to trap hook? or not trap hook?.. that is the question.
 

Launched from shelter island yesterday at about 6 am and hit the bait barge. We picked up a kayak scoop of very nice and perfect sized sardines for 10 bucks. After picking up the bait we headed straight to the flats and gave the halibut a try...

I hat an 8 foot rod, loaded with 12 lbs test on a Carolina rig wet with a trap.... I dropped the lively bait down and immediately started getting taps, but no solid strikes... This happened a few times and each time I could see the bite marks on the bait... I've been reading up on halibut fishing and was wondering if you guys can chime in and give me advise as to what is recomended at this spot... Single hook vs trap and what is more succesful out here...

Ended the day fishing for bass and caught a few of them along with some lizard fish... But no halis... Overall it was a good productive day out there, but a bit on the slow side...

Tight lines to all...

When Halibut fishing I always use the stinger or trap hook. Some use treble hooks and others will use a second circle or octopus hook. Either one works well. I always nose hook the first hook and then the second hook goes midway between the tail and mid section of the bait. Biggest thing I can say about Halibut is be patient.

Patience is definitely key, but I've tried both rigs and have had better luck with just a single nose hook for some reason. Were your baits coming up with big rake marks on them. Were your fishing circle hooks? It takes a while to get good at halibut fishing. But what do I know my ten year old sister has caught more legals than I have this year.

Yeah... A few of them came up with some big rake marks. I was using a 4/0 hook with a treble hook at the end on a slider 3 oz sinker... I guess next time ill try circle hooks. I noticed that most of the rake marks were towards the middle section of the bait... I guess its true about being patient.... I'll definitely be hitting that spot more.

Hey jimmyz, I was wondering if that might have been what I was doing wrong.... I was placing the treble hook on the upper side of the bait, at the begining of the tail... Does hooking the bait in the midsection decrease the length of life? If so, I will need to constantly be changing it out and being that I have a bait tube that will be an issue for me... For the time being... Saving up for a bait tank at the moment.

I've fished both ways, and I prefer just a single hook. The big buts will have no problem inhaling the bait. Sure, I have missed alot of fish, but I'd rather not have to deal with unhooking a treble out of a sublegal. I also think the baits presentation is more natural without a trap hook. Just my $.02, and I know there's some damn good halibut fishermen who swear by
The trap rig.

That is one thing I didn't consider... That would be a huge pain in the ass trying to getvthe trevle out of a sublegal. Not only that, but from what ive been reading, they could also get tail rot and die... That would be a bummer. I'll be trying again next weekend and ill try the single circle hook. Thank you much for the information, sir...

I match the hook size to the bait size and single hook. If its a keeper he'll suck it down.

If you are getting taps, the tail is chewed up and no hookups it is probably Lizzardfish. Small Halibut usually hit baits very aggressively which will not feel like a tap. If your baits are coming back without clear vertical wound lines, where it struggled to get free from the clamped jaws, that can also indicate Lizzardfish. I have seen them shred up Sardines nearly as long as they were.

As far as Trap hooks, the answer is based on how you are going to fish them. If you sit still or move slowly enough that you are not in constant contact with your sinker, I would not recommend a trap hook. I would also not recommend it if you like to let your fish eat your bait. Besides sub-legals there are other species that can become foul hooked, given enough time, even when using large baits.

I could def. See the rake marks when I brought up the bait... But, as far as the type of fishing we were drifting and soaking the bait... Outgoing current was a pain in the ass, but i noticed the close I got to the shore, the less the current would affect my movement... I know ill be out there again on saturday.

I noticed another beach launch area, almost adjacent to the bait barge, just north of the subs... Anyone happen to know how to get to that launch. I would assume it would cut 30 minutes off the paddle to the flats from shelter island boat launch...

That would be awesome if you could launch there? Is it close to ballast point? I've got a halibut hole close to there I might hit Saturday too we pulled four halis over 20 lbs in a few hours there a few weeks ago.

I looked into it a bit further, and it appears to have public access. I guess its near Lawrence street, off rosecrans... I'm gonna drive out there on Wednesday and have a look... If parking is not an issue, I will def. Look into launching from there on Saturday morning...

It will def. Cut the paddling down compared to shelter island...

I call bs with no pictures.

I wish I had the pictures to show for it! It was an awesome day my lil sister caught her PB at 22 lbs on light tackle I had the whole thing on video. But somebody decided they needed everything in my car more than I did so they broke the window and stole everything from my tools to pens in my center console while I was surfing.

Use a trap hook with big sardine or mac baits, use a single hook with anchovie or little sardines.

I haven't seen any loss of life fast with the hook placed on the dorsal line or underneath. I know someone told me once that you should place it is a specific spot, but I usually grab the bait, hook the nose and then the tail section as fast as I can to limit the amount of contact with the bait. One thing I have learned with Halibut is when you see that bite happening, wait, until he bait is truly picked up.
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Top fish was 32" and the second fish was 26". Both caught on the same day. Keep in mind also if using circle hooks don't set the hook, just reel and the hook will seat itself. Also when cranking them in, go slow and have a net ready, with a gaff you have to make a fast judgement call, so a net works better for measuring, and use one that will not split the tail.

I stopped using trap hooks quite a number of years ago. Using the traps made catching short halibut and gut hooking big sand bass easier. I think traps damage the baits, take longer to tie, and in general I don't like having a treble hook swinging around. Like other poster said, a big hali will eat the bait if they want it. Mike

If what you are looking at is Lawrence street. It is accessable for launching. However, it is only two hour parking. Residential area.

I only use circle hooks when fishing halibuts. There's nothing worse than wanting to release a fish and finding trebles stuck in it's throat. Shorts, bycatch, sandbass, C&R, all suffer. I'm mostly a C&R guy on hali's anyway. I see trap hooks as more of a crude & cruel method used by commercial boats and fishermen who want to troll over large areas faster with heavy line without having to pay constant attention. I use circles and finesse, light line and light drag, paying attention to my lines when slow-trolling and quickly give 'em slack when I get a tap. Wait for them to swim off with the bait and then set the hook. Corner of the mouth 100% of the time. I don't think I'm missing any fish with this technique, and I don't like dealing with setting up baits on trap hooks anyway.