Caught my first halibut
 

Caught my first halibut ever, at Carlsbad lagoon, late Friday afternoon. Couldn't believe it when it was happening, ended up climbing on shore to land it and not screw things up.
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Only got back into fishing recently, fishing light gear and plastics, and happy to be catching anything at all, normally spotties.


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Nice catch! How big was that guy? Looks like he put up a good fight!

28 inches. Didn't weigh it. Any guesses?

On a related note: 6 knotted garbage bag layers around the carcass is not enough to prevent an unholy trash can smell in a garage on day 4. Wife is not so happy. Next time I'll be doing a drive-by drop off somewhere.


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freeze carcass and then throw it out on trash day.

Nice job! You catch that bad boy by the YMCA?

very nice! contrats:luxhello:

X2

that's what I do if you have the freezer space

:cheers1:

Yes, but halfway towards the freeway, middle of lagoon, not next to the YMCA where the float tube guys tend to congregate.

Now you know why. Congrats.

X2, or better yet take it back to the water to feed the critters.

Nice score!

Rad! I've seen those float tubers pull some huge hali's out of there on live bait. I always opted for the 1oz head + 5" swim bait, fishing with the current and slowly bouncing the bottom! I think there is a ridge right there where they congregate, goes from 5 feet to 20 feet real quick.

I still haven't gotten my first halibut but I'm out there hunting them. Congratulations on a nice fish.

I throw all my carcasses out in the trash can by the bus stop around the corner from my house. That or the 7-11 trashcan in front of the store.

looks like something messed it up a bit once upon a time..

Caught my first halibut
 

Forgot to mention: this was on the smallest (1/4oz) warbaits slayer head and a small (3" I think) brownish striped Hammer swim bait. About 5' depth - I'd drifted diagonally away from the deep channel and was, I thought, in Spottie territory. Beginners luck I guess.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...b0863bc359.jpg

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awesome! i've been fishing that channel in the mornings but i have a limited time frame and usually can't time the tides. i'm going to have to explore that lagoon a bit apparently :) i usually fish from around 9-noon on the days i can make it. maybe i'll see you out there one day.

Congrats! You will never forget that 1st one - especially when its that big!
I have never tried Carlsbad lagoon. What frwy offramp do I take? Is there a launch ramp? ..Parking or launching fee?..Hours of operation? Thanks, Wayne

Wayne it is between Cannon and Tamarak off the I-5. You can launch off of Bayshore Drive. You supposedly need a permit for the city, but I've heard it isn't actively enforced.

I'll hopefully be practicing out there this weekend.