Anchoring for Halibut

[GWP]

Just got a call that my new MinnKota Riptide Terrova is in. THAT will be my new salt water anchor!

[7mmfan]

Just got a call that my new MinnKota Riptide Terrova is in. THAT will be my new salt water anchor!

Now you're talking!

[WSU]

We anchored on the halibut opener for Area 6.  We fished one tide two days in a row (roughly 5 hours each day).  The first day we got 3, which was the best we heard from any boat.  We did the same thing the next day in the same location on the same tide and got 0.  Seems like a fair amount of luck involved, both good and bad. 

It sure seems to me like drifting would be better to cover ground, but that doesn't seem to be the consensus.  Seems like nobody is sure if one is better than the other.  What do others thing?

Also, we used some crab rope I have for pulling elk out and it worked great with the EZ Mariner puller.

[fishngamereaper]

We've anchored before and had some luck but my ADD kick's in. I like to drift and cover ground. Halibut are opportunistic feeder's. Being anchored you hope they catch your scent and come looking. Drifting you hope they catch your sent and if not you hope you drift over their ambush hole. We have holes that are guaranteed spots on the inside but they are to deep to anchor.. With that said i prefer to run offshore and just get it done...if I don't get a bite in 5 minutes something is wrong...

[WSU]

The straits were a different deal for sure.  Seems like a tiny fraction of the amount of fish offshore.

[Mfowl]

It sure seems to me like drifting would be better to cover ground, but that doesn't seem to be the consensus.  Seems like nobody is sure if one is better than the other.  What do others thing?
[/quote]

Inside the Strait I much prefer anchoring as bites are likely few and far between. Its much more relaxing to sit on the hook.

[Angry Perch]

For you guys that anchor, do you throw a chum bag out on a downrigger?

[Mfowl]

For you guys that anchor, do you throw a chum bag out on a downrigger?

I do put a chum bag on the DR not the anchor. My opinion being that the anchor will lure fish past your gear while the DR will bring them to it.

[WSU]

For you guys that anchor, do you throw a chum bag out on a downrigger?

We put one on the DR.  One day we caught fish and one we didn't.  Hard to say if it matters or not.  With 4 lines in the water, most with 2 baits, we already had a lot of scent down there.

[Mfowl]

For you guys that anchor, do you throw a chum bag out on a downrigger?

I do put a chum bag on the DR not the anchor. My opinion being that the anchor will lure fish past your gear while the DR will bring them to it.

I should add that I believe the sound of weights thumping on the bottom is the main attractor and the chum/scent is just insurance.