1st time out for halibut... what else do i need?

[bait dunker]

im headed out for halibut with skipper next week if seas permit. i have two good rods, a penn 209 and a 321gti loaded with 80# tuff line. i have (3)48oz cannon balls. im rigging up the halibut leaders as shown with the wire leaders and 16/0 hooks. now for bait. i was told shad are good (big bait, big fish) but herring, squid and large sardines are best. so looking at the 16/0 hooks i am just curious about the baits. do you just put several herring one one hook? how many baits do i need? we will be fishing out of garibaldi with 3 people in the boat. do i need more sinkers? what else might i expect to catch while fishing for halibut? are the black cod worth eating? thanks... any advice is appreciated

Some like blackcod some don't they are oily.

[Salmonator]

Yea, I would for sure grab some more sinkers. Thats a long azz trip to be runnin' out of lead. I don't know about the water out of garibaldi but I've lost a few 48's out at the ranch in a day. I usually carry 10 to 12 for two rods just to be safe.

[Orca]

If you only have 3 balls, you may come up short :smile:. We have lost up to 10-12 / day at the chicken ranch for 4 people, and sometimes you might only lose half that. You will lose a few less rigs however say maybe 7 or 8.

Large herring are good, but med would do. I thread them down through the mouth, as far down as they bend, then out the side or belly. I then use a couple small rubber bands, one for the head, one for the body. You want that rubber band to really cinch down their head (or just behind the head) right at the end of the hook at the swivel, The other band can hold their body to the hook. I would take at least 6 baits / person. You might get it done with 1 each, but it's a long way to go to get more.

You will also need to start eating your spinach to get those Popeye forearms bulging, because they are going to be burning at the end of the day.

[Puffin]

I would recomend at least one pack of herring per person as it would suck to go all that way and have a bait shortage also if you have leftovers you can always troll for salmon bring some form of artificials also shrimp flies or flashers such as alvins are good good luck and remember always better to have and not need than need and not have

[puffins crew]

Bring at least one complete set up extra able to fish 750 feet of water plus. The bigger the bait, the more drag in the water, and the more line it takes. Get some more sinkers. Get some streachy string to lash your bait to the hook. Glow in the dark hoochies are good. Drop your stuff down to the bottom, and reel up five or six cranks. Do not drag your stuff on the bottom, you will anchor the boat.

Good fishing,

Peace, Tom

[Jimmy Carl Black]

Maybe stuff a cotton ball or yarn or something in the head of your hootchie to hold in bait scent in case it does come off down at the edge of the abyss.