Big Bait? YES!

[Ken]

If you are in Long Beach you will have a chance at surf fishing for halibut. That area is very famous for it, especially the cherry beach, 72nd street, and convention center areas. If you can only buy 3 halibut lures buy a Lucky Craft Flash Minnow 110 in Metallic Sardine, a pack of 3in Big Hammers in Color #63 (Bay Smelt), and a pack of 4in big hammers in the same colors. Dropshotting Zoom Superflukes in any silvery baitfish colors also works w/a 1/4 to 3/4 oz weight. Match the big hammer swimbaits with 1/4 to 1/2 oz leadheads. Fish these on 8lb line and you may catch a halibut. The legal size is 22in, so bring a tape measure.

Thanks bsp! I'll have to see if I have time to fish that much with the conference and all...but I will definitely keep that in mind.

Since I'm fishing with 8lb test, I assume a medium outfit is adequate?

Do you have any experience with pier fishing around that area as well? I read that in April/May, there is a lot of surf perch around but not much else. I was hoping I would be able to find some kelp bass or sand bass...but it seems those are more of a summer species.

Can't wait to go party boat fishing (if I even get to go to the conference). I hope I can book late enough to get into the start of the yellowtail season. If not, a couple of new rockfish species would be just as good.

[bsp]

A medium outfit is perfect. I have seen people land halibut on 4lb test and a trout setup. A lot of people like to use salmon/steelhead rods that are about 8ft long for what I mentioned before, so if you have one, bring it!

As for pier fishing, I mainly fish Manhattan Beach and Hermosa beach piers, but a few general tactics apply. The first thing is that a Sabiki rig will ALWAYS catch baitfish. Buy the smallest size (hook size) rig you can find. I do not like using long or expensive rods from the pier because I feel that I will damage them, so a cheap Sports Authority 19.99 special is perfect for sabikis. ZFish them on 8 or 10lb line.If you want sharks/halibut/rays/shovel nose guitar fish just use a 15-40lb conventional rig (whatever line class you are more comfortable landing big fish with) with a three way swivel, 4-6oz weight, 2-4ft 25lb flourocarbon leader with a 3/0 hook, and a bloody hunk of baitfish, a piece of squid, or a whole, live baitfish. Then cast it out as far as it goes, set your reel in freespool and engage the clicker, and crack open a book and wait. You can also cast Krocodole spoons for bonita and mackeral on your sabiki set up. The 4in size is good in any shiny pattern.

Calicos (kelp bass) and sandies (sand bass) are really not considered pier fish. They are mainly caught on party boats. Surf perch are an all year prospect, but it is much more effective to surf fish for them.

Yellowtail are really an overnighter type of fish to get on party boats. They have been caught on 1/2 days but a 3/4 or overnighter is your best bet. April and May are also kind of early unless we get an El Niño year. The boats will probably target rock cod, and maybe calicos and sandies.

Stan, I am going to pick up that trout when I find one.

[Ken]

Thanks much bsp! That is exactly the info I've been searching for online...but haven't really find them all of it yet.

I can tie up some Sabiki rigs myself on #20-26 hooks

I may just have a 6'6" musky rod that would be good for the pier fishing. It's rated for 17-40lb test and I have a Cardiff with 50lb PowerPro loaded on it. I've only taking it out once to fish muskies...and caught none

I was wondering what action rod and reel does the bottom fishing crew uses. I know I can rent a rod, but then I can also get a conventional reel and a short boat rod and use it everywhere.

I was thinking something like a Penn Jigmaster with a 7' Shakespeare Ugly Stik Tiger 2-piece rated for 10-50lbs and 1/2-6oz weight. I'm not too happy with the small weight rating (since I read that some days you need a 12oz weight if it is windy)...but that's the only affordable 2-piece I can find online.

If I get the bottom fishing rig, I can leave my musky combo out of the salt and use the bottom fishing rig for piers as well.

Too bad about the yellowtail...and we are in the middle of an El Nina year...so next spring won't be looking good for the early yellowtail action. I will likely do a 1/2 day and 3/4 or 1.5 day party boat.

[bsp]

Do not worry about the Ugly Stiks weight rating. I have mine that is rated only up to 25lb line with 40lb line and a 12oz weight, so you are probably ok.