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Old 06-04-2018, 04:41 PM   #1
Mr. NiceGuy
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A Question For The Halibut Wisperers

Halibut can be caught in many places, under different circumstances, at different times of the year, in many ways with a wide variety of baits and tackle. I believe that the more factors we can try to understand and can stack in our favor, the more "lucky" we become in targeting these elusive and tasty creatures. Anyone can catch a halibut by random chance. Others can finesse these factors to their advantage remarkably well.

Hence, my question to the halibut experts here today is about the flow or agitation of water and where big halibut might like to park themselves:

Do halibut tend to prefer still or calm water, or areas where water is more agitated and flowing?



For example, with all other factors being equal (ceteris paribus), would you choose:

1. Times of fast moving tide current in the bay, or the transitions between ebb and flow when the water is slack and moves more slowly?

2. Behind the breakers along a sandy beach where water is more agitated, or a little further out where there is less influence from waves hitting the beach or a jetty, etc.?

3. Windward or leeward side of structure ... jetty, kelp, pier, etc.? AND whatever the correct words are for up-current and down-current relative to a structure.

4. With the cross current across the mouth of San Diego Bay from the ocean, would you be more tempted to fish Zuniga shoal along the west side of the jetty (east side of the channel), or the flats, around rocks, and weeds on the other side of the channel from there on the Point Loma side?

** As a hobby pilot in small planes I learned the importance of wind direction and flow over mountains during different times of the day if we are flying near the ground. On the windward side, air from steady wind will flow up the side of a mountain smoothly with lift. That's why we can often see birds soaring along the ridges of mountains, enjoying the uplift and searching for prey. As the air moves over the top, it becomes turbulent and tumbles on the leeward side, creating updrafts and down drafts that can be quite violent at times, leaving baby pilots to pick rocks out of their teeth. I was wondering if this principle might be the same for water currents around structure, and where halibut might like to nest relative to the flow of water. When we want to know the air direction on the ground we can look down at cows because they always stand with their butts to the wind. I'm wondering where halibut like to "soar" for prey under easy conditions, and where they nest with their "backs to the wind." Maybe similar ideas apply, maybe they don't.

5. When air and fuel in a carburetor moves through a venturi, speed and pressure accelerates where the tube narrows. This is called Bernoulli's Principle. The mouth of a bay or harbor or estuary acts the same during tide flows. Would you want to fish IN the venturi (narrowed entry point between two bodies of water), or away from the venturi of the mouth of the harbor (San Diego Bay, Mission Bay, etc.) where the water might be relatively more calm?

6. In the ocean, would you prefer calm water days or more active days? Are slow current days better than fast current days? Clear water or cloudy water as an indication of the amount the water is stirred up?

7. Do we want to target areas that are churning or pockets of tranquility?


I think you get my drift

Where is the more likely domain of hungry halibut as far as water current is concerned?
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Old 06-04-2018, 04:46 PM   #2
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Bonus Test Question, at no additional charge

Put the letters of these fishing areas in what you think are their order of importance, if you were planning a kayak fishing expedition for halibut tomorrow morning at sunrise.

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Old 06-04-2018, 05:32 PM   #3
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My own answers (FWIW) for the bonus test question:


I like D & E, maybe for lighter gear and smaller baits.

I don't know much about B, but I'm curious to try on a nice day, especially for this time of year when halibut move into shallow areas.

I might drop a 3-way into C with a mack or lizard fish if I was drifting back in with the tide.

A & F look like good places to put on some sun screen, open an ice-cold beer. Maybe jump in the water to pee or cool off. Also looks like a nice place to light up a fine hand rolled cigar, lean back and ponder life.
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Old 06-04-2018, 07:55 PM   #4
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For the record I’m far from a halibut whisperer.
I always assumed that halibut line up with their mouths facing towards on coming tide to catch prey with current. But the last few times I’ve fished halibut I started slow trolling on bottom against current and got more solid hook sets where it feels more like the halibut has the bait coming straight toward and inhaled my bait. When I’m drifting with tide I get a lot of raked baits as though the halibut is playing catch up and nipping the tail.
I’m still not convinced either way. Can’t wait to see what the real halibut whisperers have to say.
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Old 06-04-2018, 09:12 PM   #5
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^^ yes, that's the problem with trying to figure out this brilliant list of rules for improving our chances of catching halibut .... the opposite happens!

I've given up on moon phases



"10% of the fishermen catch 90% of the fish"


A girl can dream, can't she?
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Old 06-05-2018, 04:40 AM   #6
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I’ve caught most of my halibut in ripping current. Big tide swings. This includes getting them in the surf. I had one morning throwing a lucky craft flash minnow that yielded 3 legals in 30 minutes. Two out of three fish jumped completely out of the water when they smashed my jerkbait. I was fishing a major rip current off the beach and the water was cruising. Have had similar experiences on major tide swings in kayaks and boats. The like the fast moving water for sure.
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Old 06-05-2018, 05:34 AM   #7
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References from surfing around. May or may not be relevant. Food for thought:


"... dragging the front edge of a reef. The front edge of a reef is determined by the current and which every edge of the reef the current touches first is considered the front edge. Often while fishing a reef for calico bass, barracuda, sand bass etc prime halibut habitat located near by. Halibut like to hang out in the transition zone between sandy bottom and reef."

From Newport Landing - Halibut Tips
http://www.newportlanding.com/halibutfishing.html



"... watch for underwater hydraulic relief zones. Humps, bumps, depressions, valleys, and rock piles."

From GoFish Magazine - Halibut Tips
http://www.halibut.net/HalibutTipSheet.htm


Generally speaking, I like exploring the edges of lots of things, including the shoulders of drop-offs. Personally, I've done better on the shoulder of the channel in SD Bay than I have the bottom of the channel. I've heard the opposite from other halibut enthusiasts who like fishing the bottom of the channel.)
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Old 06-05-2018, 06:09 AM   #8
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Time on the water

For me it's all about "time on the water"...you can study the water flow and moon charts and be as scientific as you want...but if you don't get out there until you think it's the "perfect time" you'll miss a lot of bites...go when you can...be prepared and hope you get lucky!
But just for the record...I like the upswing of the tide.
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Old 06-05-2018, 06:21 AM   #9
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I've always been under the impression that the better halibut grounds are further West off Zuniga - out by the whistler buoy. Area "G" that you don't show...
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Old 06-05-2018, 08:43 AM   #10
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I'm as far away from being an expert as anyone here, but this is what I've targeted when Hali specific fishing and where I've exactly found them...

"...Halibut like to hang out in the transition zone between sandy bottom and reef."
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Old 06-05-2018, 10:28 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Baja_Traveler View Post
I've always been under the impression that the better halibut grounds are further West off Zuniga - out by the whistler buoy. Area "G" that you don't show...
Are you referring to the last channel buoy on the west side of the main dredged channel entering the bay (Area I) at about 1-1.5 miles off the end of Zuniga Point, or the buoy about 4.5-5 miles off the end of Point Loma at the edge of the map (Area G)? The buoy at G whistles, and I think it's officially "Buoy #1" but that's a long damn way in a kayak, especially if the winds and currents turn against us. It can get rough out there.

For reference, each longitude/latitude square is roughly 1.5 miles. The beginning of the dredged channel is at Channel Buoys 5 & 6. The tip of Zuniga jetty lines up with Channel Buoys 7 & 8.



From: Mr. NiceGuy's pin-board office wall of brainstorming things-to-do and fishing zones to explore
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Old 06-05-2018, 10:53 AM   #12
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For those of you who want to ask, it's here:




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Old 06-05-2018, 11:55 AM   #13
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I've always peddled out to the first buoy 1.5 miles off the end of the jetty to start my drift. Prevailing wind will push me straight across the flats towards the Hotel Del. Then I'll peddle outside the surf line back north and work the outer structure of the jetty on my way back in. When there is no wind, or it is the wrong direction I slowly peddle more towards the military base, either bounce balling a hootchie, dragging a Carolina rigged curly tail or rarely (because I'm a sadist and refuse to fish live bait mostly), dropper looping a mackerel I sabiki'd off Ballast Point (mackerel always seem to be there).
Sometimes if the tide and swell is right I can cut through the jetty in the center where the swell washes over it - just time the incoming swell, get up a head of steam, then hold the Mirage fins up against the hull when I pass over the rocks 1-2 feet under me. Saves about a mile of peddling after a long day, but shouldn't be attempted on larger swell days...

That little cove just above the "32" on the inside of Point Loma on the MPA map is also a great spot to fly fish for calicos. Always had good success in there...
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Old 06-05-2018, 12:11 PM   #14
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^^ I see. From the beginning of the dredged channel (zone I/J) straight across the sand flats to Hotel Del, it's about 30-35' until you approach the beach. I want to explore that area too. It looks like the entire Coronado Bay area is pretty flat and shallow, and all sandy.

Cutting through the jetty puts you at about 20-25' depth from that point to the hotel. (EDIT: I see now that you meant for the trip back. Yes, depending on conditions, that definitely saves some time.)

An old-timer told me he used to fish that sandy area using a piece of chain as his weight on a 3-way to scuff up the sand and draw attention to his bait that followed behind on a 3-4' leader.
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