Caught my first halibut

[Bruntoj]

Caught my first halibut ever, at Carlsbad lagoon, late Friday afternoon. Couldn't believe it when it was happening, ended up climbing on shore to land it and not screw things up.
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160511/e794d62f7e23a2a75b7296348e274b21.jpg

Only got back into fishing recently, fishing light gear and plastics, and happy to be catching anything at all, normally spotties.


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[Sir g neville]

Nice catch! How big was that guy? Looks like he put up a good fight!

[Bruntoj]

28 inches. Didn't weigh it. Any guesses?

On a related note: 6 knotted garbage bag layers around the carcass is not enough to prevent an unholy trash can smell in a garage on day 4. Wife is not so happy. Next time I'll be doing a drive-by drop off somewhere.


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[tamddo714]

freeze carcass and then throw it out on trash day.

[Geno Machino]

Nice job! You catch that bad boy by the YMCA?

[CALIFORNIA_LOCO]

very nice! contrats:luxhello:

[hiramehunter]

freeze carcass and then throw it out on trash day.

X2

that's what I do if you have the freezer space

[theluckypig]

:cheers1:

[Bruntoj]

Nice job! You catch that bad boy by the YMCA?



Yes, but halfway towards the freeway, middle of lagoon, not next to the YMCA where the float tube guys tend to congregate.

[DanaPT]

Yes, but halfway towards the freeway, middle of lagoon, not next to the YMCA where the float tube guys tend to congregate.

Now you know why. Congrats.

[GregAndrew]

freeze carcass and then throw it out on trash day.
X2, or better yet take it back to the water to feed the critters.

[Druko]

Nice score!

[surfisher]

Rad! I've seen those float tubers pull some huge hali's out of there on live bait. I always opted for the 1oz head + 5" swim bait, fishing with the current and slowly bouncing the bottom! I think there is a ridge right there where they congregate, goes from 5 feet to 20 feet real quick.

[Harry Hill]

I still haven't gotten my first halibut but I'm out there hunting them. Congratulations on a nice fish.

[maquinapescado]

I throw all my carcasses out in the trash can by the bus stop around the corner from my house. That or the 7-11 trashcan in front of the store.

[stoned-trout]

looks like something messed it up a bit once upon a time..

[Bruntoj]

Forgot to mention: this was on the smallest (1/4oz) warbaits slayer head and a small (3" I think) brownish striped Hammer swim bait. About 5' depth - I'd drifted diagonally away from the deep channel and was, I thought, in Spottie territory. Beginners luck I guess.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160512/235ec71537079509b4e54ab0863bc359.jpg

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[run23]

awesome! i've been fishing that channel in the mornings but i have a limited time frame and usually can't time the tides. i'm going to have to explore that lagoon a bit apparently :) i usually fish from around 9-noon on the days i can make it. maybe i'll see you out there one day.

[Vikingj]

Congrats! You will never forget that 1st one - especially when its that big!
I have never tried Carlsbad lagoon. What frwy offramp do I take? Is there a launch ramp? ..Parking or launching fee?..Hours of operation? Thanks, Wayne

[Methman]

Congrats! You will never forget that 1st one - especially when its that big!
I have never tried Carlsbad lagoon. What frwy offramp do I take? Is there a launch ramp? ..Parking or launching fee?..Hours of operation? Thanks, Wayne

Wayne it is between Cannon and Tamarak off the I-5. You can launch off of Bayshore Drive. You supposedly need a permit for the city, but I've heard it isn't actively enforced.

I'll hopefully be practicing out there this weekend.

[pbb]

So you launch at the Bayshore "passive vessel" launch, and then skirt the powerboat/PWC areas and go to the middle lagoon?

That's my understanding of where the YMCA facility is, but I have never done more than look out the window while I drive by on the freeway.

I take it there is no public access to launch at the YMCA site? And it seems (from my limited research online) you could probably launch at CA Watersports, but you would need to buy from them or have the permit. Is that right? Do they charge fees beyond the permit?

Although I was looking out the window with considerably more interest when I drove by on Saturday. ;)

[Methman]

You are 100% correct. There's an unloading area at the end of the cul-de-sac as well as parking, but it can get a bit crowded. I didn't even want to try the launch area with the jet skis. It is always crowded. The Y does have a ramp, but I assume access is limited.

I went out on my yak for the first time yesterday in the lagoon. I just stayed in the no wake zone along the north side and then up the middle, still in no wake zone, and went under the I-5 bridge. It was a pretty hard incoming tide, so I had to paddle pretty hard although my buddy cruised right through it on his Hobie...

We did some quick fishing just off the shore from the YMCA with just a few small bites. There were two other yaks out there. We just used squid and plastics, but another guy had live chovies and caught a small halibut and possibly a bass.

For in that part of the lagoon you need to hit it at the slack tide otherwise you will be getting sucked and spun around.

[pbb]

Thanks Methman. What you describe matches perfectly the City of Carlsbad's map in this brochure (http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/www.carlsbadca.gov/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=24569)<cite>.</cite><cite class="_Rm">

</cite>

[Methman]

You are very welcome! Enjoy!