Advanced Floattube Halibut Techniques using Artificial baits

"In search of Big Butts" part 1
By Michael Klasno

Authors note; As most saltwater floattube fishermen know the camps in southern California are divided between those that target all species with Artificial baits only and those that prefer to use Livebait. For the purpose of this article I will address only the artificial techniques.

Fishing in saltwater from a float tube can be a very rewarding experience. The different species of fish available are tremendous and the conditions are ever changing. The many bass species are the most abundant and thus they are the most common targets for floattubers. But, like a bunch of single guys in a bar, when saltwater float tubers gather the conversation always seems to gravitate towards another species, Big Butts.

Catching a legal or keeper halibut on artificial baits such as swimbaits or curltail grubs is by far the most exciting and rewarding experience any saltwater float tuber will have. Halibut can be found on almost every sand beach along the Southern California coast. Most float tube anglers never hook a keeper, and if they do get one hooked it is most often lost. This is due to a combination of things; Bad drag system, light line, enexperience and over aggressive landing techniques. One of these or a combination will spell desaster. Following is some information that should help you in your hunt for that first legal halibut.

Best Conditions

When targeting halibut from a float tube there are a few conditions you should look for. The first thing you want to decide on is location. Halibut tend to hold in sandy areas with easy access to bait fish. This could be water as shallow as a few feet like a swim beach or as deep as 40' like a harbor channel. The second condition is water temp. Halibut can be caught in southern California waters as cold as 50 degrees and as warm as 75 degrees. They spawn between Jan. and March depending on the location and water temperature in the area. Ideal conditions for spawn are approx. 60 degrees. During the late spring, summer and early fall months shorts, a halibut under 22", are caught at a 50 to 1 ratio to keepers. During the Winter and the spawing months the large halibut move into the shallows and keepers are more readily available.

Location, location, location

In a harbor such as Newport Bay this would be the area where the current splits. The fish will lay on the bottom and face the current waiting for an easy snack. The mouth of the bay by the bait barge is a really good area but a long kick and is very busy with boat traffic. Unless you are an experienced tuber or in a kick boat I do not recommend this area. Other very good areas that are much more accessible are; the open channel area between the Pavilion and the Ferry crossing, and the east shore buoy line just outside the moored boats. In both of these areas the majority of the fish are coming out of 20' - 30' of water. NOTE: A tuber fishing the open channel should have a whistle and a flag setup on their tube and always be alert for boat traffic.

The Long Beach area produces keeper halibut on a regular basis on the stretch called Cherry Beach. This area is between the Belmont Pier and Grissom Island. This is a favorite spot for the" BayTubers" a group of livebait halibut fishermen. This area seems to produce fish more in the shallows, 5' to 20' between the shore and the swim buoy line. Some very large fish have come out of this area.

After the late spring bass and croaker spawn, the areas around Los Alamos and Huntington Harbor will become very active as the halibut move into the warmer water and target the spawn and bait fish for an easy feed. When this happens, one of the best areas will be the ammo depot and mud flats in Huntington Harbor. The reason for the increased activity in the Los Alamos and Huntington Harbor areas is a steady influx of warm water from the Edison power plants. Warning; if you fish this area, stay on the correct side of the bridge, Do Not cross into the restricted area. Harbor patrol will pick you up.

There are many more areas accessable to floattubers. In the L.A. Harbor, the Seal Beach area has a reputation for keepers and I have heard reports of legals coming off of the Cabrillo Beach next to the museum. The Santa Monica Bay encompusses a hugh area and keeper fish come out every where from Hermosa Beach to Santa Monica Pier. The beaches North towards Malibu are natorious for kicking out Big Butts. These area require a surf launch so check the tide charts and pick your days wisely.

Proper Equipment

Here is where the lines get blurred a bit. There are two schools of thought. Medium weight, conventional tackle or lightweight spin tackle. We all have our preferences. If I am specifically targeting the big flat one I will use a 6'6" or 7' baitcasting outfit and 12/15# test line. The rod should be sturdy but have a parabolic bend to it. It should not be a meat stick with a lot of backbone and a wippy tip. It should be more like a crankbait stick. Use good line, this is no time for cheap Mart line. I use P-line, other good lines are Maxima, Izore, Ande or Big Game.

I have hooked big fish on both light spinning and 15# test conventional tackle and as an experienced floattuber/kayaker, I don't have more or less a problem either way. I have been spooled on the 6# test spinning tackle and I have gotten over zealous and popped the 15# test. No system is fool proof, every hook-up is different. But, and this is the most important aspect of halibut fishing. If you are going to use a spinning outfit or baitcaster for that matter, you should use a reel with a very good drag system. The reasons will become apparent later in this article. For this reason I use Shamano spinning reels. Obviously there are other good spinning reels. When your are making your choice address the drag issue with your salesman, look at the diagram, play with the drag, ask questions. A good way to make your decission is to talk to the other floattubers. Buy the best reel you can afford. The reel and line are more inportant than the rod!

In Part 2 of this article we will discuss Techniques and how to land that big fish when you do hook him. I also will provide a link to a great article on "How to Fillet your halibut." Here is a link to part 2 of Advanced Floattube Halibut Techniques.