SD Bay 8/23/15
 

Hit SD Bay today, with pretty good success but with some problems landing a few halibut. Final tally two nice bass including on Calico with beautiful colors and five halibut with only one legal size.

Of the five I caught I lost three right along side the kayak with them cutting my line between the circle hook and the treble hook I am using as a stinger. I am using Yo-zuri 25 lb hybrid fluorocarbon/nylon line. On the one legal I had I was trying to gaff it as the wake from a combination of the Hornblower and Spirit of San Diego reached by yak which make it like trying to gaff a fish while you bouncing on a trampoline.

I am curious does anyone have a suggestions on how to avoid halibut from cutting the leader especially when they start the violent head shakes up near the boat? Heavier line, different type of line?

Flattie
 

When you can see the fish back your drag off -it is hard to remeber and counterintuitive, but it will make a head shake pull out a little line as opposed to ....SNAP $%##!@&&

3 bite off is kinda crazy. And 25 lb fluoro is tough stuff. Is there a chance the line was old or weakend? And I'm sorry to ask, could there be knot issues? Ive never had halis bite off like how you described. If you can keep the hali from going crazy and head shaking your chances of landing it go way up. I try to not pump the rod when fighting halis. Just turn the handle and reel them up. Have the gaff or net ready and never lift its head clear of the water. That's when they freak. Halibut are about the most frustating fish to catch around here. Good luck. Mike

Mike,

Thanks for the feedback. There are two things I can definitely do which is keep it's head in the water as well as have the gaff at the ready.

I'll also try loosening up the drag once I get them up to the top next time. The only part that I worry about in loosening up the drag when they are at the surface is that it gives them a chance to make another run which heightens the risk of another cut line.

I'm also going to look into seeing if there is a better line I can use for on the terminal portion to both hooks. There might be something out there that is more cut resistant.