Cant Catch a Hali :(

[TelStar26]

Hey guys, left sooke yesterday morning and spent a god awfull amount of fuel ripping to peder bay/race rocks to ancour up for a stab at a hali. I spent half the morning bringing up and putting down my anchor trying to get the dam boat to float over the right spot over the chart. It was impossible! When we finally got it half decent.....the wind would change and we would be slowly blown off. Its starting to seem inpossible to anchor on a specific spot!
What am I doing wrong guys? Never hali fish with a breese or wind? Am I targeting a way to small of an area? I would guess this area was aprox 50x50 in about 180ft of water, with the anchor being dropped in the 220ft range. Should I try and posistion my self on a way larger areas? does it matter if im in the middle of a spot or off to the side? How close do I actually have to be to said spot?
Im getting starting to think its impossible, but theres so many people that catch hali!
Any advice or help would be great!
Thanks

[bananas]

Telstar , don't panic !!! Lol

First of all you have to figure out your tides , did you notice there was no boats hally fishing yesterday.. You couldn't land on your spot because the tide was ripping.

Second halibut don't all live in that 50 by 50 spot.

Go put your anchor out in a good looking spot and relax and wait they will come!!

Next week weds rite thru till the following week ate great tides!

[r.s craven]

Just my opinion, but i wouldn't try and get too technical.
Halibut move around in search of food.
It's more important to set up somewhere close to where you want to be
and get your bait to the bottom.
It's the scent that draws them to where you are. :)

[Peterman]

Some keys,
Pick the good tides
A proper Anchor set up for your size of boat
Choose a known Hali area
Use some nice fresh big herring off a spreader bar set-up
Turn the music up (that really helps)
It will happen

[r.s craven]

Question for the experts, looking at currents for East Juan de fuca for tomorrow
looks like the best time would be between 1:00-5:00 pm
1knot ebb going to a 1knot flood
am i reading this correctly?

[bushwackin]

Some keys,
Pick the good tides
A proper Anchor set up for your size of boat
Choose a known Hali area
Use some nice fresh big herring off a spreader bar set-up
Turn the music up (that really helps)
It will happen


Also, DO NOT forget the beer, THAT is the worst luck!

[Peterman]

Beer "Duh" ofcourse.. lol

Another proven method is to grab a couple buddies
Take a guided Trip with one of the boys and cut your learning curve in half...
It will more than pay for itself in the amount of Hali's you will catch once you learn from the pro's.. so worth it...
Ask lots of questions and get some hands on experience.. years of knowledge packed into a day on the water.. cant beat it...

[AlGee]

There are lots more experienced fishers on this forum than me so I am strictly speaking from my (our) own experiences out on the local waters.

Someone posted age/weight ratios of hali from Alaska a while back. It basically told me that hali are fairly fast growing fish, ie. 250 pounders at only around 20 years old! This suggests to me that they are not very fussy eaters. I've heard all kinds of stories like guys using bulk hotdog weiners, porkchops, chicken parts etc. for bait. I've unzipped quite a few halibut and have found crabs (red rock, kelp crabs etc), prawns, octopus beaks, sculpins, etc etc. They pretty much inhale anything that passes by their face. If you are using adequate bait (fresh and smelly), drop your hook at the right time (usually during a tidal turnaround) and do not hook into a fish w/in a couple hours then they are simply not there. Fast tide rips happen when there is a large distance between high and low tides, therefore we avoid going out during those full moon and new moon cycles. Slack tides during those lunar cycles are very short-lived. You can still catch fish during those periods but you really have to time it right and even then its a fairly short window before currents pick up and your balls start flying.

Halibut, like any other animal has to use some energy to catch food. There is always a tradeoff and if a large amount of stored energy is expended at catching a prey item in fast current then the reward (energy potential taken in) is not very great. During fast current periods they hunker down in dips and hollows and become ambush predators. During those mild current periods they are out there actively following their noses, so scent IS important.

I've worked around lots of commercial fishers in the past and have heard some fanciful stories, can't verify all of it but some still sound plausible. One guy was trolling for pinks at 300 ft in 600 feet of water and halibut were latching onto his pinks and getting hooked! Halibut were actually off the bottom and chasing pinks in midwater during low current conditions! believe it or not, its up to you. :)

[Poppa Swiss]

I've worked around lots of commercial fishers in the past and have heard some fanciful stories, can't verify all of it but some still sound plausible. One guy was trolling for pinks at 300 ft in 600 feet of water and halibut were latching onto his pinks and getting hooked! Halibut were actually off the bottom and chasing pinks in midwater during low current conditions! believe it or not, its up to you. :)

That does sound like a fancy story, would be strange enough to have the troller targeting pinks at 300', no? There are videos on youtube of halibut feeding well off the bottom and even right on the surface attacking bait balls. I think they are a lot more active then people give them credit.

Just keep at it and try not limit the areas you fish. If you can pick 2-3 known halibut spots and keep working them in different currents and from different angles eventually you'll find out what works for each area. If you fish a new spot every weekend you might never land on a spot when its feeding time.

Beer and music does help, that's just science.

[stones93]

I think they are a lot more active then people give them credit.

Beer and music does help, that's just science.


My dad and I caught a 55lb and 45lb hali's in a very unlikely spot on salmon gear. We were at 20 pulls (40 ft) and only 50 ft from shore. We were targeting salmon, mooching with cut plug herring, and had never seen a hali in this area before. There was an anusually huge amount of herring in that area so they probably followed that in from about 5 miles away (where the bigger ones usually hang out)

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7221/7008855915_fe82066a49.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7219/7008854243_638cfe7a14.jpg

[Cuba Libre]

Someone posted age/weight ratios of hali from Alaska a while back. It basically told me that hali are fairly fast growing fish, ie. 250 pounders at only around 20 years old!

Not so anymore--- the growth rate has slowed considerably since the 90s.

[fish stalker]

Fast tide rips happen when there is a large distance between high and low tides, therefore we avoid going out during those full moon and new moon cycles. Slack tides during those lunar cycles are very short-lived.


Thats the information ive been looking for! Thanks! Trying to figure out what these 'hali tides' are.

[Poppa Swiss]

you don't want to use tide charts for hali fishing, what you want to look at is the current. Generally when it comes to safe anchoring you'd like to look for currents that don't run faster then 1.5-2kts.

A little bit of current would be ideal say .5kts - just enough current to get the scent moving down stream, although we've caught plenty of big fish when the current was pumping close to 2kts.

[TheRock]

Big current swings tomorrow! here is the current station (Trial Island, 5.2 miles SSW) from right on Constance Bank for March 24 2012. ... there is a 0.0kt slk at 1pm. but very short lived, increases real fast... 1:45 its .5kts. by 3:30 its 1.3kts from 4:00-5:00 its 1.4 knts..

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd250/Fishbum26/4f6c66ca.jpg




Question for the experts, looking at currents for East Juan de fuca for tomorrow
looks like the best time would be between 1:00-5:00 pm
1knot ebb going to a 1knot flood
am i reading this correctly?

[TheRock]

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd250/Fishbum26/4f6c6997.jpg

[sammyslabber]

You should also look for areas that hold feeding halibut and or routes used to travel to feeding grounds.. a good method is to search charts and establish troughs from deeper water that move into shallower easier accessed fishing areas.Halibut have been known to navigate from these areas in search of food - gravel or sandy substrates will hold halibut until it's time to feed -then they will move to feed in areas such as pinicles ect that hold bait fish.Like any species area, food source will be a factor in finding fish.

[bee15]

better to check race rocks current table gives you a much better look at what the currents are going to be like all around victoria and when

[pescador]

B15, can you be more precise with you location pls....lol. You might want to update your profile given some of the recent mayhem amongst members.

SS como estas hombre. Espero que tenemos un ano de puta madre. Pero que yo veo, hay un potential problemo con el DFO y JDF...Es una lastima. Dedos cruzados...

[LastChance]

He means when you choose a current station choose the one for Race Passage, a little more accurate for the Race Rocks area as opposed to JDF East.

[r.s craven]

Big current swings tomorrow! here is the current station (Trial Island, 5.2 miles SSW) from right on Constance Bank for March 24 2012. ... there is a 0.0kt slk at 1pm. but very short lived, increases real fast... 1:45 its .5kts. by 3:30 its 1.3kts from 4:00-5:00 its 1.4 knts..

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd250/Fishbum26/4f6c66ca.jpg

That doesn't seem too extreme ?? 1- 1.5 knots just enough to get the scent out
I'm not fishing as far west as Race but notice the currents are ripping through that area.

[sammyslabber]

SS como estas hombre. Espero que tenemos un ano de puta madre. Pero que yo veo, hay un potential problemo con el DFO y JDF...Es una lastima. Dedos cruzados...[/QUOTE]

Jaja!! no estas aprendindo un buen volcabulario!! Gracias estimado amigo..por mi lado todo se ecuentra re - bien - gracias por muestra esfuersas y poco suerte encuentramos un tiempo razonable para pesca.Ovbvio desgrasiadamente tenemos unos testarudos(DFO) que nos controlan la vida aunque no queramos!!!Espero que organizamos un dia para ver nos,tomar una copa y hablar de la aparentemente buena vida...

[Fisher Down]

Jaja!! no estas aprendindo un buen volcabulario!! Gracias estimado amigo..por mi lado todo se ecuentra re - bien - gracias por muestra esfuersas y poco suerte encuentramos un tiempo razonable para pesca.Ovbvio desgrasiadamente tenemos unos testarudos(DFO) que nos controlan la vida aunque no queramos!!!Espero que organizamos un dia para ver nos,tomar una copa y hablar de la aparentemente buena vida...

Yo pensaba que esto era un sitio en inglés, pero voy a jugar el juego.

F D

[sammyslabber]

Yo pensaba que esto era un sitio en inglés, pero voy a jugar el juego.

F D
No FD you'll find some of us are multilingual..hay tienes que explicar como puedes...

[Lipripper]

Whats with all the Italian in the hali thread?? :p


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JhuOicPFZY

[beemer]

Question for the experts, looking at currents for East Juan de fuca for tomorrow
looks like the best time would be between 1:00-5:00 pm
1knot ebb going to a 1knot flood
am i reading this correctly?
Yup your reading it correctly.
Not a bad tide scott. See ya around "Discovery"!!

beemer

[TheSookesOfHazzard]

Like others have said I wouldn't get too technical about having your boat directly on a small spot of the ocean; in ripping current it's pretty hard to ensure it's gonna land right there.

Again, look at a current atlas for softer currents, which is not only safer for anchoring but ensures that you can get your gear down - you ain't gonna find bottom over 2knts generally.

Another thing - no need to go moving your anchor over and over. Every time you do that you gotta start your scent field again. Try to be anchored through a tide change.

I remember last June me and some buddies were rocking the pick off Victoria in June on a beautifully sunny and flat day. The kinda day where you almost don't care if you catch any fish....almost :) Well after fending off dogfish after dogfish all day (6 hours plus) we decided to call it. Starting pulling up the starboard rod than BAM! 50lber on the port rod. Such an awesome feeling.

Moral of the story: put the time in - it'll happen!

[TheRock]

Current station over by Discovery for Tomorrow ( Discovery Island, 3 miles SSE)
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd250/Fishbum26/Discovery.jpg

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd250/Fishbum26/Discover2.jpg

[TheRock]

Here is the Juan De Fuca-East Harmonic Station (CHS) for Tomorrow...
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd250/Fishbum26/JDE.jpg

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd250/Fishbum26/jde2.jpg

[TheRock]

better to check race rocks current table gives you a much better look at what the currents are going to be like all around victoria and when

RACE PASSAGE Harmonic Station (CHS) for tomorrow..... Compare all the current station around Victoria .... Race rocks station I find is very miss leading... get a much better indiction of what's going on from the other current stations..

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd250/Fishbum26/Race.jpg

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd250/Fishbum26/Race2.jpg

[bananas]

You read it perfect Scott! I fished that afternoon change today and loaded up!!

One thing I find on a ebb a 1.5 to 1.7 is still fishable but on a flood once you get over .7 it's ripping!

[Tailspin]

Its ripping off discovery tomorrow, and the currents have been out to lunch! Off by as much as two hours yesterday, remember, its a prediction.
I see a 1.5 -2 hr window max unless your tucked in out of it, or tight to the beach.

[Dave S]

Someone posted age/weight ratios of hali from Alaska a while back. It basically told me that hali are fairly fast growing fish, ie. 250 pounders at only around 20 years old!

Not so anymore--- the growth rate has slowed considerably since the 90s.

Would it have anything to do with lack of food? If they keep fishing the herring hard I suspect this will only get worse. Checked the stomach of a 20lb hali today and it was empty. Not a thing in there.

[sammyslabber]

[QUOTE=Lipripper;Whats with all the Italian in the hali thread?? :p


BTW it's spanish kimosabe...yes we were talking about halibut!:p

[spring time]

BTW it's spanish kimosabe...yes we were talking about halibut!

its code they did not want any one else to know what they were talking about

[craigs28]

could some one post the site your getting your current info from ? also would it show current for areas like port mc neil ? thnx

[Foxsea]

[QUOTE=Lipripper;225759]Whats with all the Italian in the hali thread?? :p

Haha - is the Spanish that bad?
Not cool, though - it'd be rude with buddies at the pub and it's poor taste here, too. :(
Start a Spanish thread if that's your play. This IS an English language place - you know that.

[casper5280]

This is the one that I use. It has tides and currents and you can have it print out in graph style if you want. Just pick the spot you want.
http://tbone.biol.sc.edu/tide/

[boomer]

Murray table is better for tides .the book is more local ,give more ideas where to go hour by hour .ie ( oak day on flood can be danger it's swings fast and stronger than table

[Dave S]

http://www.bigwavedave.ca/latest.php?dir=Tides2&file=Tidal


(http://www.bigwavedave.ca/latest.php?dir=Tides2&file=Tidal)

[TheRock]

could some one post the site your getting your current info from ? also would it show current for areas like port mc neil ? thnx

I use the program nobeltec tides and currents pro.
It gives you every tide and current station for the entire coast, data in 15 min. Increments with a detail colored graph and you can look forward to any day in time to study and plan future currents. For wind reports its big wave Dave, also has tide and current info on big wave Dave as posted above.

[TelStar26]

Wow!! I didnt expect so many replys! Thanks for all the tips and info!

Just to recap here....

I like the idea of heading out with a guide. Im going to really push my fishing buddies to go in on it with me. :)


Another proven method is to grab a couple buddies
Take a guided Trip with one of the boys and cut your learning curve in half...
It will more than pay for itself in the amount of Hali's you will catch once you learn from the pro's.. so worth it...
Ask lots of questions and get some hands on experience.. years of knowledge packed into a day on the water.. cant beat it...

Fishing on a good, or know hali spot.... more questions about this later....

You should also look for areas that hold feeding halibut and or routes used to travel to feeding grounds.. a good method is to search charts and establish troughs from deeper water that move into shallower easier accessed fishing areas.Halibut have been known to navigate from these areas in search of food - gravel or sandy substrates will hold halibut until it's time to feed -then they will move to feed in areas such as pinicles ect that hold bait fish.Like any species area, food source will be a factor in finding fish.

And I see how many of you stress the scent trail.....Check :)

It's the scent that draws them to where you are. :)

A little bit of current would be ideal say .5kts - just enough current to get the scent moving down stream, although we've caught plenty of big fish when the current was pumping close to 2kts.

Another thing - no need to go moving your anchor over and over. Every time you do that you gotta start your scent field again.. Moral of the story: put the time in - it'll happen!
exc, exc.....

I should try and focus on only a couple spots....Check :)

Just keep at it and try not limit the areas you fish. If you can pick 2-3 known halibut spots and keep working them in different currents and from different angles eventually you'll find out what works for each area. If you fish a new spot every weekend you might never land on a spot when its feeding time.

Tides and currents.. This seems to be THE biggy! When I get a bit more time, Im going to sit down and really get a grasp of the moon phases, tides, ebbs, floods exc, and im sure ill get back to all of you with more in depth questions about them all.

Thanks again for the help guys, Its given me some more confidence and a slightly differnt game plan for next time!

[TheSookesOfHazzard]

Glad you found what you were looking for!

One more thing about Hali spots - check your chart for pinnacles and drop-offs (they are pretty obvious) and if the spot is large enough, typically you fish it on the down-current side. So say you want to fish Constance Bank - if it's flooding, you'd probably want to anchor on the west side. Fish often hold in the back eddies formed by structure to conserve energy and also to ambush baitfish that get pushed into the area.

Go slay em'!

[Fisher Down]

[QUOTE=Lipripper;225759]Whats with all the Italian in the hali thread?? :p

Haha - is the Spanish that bad?
Not cool, though - it'd be rude with buddies at the pub and it's poor taste here, too. :(
Start a Spanish thread if that's your play. This IS an English language place - you know that.

This IS an English site - that's what I said (using Internet Explorer 9... highlight the text -> right click -> Tranlate with Bing).

F D

[sammyslabber]

[QUOTE=Foxsea;225861]

This IS an English site - that's what I said (using Internet Explorer 9... highlight the text -> right click -> Tranlate with Bing).

F D
If anyone wants to ask me a question in spanish ..i'll answer them in spanish. btw the only thing rude are your comments!

[pescador]

Diversity... alive and well on SFBC. The odd dip into the vast landscape of Canada's diverse cultures isn't going to harm anyone....lol....peace out. Lets all try to get along, no disrespect intended. Lets focus on what's really important, fishing......

[sammyslabber]

Pescador..Well put,of course I wouldn't expect anything less from a scholar & gentleman.If Espana had it's way we could all be speaking Espanol as a 2nd language!!;)
Saludos!
ss