halibut rod?

[verysweepy]

I will be moving to Sitka, AK this summer and and want to pick up a good halibut rod and reel before I go, just looking for some suggestions on what I should be looking for, thanks in advance.

[Ragnar]

As halibut are not subtle biters... and all you need is something that'll bring'em to the gaff. I'd suggest an Ugly Stick. They make them in many different configuations, but for the most part they are very affordable. If you manage to break it? They will replace it free.
Just like with sturgeon here, you never know how big of a fish you're going to hook into. It's better to be safe than sorry with "Old Mr. Wrinkled in the Mouth" and go with something that can tell a fish "NO" with some authori-tah!

As for reels... The sky is the limit there. Line capacity is probably your biggest concern.
The rest is bonus. Like two speeds, lever drags, tuff line(is real nice for fishing deep).
My advise would be to contact some of the local charters and guides in the Sitka area and quiz them on it.
They use this stuff all the time. You will probably get just as many different answers, but it will be better specialized for that location.
They may also be able to tell you what type of gear works in the area (chunk bait, lead head jigs with plastics or trolling with big flashers and glow in the dark hoochies).
I've caught those crazy fish all different ways.
Good Luck up there,
Ragnar

[Sensei-san]

Having sport fished in Sitka for halibut, they use similar gear to what we use down here except the terminal tackle is different. But I would seriously consider taking a charter trip there first before buying tackle. I used to take my own gear up there when I would go fishing. I found that most charters use stouter gear because of the abuse they take. Going too light can be a heart breaker when you launch into a 300# halibut then loose it due to tackle failure.

[Dan in Alaska]

I have been on many halibut trips with charters before buying my own boat. Most charters, I fished with and talked to, use 5'6" stand-up rods in the 100 - 130# class. Some (including me) prefer roller tips and stripper guides, but they are not necessary. I prefer a rod with a good, solid aluminum reel seat vs. a graphite one. There are several manufacturers that make rods that fit this description. I personally own Lamiglass stand-up rods (5610RT, if I remember correctly). I bought them new at the Sportsman's Show for $70 each, and they seem to be holding up well for me.

Many charters use Penn Senator 114 reels with 100# Tuff-Line or Power-Pro. For the money, the 114's are tough to beat, but I prefer levelwind reels, so I own Penn 340's and 345's.

I hope this helps you out. Good luck with your upcoming move.

Dan

[Bendman]

“Halibut are not subtle biters”….That’s for sure. :shocked: That reminds me of when I was a young kid fishing with my uncle out of Newport. I was bobbing in the swells half a sleep sitting in a chair holding my rod (actually my uncles rod) when a halibut hit so hard it snapped the pole in half over the edge of the boat and broke the line all in an blink of an eye. [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img] If I remember I think he was more mad that I lost the fish than his pole.