Being bottom dwellers, Halibut are notorious for being opportunistic feeders. Many of them will nibble on anything that looks remotely edible. This perception causes many halibut anglers to use just about any lure to catch these lunkers. Using whatever bait you have available will still most likely net you some fish, but to make the most out of your trip you should put some thought into what bait you’re going to be using.
Using the right bait will make a halibut lose more caution than just strapping any old thing on the end of your line. This has the possibility of doing two things. First, if the halibut likes the bait you offer it, the fish will bite harder. Instead of just getting a nibble, you’ll get a hard hit as the fish swallows the hook. This reduces the fish’s chance of getting off the line during the ensuing fight. Second, using the right bait will allow you to catch larger fish. The largest halibuts are also the ones that have been living on the bottom for the longest time, and weather it is just by instinct or the experience of many years of fishing seasons, they are usually more careful when it comes to choosing their prey. Choosing the right bait is important so that you can catch more and bigger fish.
The good news is that, for the most part, choosing the right bait requires minimal legwork on your part, just some preparation. Since they are opportunistic feeders, halibut are in all likelihood gorging on whatever species of prey is most abundant in their home turf. Before heading out on your fishing expedition, you should find out what marine animals are currently in the area, and this should be your go-to bait. Try to find this out as far in advance as possible, as some tackle shops may no carry the type of bait you need, especially if you are in a remote area. If you prefer a lure, that’s fine as well, just make sure to use one that behaves like the fish in the area. This changes from site to site and season-to-season, so what brings in 200-pound fish in one place in the spring may not even get a bite in another location at a different time of year.
While I’m on the subject of Alaskan halibut fishing, I’ll give you two more tips. Generally, halibuts start biting shortly after mid morning and a few hours before dusk. So, make sure to get up early and pack enough gear and food for a full day on the water to get the most out of your chartered trip. Also attempt to go out on clear, rain free days as halibut hunt much less when the weather turns for the worse.
If you follow these tips you’ll be well on your way to catching one of the most popular fish in the world. Not only do halibut taste great and produce a large amount of meat, when you’re sharing your bounty with your friends and family, you’ll have a great story to tell about how you fought the monster fish from the land of the midnight sun and won.
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