quick, cheap, halibut rig

Been putzin around south sound for a bit.
The lead in the pic is 10 oz, I start with about 4' of leader, the dropper loop is just long enough to slide some bling on and a 14/0 or 16/0 mustad hook on. The bling is added to the rig to make it more visable and exciting + if some bait robber steals your bait, you're still fishing. On the hook goes the goodies, pink salmon parts, squid, octopus or whatever you have in the bait bucket and top the mess off with a doseour favorite scent

Sliding weight is nice, I've tried a lot of different rigs and the weight on the bottom works best for me, I don't have to worry that the rig is sitting on the bottom in a tangled mess and I'll always keep bumping the bottom and keeping the line taunt so any fish that does grad the bait is up against the light setting of the drag anyway + the fish doesn't have a lead beating in the head on the way up + I can use the same rig for drifting.

If you're fishing in water that you can anchor in, 250' is my limit, current is good. With a good sent trail in that current you can really draw in fish from far away. To help speed things up you can send down a bait bomb. To bait bomb, get a pint or so plastic bucket, attach a couple of feet of gannion to the bottom of the bucket, on the other end of the gannion attach a snap swivel. On the bucket lid, attach a bit of gannion and a barrel swivel. Load the bucket up with salmon scraps and other free taste treats. Carefully attach the bottom of the bucket to the downrigger and the lid to a fishing rod, ease that bucket of goo down to the bottom and then pop the lid off with the fishing rod & hit the up button on the downrigger. For big fish, anchor
, current, bait bomb and a couple industrial strength gannion rigs with whole pink salmon on them does the trick....when the current dies, you can hoist anchor and drift and fish back over the scent trail

Maybe you can take something from this and catch more, bigger fish
 
Very informative Ken.

I particularly appreciate capitalizing on stink. Why don't you want to beat them in the head with the lead though?

Real question: Can you tell us why you prefer a "J" hook instead of a circle hook?

Thanks for going into the details. This will help my program.

Tom

P.S. I saw the hairy thing in your photo album, page 1 at the bottom, click on Album: innards, the 5th photo.
 
No , it's circle hooks for me,even when drifting. If I have a guest that doesn't have the required patience for circle hooks and insists on massive hook sets, I'll bust out some J hooks

That hairy thing passed away a few years back, he was 0art of the family for about 18 years....I will never have another pet

We need to get a Columbia river brat gathering going
 
Ken

Same for us on a hairy thing and a shorter haired hairy thing (cat and dog). They were really good ones.

Anuther question. You mentioned 250' depth, limit of what you want to do anchoring. What is the total length of anchor line you are carrying for this considering current is recommended? I understand the basics of scope of anchor line to the depth you are in, relative to bottom surface like sand, and mud. To retrieve your line I'm guessing you use something like an easy anchor puller and buoy system.

Since you use circle hooks most of the time I'm assuming the sizing you mentioned is Mustads circle hooks?

I had the wk. off kind of. Falling some timber for next winters wood and home stuff. Rene preparing for going to Lucca, Italy to teach water color painting for month of May. I'm mastering Bologna, along with halibut rig.

Columbia River sounds nice. We love the river and a picnic.

Tom
 
I sometimes use downriggers to fish for halibut every now and then in Cook Inlet where the tide rips and the water is less than 100 feet deep. If you have a good spot, a tide going, and are on the anchor, and can't wait around for slack, you can fish very effectively with them. However, and the best part, there is no stinking weight on your line meaning you can fish with light gear and really get a fight. If you have good current, tangles are a not an issue if you are careful. Deep water might be more complicated. I've never done it.

Where the water is deep and there are not strong currents - like the open gulf, slack tide around the proper structure is great on conventional gear.

Honestly, anymore, I just stick with a 24 once weight (give or take, depends) these days and fish the slack tides - plenty of time on my hands in the summer :)
 
Tom,

If you have a good anchor with a lot of chain, 400 feet of rope (or even a bit less) works just fine in 250 feet of water. I anchor 220-240 with it all the time in the wind in current and I'm not sure I have ever dragged the anchor. You're not spending the night on it, and as long as it holds, who really cares, right?

If you are sleeping on it, are not in a protected spot, and have wind and current, I don't think I'd sleep very well if I didn't have at least 5:1. And I'd rather have more. Anyway, I put out a good 200-250 feet of rode when anchoring in 40-50 of water if I am not sure of the weather - even in a protected anchorage. It held in a gale once.......Man I hate Goose Bay in PWS.....LOL.....

I'm sure others will chime in with their opinions as well :)

Tim
 
Tim

Very cool trick. Useful to have additional downrigger option and freedom of no weight fish play. Sounds like the 24 oz. rig near/during the slack is your meat and potatoes, I mean your fish and chips.

What you said in your second post about anchoring all makes sense to me. I have had some similar experiences though I was not anchored in as deep of water in anchorages on the W. coast Vancouver Is.. A guy really learns from those situations, as in resolutions of I won't do that the same way or at all again! I consider myself very fortunate not having my boat end up on the beach a couple times.

I like my anchor a lot as it was the main reason there were not different outcomes that I mentioned above. It is a Simpson Lowrence brand, plow style,~10lbs. I think they call it a Delta. I have a self dropping set up off the bow using a windlass, ~250' of rode and 22' of chain. It holds well in wind and current as you described your rig does.

I am wanting to have the option of anchoring in deeper water so getting back to your example of anchoring in ~250' depth with 400' of rode. When you said a lot of chain how much are you using?

You are using a cam locking pulley device and buoy to assist the retrieval, right? You are using a basket on the bow to store that much rode, right?
I am familiar these and have one along with basket and 300' of line. I want to confirm thats the set up you use? They are commonly used on the Columbia River near where I live.

Thanks,
Tom
 
primative":17sufzno said:
Tim

Very cool trick. Useful to have additional downrigger option and freedom of no weight fish play. Sounds like the 24 oz. rig near/during the slack is your meat and potatoes, I mean your fish and chips.

What you said in your second post about anchoring all makes sense to me. I have had some similar experiences though I was not anchored in as deep of water in anchorages on the W. coast Vancouver Is.. A guy really learns from those situations, as in resolutions of I won't do that the same way or at all again! I consider myself very fortunate not having my boat end up on the beach a couple times.

I like my anchor a lot as it was the main reason there were not different outcomes that I mentioned above. It is a Simpson Lowrence brand, plow style,~10lbs. I think they call it a Delta. I have a self dropping set up off the bow using a windlass, ~250' of rode and 22' of chain. It holds well in wind and current as you described your rig does.

I am wanting to have the option of anchoring in deeper water so getting back to your example of anchoring in ~250' depth with 400' of rode. When you said a lot of chain how much are you using?

You are using a cam locking pulley device and buoy to assist the retrieval, right? You are using a basket on the bow to store that much rode, right?
I am familiar these and have one along with basket and 300' of line. I want to confirm thats the set up you use? They are commonly used on the Columbia River near where I live.

Thanks,
Tom
Click to expand...

Tom,

The downrigger trick isn't mine, although I would love to take credit for it. I learned it from a halibut book a decade ago. I was reluctant at first, but in Cook Inlet it works with the tides and shallow waters. In Seward, with little current and deep water, why bother? It is just more trouble than it is worth.

Yes I use the float system to bring up the anchor. It works well enough. Of course, you have to be careful as to where your rode is when bringing it up as you don't want to foul the props, but I've never had any issues over hundreds of cycles. And yes, I have the milk crate up front stuffed full of rode. Not exactly high tech, or even pretty....I had no idea the guys on the Columbia use that too. Why not? It works. I have no idea how much chain I used when I set up the anchor, but I am pretty sure I used twice as much as recommended as that is really what keeps you hooked to the bottom. It's heavy and there have been times I wish it wasn't there....Other times, I am very happy it is there. You just never know....LOL....

BTW, I happen to love the Delta style anchors as they seem like a good setup for most situations I get into. They are pretty popular....and pretty affordable. A good anchor really. A lot of the spots I anchor in are mud and they get into it pretty well.


You guys are killing me with all this talk of fishing. I thought there was a chance I would get out in the inlet this weekend in Homer for some winter kings as we have had an awesome high pressure, but now they are calling for 4-12" of snow (maybe more in the passes), and that wrecks that.....Maybe I will install the new Garmin combo unit I bought....it is about time to do that.

However, fishing is just around the corner and by June it will be fabulous here. I honestly can't wait and am chopping at the bit......Have good one :)

Tim
 
Thanks Tim

This helps bring things to together. The Spring Chinook season is picking up here though I have not been out yet. I'm arm chair fishing but its been productive and fun with all I've learned on this thread.

I bought my 1st combo. GPS/sonar unit this winter, and am really liking it, though there have been a few bumps, the larger screen, and better definition are really welcome.

I have a brother who lives in Bethel. I entertained him down here in Feb. while he was recovering from hip surgery. Took him to the coast and caught little bottom fish and Dungeness in the bay and limited out on clams. We had a great time.

Tom
 
Hey Ken

I know you are using circle hooks but are the sizes you mentioned earlier for the mustad brand circle or J-hooks? If they were for J-hooks what are the circle hook sizes you recommend?

When you described making up the bucket rig for the bait bomb, you mentioned "gannion" several times. I don't know what that is? My google didn't either?

Just a brief stray from the thread subject, I saw some very sexy stuff in your photo album. I gotta have it, a product name "Flashbou" , glow in the dark strands that you had tied on your siwash hook shanks to put on what looks like Coyote spoons. I am assuming you are targeting Kings with this rig? Do you use this rig for Silvers too? What are you trying to target with Flashbou (besides me)? Are you using a Uni-knot to tie the strands to the hook shank?

Tom
 
primative":2kgl3dey said:
Hey Ken

I know you are using circle hooks but are the sizes you mentioned earlier for the mustad brand circle or J-hooks? If they were for J-hooks what are the circle hook sizes you recommend?

When you described making up the bucket rig for the bait bomb, you mentioned "gannion" several times. I don't know what that is? My google didn't either?

Just a brief stray from the thread subject, I saw some very sexy stuff in your photo album. I gotta have it, a product name "Flashbou" , glow in the dark strands that you had tied on your siwash hook shanks to put on what looks like Coyote spoons. I am assuming you are targeting Kings with this rig? Do you use this rig for Silvers too? What are you trying to target with Flashbou (besides me)? Are you using a Uni-knot to tie the strands to the hook shank?

Tom
Click to expand...

The flashabou can be purchased online at http://www.barlowstackle.com/ . I'm guessing Ken ties the flashabou on using standard fly tying methods. E.g. wrap a thread around it a few times so that you tie one end of the thread under the wraps and then use a few half hitches to finish.
 
Thanks Roger

As you said Barlows has it, I saw it under fly fishing supplies. Richardson Texas was a surprise, I thought it would be something local.

Not having tied flies it surprised me to realize how simple your knot suggestion was. I enjoy useful knot tying, terminal tackle etc.. Some people like literature on their toilets. I also keep a length of rope. Nothing like practice under pressure.

Tom
 
HEY TOM, I haven't been ignoring you. I had to go to Twin Falls, it's getting close to that time for my mom and I wanted to take care of her final arrangements. What a load off my mind knowing that whever in the world me rf my siblings are, things are taken care of.

14/0, 16/0 circle hooks are popular at work, keep in mind where we fish a 100# fish is a nice fish, a 200# fish is really nice and somewhat common with quite a few 300# fish caught each summer & a few 400 pounders

I buy the flashaboo at http://www.anglersworkshop.com/
in Woodlansd WA, right next door from the Lamaiglass factory store...there's good deals to be had on Lami seconds there :)

As Roger surmised, I tie it on like a fly. I have a fly tying vise and a bobbin (dodad that holds the spool of thread & makes it easier to work with). I'll put a dab of super glue on the hook and start wraping the thread from the eye down the shank about 1/4 inch and then back towards the eye. This give a nice base to keep the hair from slipping around. Lay the nuclear hair on there and wrap some more, throw a few half hitches on there and another dab of super glue and trim off the excess.

I started using this because I was tired of buying expensive hootchie twinkle skirts. I'll use the bling hook on coho, kings, rockfish, and some years ago I started offering a ten dollar cash money bonus...ten bucks, tax free mind you, to the first person to bring in a mermaid, apparently the bling hooks are not effective on mermaidas as I stil have the ten dollars.

Gannion is like tuna handline, it's a thick cord for making and repairing commercial nets. I used to use that stuff quite a bit as it's cheap and easy to tie but I've gone to using mono to help avoid tangle. That cord doesn't have much body to it, it's kind of limp

I don't know if this has been mention but a geat web site for for knots is http://www.animatedknots.com/ that web site should provide for many happy bowel movements

Anchor, lots of chain, lots of line and one of these http://www.ezanchorpuller.com/EZ1500.php as mentioned,we aint spending the night and it it doesn't stick it's not a big deal...unless, like last summer mine slid and hooked into an abandoned halibut longline...that was a huge pain in the arse

later,
ken
 
Wow Ken

Sorry to hear about your mom. We had hospice care for my mom (1995) and decided to learn from them and provide the care ourselves with their support. We did this for two months. It was not easy for her or us, but was the best thing for our family. My mother or my brother made the observation dying is hard work. I'm so glad I had the support of my family.

I hope you are getting some rest. The best wishes to you and your family from all of us.


Thank you for answering my many questions and providing the web sites. It brings all the ends together for me just like a well done knot. Putting a computer monitor in my bathroom right away!

Ahh.. mermaids. Glad to know about the tax free reward. Would a six legged octopus count?

Tom
 
Mom's hangin in there

the cheap halibut rigs performed nicely last summer. I ended up boating about six fish over 200# and releasing bunches of fish in the 100# range. I'm sold on large spin & glows added to the dropper loop above the hook....had great salmon luck on green Lure Jensen flash flies also.
I'll be stock piling some more halibut rigs this winter for yet another summer of prision labor camp duty, it's a dirty rotten job but somebody has to do it
 
Good for your mom. Renes mom has rotated between siblings the last couple yrs. and that worked well. Now she has transitioned to an assisted care Mennonite memorial hm. in Ohio, near Renes brother and family, and she likes it. She's hangin in there too.

Welcome home, glad you have some time off to get back to work so you can relax. I know they didn't release you for good behavior. Thanks for the latest on that evolving wonderful rig.

We returned from the Snake River a couple wks. ago where I use lots and lots of voodoo and caught a mess of catfish. Just like you , somebody's got to do it. My son works with someone who's wife is Thai and her family makes green and red curry sauces. Wow, what a hit with the fish.

Good to hear from you,
Tom and Rene
 
Durn, the snake river, that's some interesting country there, Woodhead camground A#1

I got back a bit ago, the first week back I went fishing every day on the river with the kid..it was fun

maybe we'll catch you on the river some day
 
Ken, started thinking more about your spin n glo addition to the Hali. rig. When you said you put it on the dropper loop above the hook, I re-checked the picture of your rig on pg. one of this thread for reference. I know the washer represents a hook in this picture. So my questions are:

1) Is the spin n glo above the hoochie head or below the hoochie (between hoochie skirt and hook eye)?

2) How can a Spin n glo rotate on a doubled (100-150Lb.) line which is the dropper loop?

Glad to hear you got out on the River with your son. Where were you fishing out of ? I heard it was outstanding out of Astoria this yr.. I'm curious whether he had to tip you. We missed the fall salmon fishing but had a lot of fun sturgeon fishing this spring. I called Mike Barber on our drive to Tongue Pt. and he told Rene and I the fishery was closed. There was the "the silence" on my end of the phone and he said, just kidding! I think he is ready for a career change. I'm thinking State Police, fish and game enforcement.

Yes you will catch me on the river sometime, especially with these rigs you share. I'm hooked.

Tom
 
That damn Mike was trying to keep folks off his river, the trickster. We were fishing up around St Helens and had pretty good luck. I didn't gat any tips but I think he and his girl friend will rebook. I'm going to try to hit the river pretty regular this winter for some catch and release sturgon fun

I'll add some little corkies along with the spin N glows, I drill out the holes in them so they fit over the mono. The hootchies I've taken to sliding down the main line before I add the barrel swivel

catch ya later
 
B~C":17bq7cbf said:
Mom's hangin in there

the cheap halibut rigs performed nicely last summer. I ended up boating about six fish over 200# and releasing bunches of fish in the 100# range. I'm sold on large spin & glows added to the dropper loop above the hook....had great salmon luck on green Lure Jensen flash flies also.
I'll be stock piling some more halibut rigs this winter for yet another summer of prision labor camp duty, it's a dirty rotten job but somebody has to do it
Click to expand...

Some pictures of these 200# fish would be great!
Why would you toss back a 100 pound halibut.
Even here in Alaska, to catch a Halibut over 200 #s is often a lifetime personal best, to catch six in a season is outrageus. :shock:
 
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