Yoda's legacy continues
Dang Fuzz 150 fathoms is 900 feet. What did you catch that deep?Fuzz wrote: ↑Tue Mar 09, 2021 6:22 pm I have picked up a few halibut while trolling for salmon. Water around 30-50 foot deep and the gear was maybe 15 foot down. Around here you can catch halibut in about any water depth. I do not like to hand crank fish up from much over 300 foot. Commercial fishing I fished a lot in water 50-150 fathom deep.
Tom
Restored Mirror Dinghy, Bought OD18 built by CL, Westlawn School of Yacht Design courses. LT US Navy 1970-1978
-
- * Bateau Builder - Expert *
- Posts: 8921
- Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2011 4:23 am
- Location: Kasilof, Alaska
Re: HMD 19 - Yoda's legacy continues
Commercial halibut fishing I would lay gear at different depths trying to find them. Also we got paid more for the larger ones so I was looking for them. I ran 18000 foot strings with around 1000 hooks to a string. You can go over a lot of hills and valleys in 3.5 miles.
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: Ahrefs [Bot], TommyD and 10 guests