Halibut Baits
Bait Rigs
Talk to a hundred halibut anglers and you’re likely to hear about dozens of ways to send bait to the bottom. Since most sport fishing for halibut occurs in 100 or more feet of water, you need lots of lead to keep baits near the bottom. Factor in winds and currents and the weight increases, sometimes unbearably so.
When using heavy monofillament, I like a sliding weight system that allows the fish to mouth the bait without feeling the weight. {see illustration}. This method works great, but relies on smell instead of sight.
I prefer using Berkley 20 to 30-pound Fireline because it doesn’t stretch, signals all bites, and cuts through the water with its super-thin diameter which enables me to use half the weight of comparable mono line. I attach a drop sinker tied on 30-inches of 12-pound test to a heavy-duty three-way swivel. A short 16-inch piece of heavy 50-plus mono or wire leader tied to a 5/0 to 10/0 hook holds the bait away from the swivel and provides durability against sharp teeth. This setup allows the bait to dangle above the bottom which attracts halibut from a greater distance.
With either rig, the amount of weight could vary from a few ounces to two pounds – any more than that and you’ll just tire needlessly from cranking dead weight up and down all day. Always use the least amount of weight possible to keep your bait near the bottom.
When using heavy monofillament, I like a sliding weight system that allows the fish to mouth the bait without feeling the weight. {see illustration}. This method works great, but relies on smell instead of sight.
I prefer using Berkley 20 to 30-pound Fireline because it doesn’t stretch, signals all bites, and cuts through the water with its super-thin diameter which enables me to use half the weight of comparable mono line. I attach a drop sinker tied on 30-inches of 12-pound test to a heavy-duty three-way swivel. A short 16-inch piece of heavy 50-plus mono or wire leader tied to a 5/0 to 10/0 hook holds the bait away from the swivel and provides durability against sharp teeth. This setup allows the bait to dangle above the bottom which attracts halibut from a greater distance.
With either rig, the amount of weight could vary from a few ounces to two pounds – any more than that and you’ll just tire needlessly from cranking dead weight up and down all day. Always use the least amount of weight possible to keep your bait near the bottom.