LIP GRIPPERPA D D L I N G T E C H N I Q U E | R I G G I N G | S A LTWAT E R | F R E S HWAT E R
A SoCal ‘butt caught on a mackerel. ANGLER: JASON MORTON//PHOTO: PAUL LEBOWITZ
Hunting Halibut
T
KAYAKING FOR THE WEST’S FAVORITE FLATFISH
BY PAUL LEBOWITZ
O LONG-TIME West Coast anglers, hali- but fishing means 10-ton weights and power-trolling all the livelong day. Don’t be- lieve it. For kayakers there are better ways. Our sneaky little launch-anywhere boats
are ideal halibut-catching craft. For starters, we’re not going anywhere fast and know it. We have no choice but to slow down and thoroughly fish a given area. It’s a tremen- dous advantage, because halibut are gener- ally not far-ranging in the scope of a fishing session. Instead, groups of flatties collect along certain depth contours and structures. Find one, you’ve found many. Then there are the nooks and crannies
only the rare power boater visits—exclusive halibut fishing holes for kayak anglers. San- dy kelp edges and lanes are prime examples. They’re fine places to dangle a live sardine or work a plastic swimbait. How about a surfin’ safari? Halibut come
in tight to spawn in spring and then again in fall. Daring kayakers can get them just beyond the breaking surf. Better keep your head on a swivel! Of course, kayak anglers can also venture
into most places the power boat fleet fishes, from shallow bays to deeper water offshore. Just modify the techniques accordingly. Let’s take a closer look at targeting these tasty sportfish.
X Marks the Halibut Halibut are ambush predators that hide themselves in the sand. They need structure too; that’s where the food is. Pay special at-
24 … KAYAK ANGLER summer/fall 2008
tention to sandy patches up against rocks or around kelp, and watch for drop-offs that at- tract bait. Because halibut tend to cluster in hot
zones, work a single depth contour at a time. Once you find one, stay in the area.
One Fish, Many Baits In California live bait is a mainstay, account- ing for most halibut catches. Break out a fiver and buy it from a barge or jig up a bunch of mackerel. The basic live bait setup consists of a sliding sinker or three-way swivel, usu- ally paired with a two-hook stinger or hali- but rig. Many anglers feel halibut are touchy biters, and fish them with their reels in free spool. It needn’t be so. Use a treble for the tail hook and keep your reel engaged. Hook- ups will soar. Fish live bait on the drift or a very slow troll
and with as little weight as possible. Other natural baits fall more into the previously fro- zen variety, such as sardines or squid. Salm- on bellies are an Alaska favorite.
Artificial baits work too, and they’re always
available. Hungry halibut snap up plastic swim- baits and grubs worked slowly just above the bottom. In the shallows, try saltwater plugs. They’re great for covering distance.
The End Game Once hooked, halibut aren’t the sharpest knives in the drawer. Fight them on a loose drag. As long as an angler doesn’t rush a contest, once at kayak-side they’ll often become docile. Keep them calm by leaving their heads in the water, even when gaffing and securing fish you plan to keep. ‘Butts are notorious for playing possum. Get landed fish safely secured below decks or tied off, because there’s no telling when one will go nuts. Halibut are all muscle; a large fish can do significant damage or even escape, and then it’s bye-bye fish dinner.
PAUL LEBOWITZ is a kayak fishing writer and the inaugural president of the Kayak Fishing Association of California.
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