If I’m fishing the pier, I’m usually fishing for halibut. Actually, I’m most always fishing for halibut. So, back to the pier, I’ll start out making bait, smelt is usually pretty easy with a Sabiki tipped with small pieces of squid, but I use an umbrella net. Save your old bread, hotdog buns whatever doesn’t get used up before getting too old or molding and store it in the freezer until it’s time to go fish.
I lower my net about 4 to 6 feet and let it sit there. During that time, I’ll fill my bait bucket. I use a 7 gal. bucket and a bubbler and stone. Hauling that up to the pier is tough so I have a 2 gal bucket for hauling up the water. This also makes it easy to change out the water throughout the day.
I get the bread wet, squish it in my hands/fingers and slowly drop small blobs over the net and pay attention to the current, then toss it so it will drift into or over the net. It doesn’t take long for the smelt to catch on that there’s food and the feeding frenzy will begin. Here is where dropping small amounts matters. If you drop too much it will drift away along with the feeding frenzy. You want to keep them near/over your net or where your Sabiki is. So time the dropping of the bread, the feeding frenzy, and pull the net for a quick dozen smelt and your fishing for the halibut. Once soaking a bait you can continue to make bait.
OK, back to the thread question…. Fishing the pilings for the Halibut. I fish the smelt with a Carolina Rig and a 3 to 4 ft. length between the hook and a ¾ Oz. egg sinker(wind and conditions dependent). I will cast out as far as the ¾ Oz. and bait will get me, let it sink and wait about 2 min. slowly reel in the slack and then lift your rod pulling the sinker and bait about 10 ft. (depending on your rod length) and wait again 2 min. Repeat this until your bait is directly below you and lean the rod on the pier rail and reel up until the weight is about 6 inches off of the bottom. Wait until you can’t stand it and repeat, fanning your location and covering as much area as you can. Yes casting under the pier is good too. Remember, the pier is structure attracting bait and providing cover for the bait and predators.
What does a halibut ‘Hit” feel like???? Sometimes you think you are snagged, zero movement, just stuck until you pull enough to piss her off and off she runs. Other times, as you are in your 2 min hold between pulls you will get a tap and the line starts slowly pulling away. As Ken said, hold your rod to feel what’s happening and when they pull the line, open the bail and let them go. Give it a 5 count, click over the bail wind up and set the hook. When you’re dangling down off the rail, leave the clicker on and little to no drag until that wonderful ZZZZZ goes off.
OK, the fine print secrets for me… I use Owner MUTU Lite 2/0, 15 Lb. P-line with a Carolina Keeper (best invention ever, no knots in your line) and anal hook the smelt. Anal hooking them keeps them swimming away from the weight in a ‘panic mode’ which the vibrations will attract the halibut as an easy meal.
Good Luck Let us know how you do! Tight Lines Erik
