Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3714 June 22-July 6, 2018 | Page 9

FRESHWATER
VOL.37 • ISS. 14
June 22 - July 6, 2018
9
Potluck Notes…
>

Big halibut,
stripers and
lingcod…
You can
expect to
land these
species and
more during
an S.F. Bay/
Coastal live
bait potluck
trip!
presents
S.F. Bay Halibut Strategy
A
<

Live anchovies are the bait of
choice for halibut and bass on live
bait potluck trips. The baits should be
handled gently and pinning “through the
lips” with a fine wire live bait style hook.
The livelier the bait the more hookups
you’ll get.
>
sk Bay Area saltwater enthusiasts
what their favorite gamefish is
and you’ll get several different answers.
Some guys will point to the chinook
salmon that traditionally roam the waters
outside the Golden Gate.
Others will name the
voracious lingcod that lurk
amongst coastal reefs. Still
others will confide that it’s
the hard charging striped
bass that stack up both
within San Francisco Bay
and in the surf zone outside
the gate that have a special
place in their hearts.
King, lings and stripers
are all wonderful gamefish
that’s a given, but from a
pragmatic standpoint none
of these species deserve
to be described as the Bay
Area’s premier saltwater gamefish. Now
I can already hear the salmon lovers and
striper disciples crying foul, but what
attributes should a gamefish poses to be
considered the best?
First of all, the species should have
strong fighting ability and the potential
to attain hefty proportions. Secondly, the
species should be accessible, meaning
that a large percentage of anglers have the
opportunity to target them. Thirdly, the
fishing season for the species should be
long. Finally, the species should provide
topnotch table fare. So is there a Bay
Area saltwater species that meets all these
criteria? Absolutely! I’m talking about the
robust population of California halibut
that inhabit San Francisco Bay.
The halibut caught within the bay
average 5 to 12 pounds and range up to
and beyond 40. Halibut have a clumsy ap-
pearance, but they are capable of putting
up a spirited fight and display bursts of
lightening speed.
In terms of table fare, halibut have few
rivals yielding firm white fillets that taste
great whether baked, broiled or beer bat-
tered! Bay Area halibut are highly acces-
sible since you can target them effectively
from you own boat or from one of the
bay’s numerous charter boats.
Because you’ll be fishing in
the bay, weather is typically not a
factor. This is a welcome contrast
to fishing outside the gate, where
wind and swells can keep you off
the water. Halibut can be taken
in the bay all year long, but the
prime time for targeting them
begins in late April and extends
through the end of October.
Trolling and drifting are the
two basics approaches to catch-
ing Bay Area halibut. Trolling
will generally put more fish in
the box, but it is tough to match
the adrenaline rush you feel
when a halibut grabs your ancho-
vy as you drift with light tackle.
Since live bait drifting is the standard
approach employed on most charter and
private boats let’s consider that method
first. If you are fishing on a charter boat,
they will supply live anchovies.
If you are fishing from a private boat
you’ll need to purchase live bait. Live
anchovies are available at Fisherman’s
Wharf in San Francisco. Another option is
using shiner perch. You can buy live perch
at various Bay Area bait shops or you can
use a light spinning rod baited with bits of
pile worm to catch your own around piers
and other structure.
Perch are actually the best choice for
the private boaters since they are much
hardier than anchovies and also tend to
draw strikes from larger halibut.
When I get out on the bay to drift for
halibut I take along two outfits and I sug-
gest you do the same. Your all around rod
needs to be capable of handling sinkers
up to 8 ounces. Since bites can be light
you’ll want a sensitive stick, but it has to
FISH SNIFFER
HOW – TO

A good potluck live
by Cal Kellogg
bait rig consists of a reel
with a smooth drag loaded
with 30 to 65 pound braid
teamed with a rod that
features a fast action and
sensitive tip.
<
Here
we see
a deckhand
deftly
scooping a
halibut just
beyond the
Golden Gate.
When you
hit the water
aboard a
charter boat
the deckhand
is your most
important
resource.
Ask him questions and follow his advice. He wants you to be successful!
CONTINUED ON PAGE 18