Crissy field

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ILYA

Guest
#65
I prefer much heavier jig heads... more like 1.5 ounces up to 2 ounce. The reason for me is that I find Halibut respond to the swimbait moving more quickly on the drop. The heavier the jig, the faster it will fall to the bottom. So a quick and firm pull up, then I find they hit it on the drop. I make sure it hits bottom before popping it up off the bottom. Also, I can cast farther and cover more territory with a heavier swimbait. So just my two cents, but I've caught over 20 keepers so far this season. There are definitely better Hali jiggers than I, but I do get results with the heavier stuff.
I think it is absolutely right for strong current and waters over 5'. IMHO more natural is slow dropping of lure that resembles wounded prey. You are probably fishing on the end of pier where water is deep and current strong.
1.5-2 ounces are necessary in strong current - otherwise the bait never reach striking zone. In shallow waters and slow current more productive jig-heads about 1/4-3/8 ounces.
 
#66
How does one get so lucky........I must be a retard can’t even manage a keeper in 3 seasons
Don't give up. I've been fishing the last 5 seasons and this year was the first time I caught keeper halibuts. I even went on halibut/striper combo trip and didn't catch any keeper halibuts. Just keep plugging away and try different spots and different times. And do whatever beutelevision is doing.
 
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beutelevision

Guest
#67
Don't give up. I've been fishing the last 5 seasons and this year was the first time I caught keeper halibuts. I even went on halibut/striper combo trip and didn't catch any keeper halibuts. Just keep plugging away and try different spots and different times. And do whatever beutelevision is doing.
I second everything you say. I caught one keeper halibut in 2015, and then didn't catch any keepers again until this year. I go at least a couple times a month between March and October. In the last couple years I had the distinct feeling that the keeper sized halibut were just elsewhere in the bay, probably going wherever the anchovies were.
 
#68
Do any of you check wind reports before heading to Crissy Field? I tried yesterday and the wind was a bit stronger than I thought, so it was hard to feel the lure on the bottom. I'm pretty sure I still kept it on the bottom in the strike zone though since I would always feel the striations in the sandy bottom (very regularly spaced bumps) once I got closer to shore.
 
#69
I think it is absolutely right for strong current and waters over 5'. IMHO more natural is slow dropping of lure that resembles wounded prey. You are probably fishing on the end of pier where water is deep and current strong.
1.5-2 ounces are necessary in strong current - otherwise the bait never reach striking zone. In shallow waters and slow current more productive jig-heads about 1/4-3/8 ounces.
Correct. I don't plug much in shallow water or from beaches. Fort Point, Paradise Pier, Treasure Island have been producing for me.
 
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beutelevision

Guest
#70
I went out yesterday morning Aug 15 for a couple hours and caught this beauty just as the sun was rising over the Berkeley hills. It was 27 inches and just shy of 8 pounds. He bit the lure on the drop. Saw plenty of anglers fly casting for perch but I couldn't tell if they were catching anything.

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Skyhook

Active Member
#71
I went out yesterday morning Aug 15 for a couple hours and caught this beauty.
Thanks for the report on Crissy. Been wondering if anyone was doing any good there. Halibut at Crissy all the way through August is definitely a bonus! Without giving away too much, has the fishing at Crissy still been pretty steady after the end of July? I usually call it quits at Crissy around mid-July.
 
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beutelevision

Guest
#73
Thanks for the report on Crissy. Been wondering if anyone was doing any good there. Halibut at Crissy all the way through August is definitely a bonus! Without giving away to much, has the fishing at Crissy still been pretty steady after the end of July? I usually call it quits at Crissy around mid-July.
The last halibut I saw was one caught by a fly angler on July 25. Since then I was out there three times, including yesterday. I did have some swipes at my swimbait but they felt more like stripers than halibut. I did see a striper follow my swimbait right to the shore. I've also seen the occasional baitfish jumping, and I figure if the baitfish are there, the predators are there too.

I plan to keep going once a week or so until I'm not getting any more bites.
 
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beutelevision

Guest
#74
Great job beutelvision! I was wondering when you will show up again. I caught a 26" and 22" hali on consecutive days too. Usually, I'm the only one fishing a swimbait when I go.
Yup, me too. It's mostly fly fisherman these days. That's pretty cool actually, I'd like to try it some time.
 
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beutelevision

Guest
#76
They are hopeless romantics. I rarely see them catch anything. I'm currently building a fly rod to try this out too.
"Hopeless romantic" pretty much describes all my fishing pursuits. :LOL: I did try my hand at tying a Zorro Loco fly and one day I want to catch something with it.
 
#77
I went out yesterday morning Aug 15 for a couple hours and caught this beauty just as the sun was rising over the Berkeley hills. It was 27 inches and just shy of 8 pounds. He bit the lure on the drop. Saw plenty of anglers fly casting for perch but I couldn't tell if they were catching anything.

View attachment 991
Nice hali, yeah most of my hits are also on the drop. Stripers tend to chase the lure to the surface, I've seen many of them following my swimbait and then just swim away. So frustrating but what can you do.
 
#79
Threw some swimbait at Crissy Fields yesterday morning, Sunday 8/25. The Bridge2bridge race closed off most of parking lot until later so the beach was fairly empty. Released a 21 3/4" hali. Lost another one close to shore when it figured out how to slip out of the trap hook. Third time I got a bite, but the swimbait trap hook was so beat up, it was out of position for the hook set. Finally lost the swimbait when it go stuck on some underwater structure that I did not know was there.