There is nothing quite like the thrill of hooking a halibut. Here are some tips to help you catch more fish, and larger ones too.
Use a chum bag. Drop it over the side of the boat and leave a scent trail for the fish to find you. As an angler, you will find this tip helps you in two ways. First, the chum bag anchors you in one spot for ease of fishing and second, it appeals to the fish’s senses of smell and sight.
Be Patient
It takes some time to nail that halibut successfully, particularly if it is a large one. Rather than hook it right away, wait until it eats the bait before you do so. On a related note, use a circle hook so that it’s more difficult for the halibut to get away.
About Hooks
Continuing with the discussion about hooks, be sure to use sharp ones. It’s a well-known tip but absolutely true. Don’t be yet another halibut fisherman that goes around with a dull hook. It might look sharp at first glance but if it’s not, then it won’t be able to pierce the fish’s jaw.
If you use big bait, you are more likely to get bites from big halibut. Have you ever been on a charter boat? They often use whole heads to get large halibut. As said earlier, be patient and let the fish completely take the head. It takes longer as they are likely swimming from longer distances than if you had used smaller bait instead. The odds are in your favor that you’ll land a halibut of at least 50lbs by using a head as the bait.
Use a combination of the above tips to improve your next trip out fishing for halibut. If you have halibut fishing tips of your own, please share them in the comments below.