Northbay Pier Report (S.F. Bay Area) 9/19

[Red Fish]

• Just a brief report to summarize some of the fishing activity in the Eastbay/Northbay of San Francisco Bay and lower San Pablo Bay. The fishing for gamefish has cooled off quite a bit. With salmon season in full closure and a possibility of C&R sturgeon fishing only going into 2024, the concentration in the bays is on halibut and striped bass with rockfish, bluefin, and albacore in the ocean. As the lobster season is just opening in Southern California, others are anticipating the opening of Dungeness crab season here in the S.F. Bay in November.
• The S.F. Bay report: mostly sharks and rays (and they are slow are colder days). There is still a good number of shiners, smelt, and moon herring available along with surfperches from the piers and shores. Mostly blacks and walleye with some rubberlip and pile. Some fall-run striper and fewer halibut as we move into fall.

On Tuesday of this past week, I fished the pier near the Richmond/San Rafael Bridge and was the lucky angler of the day with a 28.5" California halibut that came in on shiner perch. I arrived at the pier about 3:30 after work and hooked up with the first shiner I was able to jig up on market shrimp after setting out 1 salmon/steelhead rod on the rail in about 10 feet of water as the tide had topped out and was just going into the first hour of out-going tide. Other fishermen that had been there since the morning were leaving and I convinced 1 fisherman to stay that ended up netting my fish. We fished together until sundown (which is now 7:30) and I was unsuccessful in catching a second halibut to obtain a 2 fish limit.

My advice at this point in the season for halibut (and striped bass too) from the pier is to be optimistic and have a good book or something else to amuse you while you are still-fishing and waiting. I used a 3-way rig with the hook line about 18' and the weight drop at 36" (lots of crabs out there if you try to fish right on the bottom now). I also used 3 ounces of weight as the current was pushing out and I was fishing against the tide. Used a single 2/0 Owner mosquito hook hooked perpendicular to the nose. Any questions? answers gladly given.

 

[Skyhook]

Well done! That's a great late season catch! I always appreciate your posts. And as always, thanks for providing specific details ( hook type and size, tides and conditions, leader and dropper length....)

I do have a few questions though. From looking at some of your previous posts on halibut fishing, it seems that on occasion you favor circle hooks over J-hooks. What factor helps you determine which type of hook to use? Is it the type of bait and its size? Or tidal conditions - max currents, slack, or dead water.

Also what is the smallest hook size you'll use (J-hooks and Circle hooks) when targeting halibut?

 

[Red Fish]

Well done! That's a great late season catch! I always appreciate your posts. And as always, thanks for providing specific details ( hook type and size, tides and conditions, leader and dropper length....)

I do have a few questions though. From looking at some of your previous posts on halibut fishing, it seems that on occasion you favor circle hooks over J-hooks. What factor helps you determine which type of hook to use? Is it the type of bait and its size? Or tidal conditions - max currents, slack, or dead water.
I always try to match the size of the hook to the bait I am using (of course depending on what's in my tacklebox too.) For instance, if I am using a 6-10" smelt for striper, I will hook a single 3 to 4/0 circle parallel to the nose. If it was specifically for halibut, I would hook in the back somewhere behind the dorsal fin. For the tidal conditions, I would adjust the amount of weight. Of course, this is live bait; dead bait I would use a bigger hook or two like if you set up a mooching rig with 2 7/0's on a 10' smelt or chunk baited sardines by threading it or setting the hook all the way through perpendicular to the bait. This is where a J-hook could be used also.

Also what is the smallest hook size you'll use (J-hooks and Circle hooks) when targeting halibut?

The smallest I have been using is an Owner Mosquito Circle 2. This particular hook would be a 6 or 8 in similar light circle hooks like the Owner Mutu. The reason for this is small baits (usually smaller than I like to use). Sometimes small baits are the only ones you can come up with on certain days. If I have a little bigger hook and a small bait, I will hook the bait from behind the dorsal (as it is too much hook for the head). So, either J or circle, I don't want a hook too heavy that will kill a live bait from toting extra weight around.

Well done! That's a great late season catch! I always appreciate your posts. And as always, thanks for providing specific details ( hook type and size, tides and conditions, leader and dropper length....)
The leader length depends on if there are crabs around most times. I have seen (with many halibut fishermen I have observed) that they will like to have the weight drop 6" (1/2 foot) off the bottom. The hook line could be as much as 4 to 5' (to let the fish swim off like a Carolina). So, the drops I mentioned are for three-way rig, dropper-loop rig, and California halibut rig. Carolina (sliding-sinker rig) is always good if you can fish it on the side of the pier with the current so that is stays straight forward (and does not twist up).

Sorry it took a while to respond but I usually check-in weekly here now and I had a cold last Wednesday. I caught 1 more halibut at 24'5" since the last one at the same place (and I was the only person as it's been slower now). BTW-the main reason I have been using circle hooks for some time now is because when you put the rod in a rod-holder with a couple pounds of drag, the fish self-hooks. This is important when you are sitting at a pier for hours waiting for maybe (1) bite. I don't want to sit there staring at a rod all day anymore. Most times I am talking to other anglers when the rod loads up and I go for the net first, then to the rod and just apply and maintain pressure on the line.
I talk to Ken Jones during the week, and I am surprised he didn't mention that I had questions waiting? It seems like I used to get a direct email that said a response is waiting on my regular email.