For G_Smolt (Halibut on fly)
- Thread starter Billy
- Start date
ruh roh.....
I mean, I like throwing big stuff, but not at the expense of putting a hole through my head....
although, it looks like they're not throwing super heavy fliesSounded like they were using a 1/3 of an ounce of weight attached to the hook
My experience with ling cod in Puget Sound was that I did not need weighted flies to fish in depths down to 50 feet or so though boat control was key. Though I was fishing much lighter gear, 7 or 8 weights. My efforts was with type six sinking lines on a 7 weight. Later home made lines with 28 feet of T14 help simplify getting to depth with some breeze.
Wind is death in getting to depth. Early my experimenting was the use of multiple windsocks to slow the wind drift. Later the addition of a 80# thrust bow mount electric motor simplified the boat control. With ling cod I thought the unweight flies actually improved hook-up ratios. As the fish opened their mouth they literally suck the fly in. I agree with the video that a single hook at the head of the fly is all that is needed.
Curt
My experience with ling cod in Puget Sound was that I did not need weighted flies to fish in depths down to 50 feet or so though boat control was key. Though I was fishing much lighter gear, 7 or 8 weights. My efforts was with type six sinking lines on a 7 weight. Later home made lines with 28 feet of T14 help simplify getting to depth with some breeze.
Wind is death in getting to depth. Early my experimenting was the use of multiple windsocks to slow the wind drift. Later the addition of a 80# thrust bow mount electric motor simplified the boat control. With ling cod I thought the unweight flies actually improved hook-up ratios. As the fish opened their mouth they literally suck the fly in. I agree with the video that a single hook at the head of the fly is all that is needed.
Curt
That Niklaus guy is funny as hell.
I really enjoy his fly tying videos.
SF
I really enjoy his fly tying videos.
SF
Paige
Wishing I was fishing the Sauk
I have hooked 3 Halibut in under 50' of water and landed 1 using light lingcod gear and swim baits. All were in the 70# range. The location of the 1st 2 encounters we tried to get back to that location with 13 & 14wts but weather didnt cooperate.
Need to make it happen one of these days!
My 1st Halibut landed and released, season re-opened the following weekend
Need to make it happen one of these days!
My 1st Halibut landed and released, season re-opened the following weekend
Great video!
The 19th century Norwegian cod fisherman in my avatar was from near there, the land of my ancestors. I’ve visited there a couple of times.
Don’t know if I’ll ever make it back there, but I’m packing h’butt gear if I do!
The 19th century Norwegian cod fisherman in my avatar was from near there, the land of my ancestors. I’ve visited there a couple of times.
Don’t know if I’ll ever make it back there, but I’m packing h’butt gear if I do!
albeit in 100-lb shock leader
G_Smolt
Legend
Thanks for the stoke, @Billy - I'll have to find some time to watch h the whole thing!
My experience fishing ridiculously heavy lines at depth is the fly HAS to be weighted if it is "predator-sized" - say, 10"-14" - and dressed full. If these big flies aren't weighted, they end up being dragged by the line, which in turn negates any casting distance past the end of the running line, which results in the line hitting the bottom first from the running-line end...as in vertically, because the fly acts like a parachute.
I've found a 3/8 oz egg sinker juuuuust barely had a big enough hole for 100# fluoro, and casts just fine on a 700gr line
it also sinks the fly at pretty much the same rate as the line, about 12-13 ips. This is crucial to the whole shebang working, as the running lines are fathom-marked and if you don't know where your fly is (without a fancy underwater camera), you might as well not be fishing.
My experience fishing ridiculously heavy lines at depth is the fly HAS to be weighted if it is "predator-sized" - say, 10"-14" - and dressed full. If these big flies aren't weighted, they end up being dragged by the line, which in turn negates any casting distance past the end of the running line, which results in the line hitting the bottom first from the running-line end...as in vertically, because the fly acts like a parachute.
I've found a 3/8 oz egg sinker juuuuust barely had a big enough hole for 100# fluoro, and casts just fine on a 700gr line
it also sinks the fly at pretty much the same rate as the line, about 12-13 ips. This is crucial to the whole shebang working, as the running lines are fathom-marked and if you don't know where your fly is (without a fancy underwater camera), you might as well not be fishing.
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Jim in Anacortes
Life of the Party
San Diego Bay has halibut that you can readily catch with a fly rod. I think the size limit for keepers is 22 inches. Wading out in the bays and channels, throwing imitations of smelt streamers (with a sinking line) ,, is almost guaranteed to catch halibut. 30 pounders are quite commonly caught in this area, (gear fishing is far more productive). Halibut are very tasty. I don't think I ever let a legal one go. The way they swim (and fight) is quite unique, much different from a trout. Halibut always "play possum" after a long fight, but they always have one more intense run in them just as they are about to be netted. Once I learned that about them... the big ones did not get away.
Well, THAT looks like a lot of fun!
