Re: Coast Guard beach
 

Right you are Perry!

Mine was about 7 inches long.

Re: Coast Guard beach
 

Seaslug,
Some of the guys that fish Cherry Beach for halibut will catch their bait at the pier beforehand. They will keep salema's and queenfish if they catch them, and my friend says they are some prime halibut baits.

Perry :coffee

Re: Coast Guard beach
 

I used to fish Belmont Pier a lot - never saw a salema. How big a bait will you use for Halibut?

Re: Coast Guard beach
 

I like the baits to be about 5 or maybe 6 inches long. Most of the 'dines and smelts will be in this range, and they work good. Live bait may have the edge for 'butts, but I still like using plastics for them.

Perry :coffee

Re: Coast Guard beach
 

Yeah, the Salema make great halibut bait.

I've caught them off Belmont pier and used them in HH. I've used some of the larger ones 7-8" and have had halibut maybe 12" or so hitch a ride all the way back to the yak.

Ed

Re: Coast Guard beach
 

Sounds like Ling Cod. I have had big Lings eat smaller lLings which were eating a small fish on the hook. Have not seen Halibut hitch hiking.

Re: Coast Guard beach
 

I've had big halibut "hitch hike" all the way up to the boat only to let a smelt or sardine go at the surface.

Those flatties can be somewhat frsutrating in their habit to bite and hold on to (vs. fully swallowing) even the smallest of baits (and yet fully engulf a huge bait) .

Ed

Re: Coast Guard beach
 

I certainly have had them fight for 3 or 4 minutes then brought back in a chewed smelt - love those trap hooks - the 27 pounder I got several weeks ago came in on a number 4 treble trap hook.

Re: Coast Guard beach
 

I've had lotsa halibut, legal and otherwise, let go 4 feet or so from the yak! They see the boat, and it's" Bye-bye! " That's why people usually take a while to let a halibut chew it. I usually count to 100 slowly, say three to five minutes! I also use a trap hook so they can get stuck when they're foolin around with the tail end of the bait! I use a size 6 or size 4 treble rapala red or chrome saltwater treble! Piranha;) :rolleyes: