Halibut ????? (north Sound)

[gasman]

Looking to  get out next weekend to Mutiny Bay (weather permitting) for Hali next weekend. This will be my first time going on my own, with my own boat.

My question is, Does fishing the slack tide really matter for fishing halibut?

I mean, are they one of those fish that bite best at dusk and dawn , or fishing the tide change is best?

Best tide, Ebb or Flood, or don't matter 


What about Point No Point for Lings?

Any advise on the area would be appreciated.

Planning on launching at Salisbury and heading up past Point No Point, to Mutiny and or maybe Useless for lings and Hali.

[snowpack]

I have usually heard that the strongest tide is generally best for halibut.  With the way the sound is oriented that could be either tide.  Also, the way the bottom contours for that tide.  Some of the more seasoned guys could probably give better specifics.  My understanding is that halibut have a good sense of smell and like to swim perpendicular to the tide currents, then when they smell something they turn and swim up the scent stream.  So a stronger tide gives you a longer scent trail to draw in the fish.  I think they like it best when the stream is going from a shallow to a deeper area so they can sneak up from below.

[Mfowl]

I haven't made any correlations between tides changes and good halibut fishing. I think some current is good cause your moving and covering water. Too much current makes it hard to fish because of the speed and the amount of weight you need to stay on the bottom. Halibut like to position on the down current side of structure and either pick up a scent trail as mentioned or ambush what ever comes close. They will move around a reposition for a tide change. Slack tide has always been tough for me because your just sitting in the same spot. I've tried trolling off the downriggers at slack tide but haven't produced any results that way yet. A lot of guys have specific waypoints marked on their charts that consistently produce fish on different tides. I would suggest studying some charts and develop a game plan based on the tides and then go give it a try. This weekend looks like favorable tides and should be worth investing sometime. I'll be in PA Thur/Sat/Sun for the derby. Good luck out there!

[gasman]

Thanks guys, keep the info coming if you can. (newbee to halibut fishing)

My daughter called me asked to go with me, so now I'm under pressure to get her on fish 

What is best recommendation for Hali, bait (which bait) or jigs?
I have only been out once after Hali, that was two years ago and we had no success, so my knowledge of hali fishing is limited.

I have jigs, (lead head and copper pipe's) got spreader bar and cannonballs and hali hooks. Planing on getting some octopus for bait but other then that 

Do jigs work good, what is the best jigs or scent to use?

[snowpack]

octopus is good.  Salmon/salmon scraps are good bait.  Shrimp.  Herring.

[RB]

octopus is good.  Salmon/salmon scraps are good bait.  Shrimp.  Herring.

Use stretchy string and tie the hooks to a herring then slide a squid skirt over the herring works good. Octopus is awesome as well as Salmon bellies jigs will work but bait seems better at times best of luck

[Mfowl]

Octopus is great bait. For fishing inside waters I would suggest to use bait only. A cut plug blue label herring or even black/purple label rigged on a heavy mooching rig (40-50lb). I've never tried to rig a cutplug with the heavy duty hali leaders, not sure how it would work. They will eat a whole herring no problem. I prefer tuna rigs over spreader bars. 12-32oz lead should suffice. If you are having trouble keeping your gear on the bottom keep your main or kicker motor running and back into the drift to slow down. If its rough out go bow first into the chop. Sometimes one person just has to run the motor while the others fish. Put a chunk of octopus on your trailer hook or put a big hoochie on and put a glob of octopus behind that. Octopus stays on the hook really well whereas herring can get stripped off by a small bite. When you get a bite let'em eat then set the hook. They're not shy, they'll try to gobble up your bait as fast as they can. Try different jigging methods, swim your bait on the bottom, lift and drop etc. If possible try to find a cobble/gravel bottom vs mud/sand.

[jackmaster]

Octopus is the best.bait, I doesn't matter when you fish or what tide, what matters is being able to get your gear down, a dumb halibut would eat a beer can if you put it in front of them. Good luck, have fun

[gasman]

I have a few pinks inj the freezer and I do believe I saved some bellys from last years salmon, gonna have to check the freezer.

[Hunterman]

Hey Pete,, Halibut are the bottom cleaners of the sound. Salmon guts with herring, salmon bellies with herring, and BIG herring. The herring puts the oil and sent in the water to bring them halis in..

Hunterman(Tony)

[Cap.Silver]

Ripper took me and Michael to Mutiny on Saturday .....we had a good old fishing time ..... here is the rundown ....Ripper had a nice takedown ,but lost the fish shortly after hookup  we got few flaunders and skulpin  .Talked to checker at 5pm - 5 halis on 2 boats and 3 lings on 1 boat ....that was it ...... and yes .... take your salmon bellies and fill bait bag with it and send it down on downrigger (if you anchor ) .... or tie little crab bait box 2"x2"x2" to your spreader bar . Some say better fishing on ebb tide .

[gasman]

Would we be better going farther north and fishing?

I would not mind fishinf Smith, Parterage, or protection, just not familular with any launches up there.

[Skyvalhunter]

Had a friend fishing there this weekend and they were only able to boat one halibut

[rover758]

We launched out of Port Townsend the last two weekends.  The first weekend we were north by west of McCurdy Point - maybe about even with Protection Island on the bank and boated 3 between 25# and 30#.  We were drifting with the tide and picked all of them up on the same Squid Jig with herring teaser.  This past weekend we went to the same place and got nothing so moved to Dallas bank and picked up one chicken.  Didn't hear of many boats picking up more than one.  It was a minus tide with almost 11 feet of exchange.  The faster the tide the more we tend to stay at 100 to 180 feet of water so we can stay down.  The closer to slack tide we try and hit the drop-offs where the hali are laying in ambush.  I think we're jinxed on the PA Tourney.  Haven't caught a fish in 3 years of fishing there.  We headed to Sekiu Thursday after work and going to fish there and Neah Bay - maybe out to Swiftsure for the weekend.  I rig a Kajiki Squid and mash small herring into the body and cut herring on a teaser.  Ditto on the stretchy thread and ditto on the octo.

[The Fin]

Picked this one up last Saturday out at Admiralty.  Fished all day and picked it up just before quitting for the day.