Halibut leader ?'s

Mikeymoto · 01-09-2006, 10:30 PM

First off, thanks to Pilar for posting the great directions that even a cross eyed rookie can follow.
Now on to the question's:
I was thinking of rigging the leaders with a couple of rattles or brass and glass beads to make a little noise down there. Does anybody do this? Maybe something to make a little vibration would also help. How about light sticks? Any other tricks that you wanna let out of the bag.
Thanks,
Mike

lor · 01-09-2006, 10:50 PM

Alot of guys use the no Excuse Halibut rig.
Go to this link and scroll down to the pictures.
http://www.ifish.net/forum/showflat.php?...;o=&fpart=1

Some people use wire as the leader material. Others use mono.I use 150 or 200 lb mono with crimps.

Here is a post on baiting it.
http://www.ifish.net/forum/showflat.php?...true#Post825689

Hillbilly · 01-10-2006, 05:14 AM

I used a few beads last year and a big glow hootchie seemed to work really well. I actually put a second hook (sliding) above the bottom hook worked really well and helped to hold the herring on better. I was having a hard time with the circle hooks so I switched to J-hooks and was getting better hook-ups. Sometimes it meant keeping a smaller fish. J-Hooks are often swallowed causing the fish terminal injuries. I don't mind some of the smaller ones taste better anyway.

slabhunter · 01-10-2006, 06:56 AM

I've seen guys use a large spin-glo to make for some extra movement.

Hans

Metal Manipulator · 01-10-2006, 07:21 AM

Some people have taken old plugs with rattles in them and attatched them to thier rigs but with the lead pounding on the bottom and a glow in the dark hoochie it may not be nessessary.

Bendman · 01-10-2006, 07:30 AM

You might try the bead things if you want to. It�s certainly not going to hurt. I have also tried the glow stick thing but every time I tried it, it didn�t have any effect what so ever. I think that sometimes we over think this halibut thing. All the biggest fish that I have caught in Oregon have come off the biggest ugliest chunks of bait you could think of. But don�t let me discourage you, thinking up new tricks is how I keep busy in the winter.

Eagle-day · 01-10-2006, 07:51 AM

If your using a spreader bar, put a large split ring on the main line loop and attach a couple of large spinner blades to the ring, or use a old "hook less" spoon, anything that will rattle against it. It's called "ringing the dinner bell" when your bouncing the bottom. Three things to remember when going after the "Butts", sight, sound and smell. I personally stay away from circle hooks, they are fine for commercial long lines but man if the doggies are around your in for one big mess.THE NUMEMBER 1 mistake when fishing theses guys,"setting the hook to soon", let them eat on it, 10 to 15 seconds worth or more before slamming that hook home, it works and you'll put a "Butt" in the boat

Crustycritter · 01-10-2006, 07:52 AM

I agree with Bendman. I think way to much over-thinking s done. One time last year we were getting picked pretty bad by bottom fish so we moved out and had gone through a lot of bait. We run a two seperate hook jig (kinda like a herring jig) and were putting on half peices of herring. Head on the top and tail on the bottom. And we ended up hooking up two 70 lb'ers.

Sometimes even the smallest uglies rigs work as well. :grin: Just be lucky enough to find the fish.

Mister G. · 01-10-2006, 08:43 AM

about the "over-thinking" I have had good luck with about the simplest rig possible - a 6 to 10 ounce leadhead jig with a big chunk of something smelly - herring or shad - at the end of 4 feet of 80# mono for leader. Have never gone beyond the Rockpile 'cause the idea of cranking up 600+ feet to do a bait check just doesn't appeal to me at all. Maybe that means I'm missing chances at the biggest of the halibut, but I don't need to catch the biggest ones anymore. Littler ones taste better anyhow.

...$0.02 from DB

Ride Red · 01-10-2006, 10:16 AM

The number 2 mistake people make when fishing circle hooks is taking advise from someone that doesn't use circle hooks.

Quote:

slamming that hook home

Nalu · 01-10-2006, 11:57 AM

I use circle hooks exclusively. It makes giving instructions to customers fairly straight forward....

No, wait some more....no, wait some more.....ok, start reeling. Want to take a break half way up? No problem, that hook isn't coming out.

Lip Rip'r · 01-10-2006, 12:06 PM

North of the border, electronic lights are legal. We tried one last year at Swiftsure. Remember, at Swiftsure, it is a plastic game as with bait, the dogs get it before the butts can.

Well, a plastic worm WITH a light down there, seem to hook even more dogs than bait did. We tried it on two different days, but after 5 dogs in a row, it came off, and nothing but halibut from then on.

LR_

tomictime · 01-10-2006, 06:13 PM

check out batins book on Hali for a bunch of diff eideas..although guys from our site could improve the book a bunch. I use red beads between the circ hooks on my wire bait leaders. I use a foam plug inside a big Hootchie head on the jigs - it holds scent well.

JD

Hillbilly · 01-11-2006, 07:42 AM

I looked at Pilars post on halibut leaders. He puts a little bend on the hook so the tip and the shank are slightly off-set. I wanna try the circle hooks again but want better hook-ups. Does everyone put this bend in the hook or do most use the hooks straight from the package? Anything to increase my odds. Thanks!

bajadan2000 · 01-11-2006, 08:17 AM

I used Pilars setup last year and I will stay with it from now on. Did not bend the cirle hook tip. Love the cirlce hooks over every other type of hook once I learned how to set the hook. Let the fish take it awhile. Then start to reel slowly. Gradually apply more and more preasure. This gives the circle hook a chance to catch and start to work around. Never yank back to set the hook. We never lost a fish on this setup and never had a bleeder from the ones we released. Also, less chance of the hook snagging something on the bottom and getting dull. Perfect setup. Thanks Pilar. I am starting to think Pilar may know a thing or two about fishin.

01-11-2006, 08:19 AM

Hillbilly,
Buy "kerbed" circle hooks, they are pre bent. "Kerbed" is an offset.

Mustad "39965D" and "39966DT" as well as Owner "Super Mutu" circle hooks are kerbed. I have ONE 3 pack of 11/0 ringed Super Mutu hooks ($$$) to try this year. The gap on a 11/0 Owner is about the same as a 14/0 Mustad.

CAPT KUJO · 01-11-2006, 08:24 AM

Quote:

I use circle hooks exclusively. It makes giving instructions to customers fairly straight forward....

No, wait some more....no, wait some more.....ok, start reeling. Want to take a break half way up? No problem, that hook isn't coming out.

In two year of Chartering I have NEVER failed to limit for customers on every trip!

#8 circle hooks and 90lb wire with crimps. The key : IF IT"S NOT ON THE BOTTOM YOU WON"T CATCH FISH PERIOD. Also having a skilled boat operator like Admiral Lyn hold you on the stop and bait on the bottom is also a big +

CAPT KUJO

Hillbilly · 01-11-2006, 08:40 AM

I'll be making a trip to Newport soon and will be looking for the pre-off set rigs. Thanks Keta. I'll give them circles another shot this year and be patient with the bite.
The circle hooks usually hook'em right in the corner of the mouth right? I can't wait for May. I saw somewhere that the opener for all-depth will be the 11th of May. Great info guys and thank-you!

01-11-2006, 09:41 AM

Quote:

The circle hooks usually hook'em right in the corner of the mouth right?

80%-90% of the time.

Lip Rip'r · 01-11-2006, 11:38 AM

The other 10-20% it will still be in the lip. At least, I have never seen or heard of one sticking in deeper.

LR_

01-11-2006, 12:45 PM

I've seen a few gutlet hooked but most of the "misshooks" were in the gills.

This was on commercial longline sets with thousands of hooks though.

Pilar · 01-11-2006, 02:26 PM

Thanks Bajadan for your kind words. But I can't take credit for something I did not invent. I am more Magpie than original thinker.

I know enough about fishing to copy a good thing when I see it. Big Jon showed me this rig which he got from Alaska and I showed you. You can all thank 'Puffin' the next time you are at the end of the Hatfield science center road at one of his crab boils.

Two things make this the 'No Excuse Rig'.

1) Take the jerk out of your fishing. No jerking when using circle hooks. This habit is so hard to undo after a lifetime of setting 'J' hooks. Just reel against any suspected fishy activity and tighten up your line. If you feel any variable pressure or head shake, reel faster .. if not drop it down and wait some more. When you get the big bend and head shake reel as hard as you can to get the fish off the bottom. Or watch your line go away if the fish is big.

2) No slack. As I used to say "the bend is your friend". Another 'Puffin' thing.

Most fish come up with the hook looped around the jaw bone in the corner of the mouth. You can release almost every fish and they will swim away every time.

The offset hook is an added thing. So are glow hootchies and other contraptions. Sharp hooks are a must. Use a cheap plastic slide-o for the weight slider instead of the swivel. This based on reports of the 170# leader breaking on the sliding weight 1/2 of the rig. We don't have the 300# wire here in Oregon that they used on the rig from Alaska that I copied.

Watch 'Puffin' to learn something about fishing if you can catch him in his Ed Wing tank. He uses a spreader bar and an Alvin or FST spoon now with no bait. And it works even in the dark under 600 foot of water. Is it the flash or the noise // ...

I learn something every time I fish with the man.

tomictime · 01-11-2006, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Hillbilly,
Buy "kerbed" circle hooks, they are pre bent. "Kerbed" is an offset.

Mustad "39965D" and "39966DT" as well as Owner "Super Mutu" circle hooks are kerbed. I have ONE 3 pack of 11/0 ringed Super Mutu hooks ($$$) to try this year. The gap on a 11/0 Owner is about the same as a 14/0 Mustad.

I have the "other" 3 pack..Yikes, they were expensive - beautiful..and I hope deadly....Keta, you are a man of good taste, if I ever said anything bad about you or Tolly, I take it back...

JD