Halibut Hill

[Pilar]

Howdy! Just a reminder that the one day all depth Halibut fishery is this Friday Sept. 22 2000. 'Puffin' and 'Pilar' are pushing off at Newport S. Beach Marina at 0600 and going to the Chicken Ranch, 32 miles out. Any one who wants info on gear, techniques, or boat preparation can E me or post here. I'll answer any questions I can.

If you have a reliable blue water boat and you want to have a ton of fun, check it out. The Coast Guard will be there with helicopter, cutter and motor life boats. I expect several hundred boats to attend the festivities.

The bait is herring or octopus. The tackle is available at Fisherman's Marine and other places. You'll need a stiff stick and a reel that holds 300 yds or more of 80# tufline. I use an Ugly Stik BWB1120 and a Penn Senator 4/0.

This fishery kicks @$$ and could get you seriously addicted to ocean fishing.

The bend is your friend!!

PS. Not far from Tuna Town either, maybe we'll drag purple and black on the way back in to the beach.

[wak'm&stak'm]

I have been keeping an eye on the ocean and it hasn't been that nice today, thew Northwestern blew and it is so foggy you can't see 200 yrds. I don't mean to be a downer but please be smart about your trip plans.
There are fish at the pile and there will be plenty of boat inside the south end, and they caught some chinooks out there lately. It is only 16 miles and just as good.
Good luck

[Pilar]

Thanks Wak. We watch the weather pretty close too. Has to be flat with no wind before I'll hang it out that far. Hope it lays down for Friday.

I've been meaning to find that other spot you're talking about, can you be more specific about the location? What's the depth and GPS coordinates? We fish the Rockpile whenever we can but never for Flatties.

Also is that within the 30 fathom line or is it good for halibut only on the all depth days?

Thanking you for your concern. The bend is your friend!

[Salmonator]

The last time we tried the 30 fathom line we barely got two miles off of the light house if that tells you anything...

[wak'm&stak'm]

There are spots above 30 fathoms on the pile but since you have to break the 30 fathom curve to get there they do not count.
Once this spring we just dropped a line on the inside of a shelf @ 44-34-300 124-21-920 and we caught 4 over 50 pounds in a matter of minutes. Then I tried it again later and just for the heck of it and didn't pick one up.
But if you go anywhere 44-27-000 and 124-20-000 you will find a lot of boats.
Foggy and blowing again today but I see there maybe a weather change the next couple of days, if it should improve I may have to put the bow down for the day.
Good luck