Halibut Fishing

2lumpy

2lumpy

Long Time Member
Messages
8,630
If you were to charter a halibut fishing trip out of California, who would you charter and what time of year.

Thank you.
 
New Huck Finn out of emeryville with Jay. Some butts are already being caught but usually by the end of April and early May they are biting well. Just pick a good tide and the captain can help with that.

I know a guy who has a 4 pack charter in the weekends. I can pass along his info if you are interested. He provides all the gear. You just show up with food and license. Boat only Hold’em 4-5 folks.
 
If you're up north, the Reel Steel out of Eureka. Tim does a great job catching fish. Give them a call and they will tell you the best time of year. The CA quota for halibut isn't too large and will be shut down as soon as close to being caught. June to early July would be my bet.
 
Thank you both, I will check with both recommendations.

Buzzy, any thing you believe that would helpful, would be very much appreciated.
 
The trouble with booking a halibut trip out of CA is you have to book in advance and if the ocean is rough that day you get cancelled. I would guess the chance of that happening is about 40%. There is no calm water halibut fishing like in Alaska. It's all open water between CA and Japan. Worse than getting cancelled is if the captain decides to go on a marginal day. :sick: :sick: :sick: ???.
 
I disagree with your assessment Eelgrass. Early in the season and until mid summer most of the halibut fishing is done within San Francisco Bay. Yes you can get windy but most of the party boats have areas of the Bay that you can get out of the way and and still fish. Is it a little bit miserable yes. Do the fish still bite heck yes. I can’t say I remember when a halibut trip has been canceled due to weather. The trips that are canceled are the ones that actually go outside of the gate like salmon and rockfish trips. Usually they turn those trips into halibut fishing trips. I’ve been fishing the bay for close to 45 years. Also been a deckhand on a party boat so I know a little bit about this but halibut trips don’t get canceled unless it’s like a hurricane.
 
Oh, you're talking about California halibut in the bay. I was talking about Pacific halibut offshore. No, California halibut very seldom gets called for weather. The SF Bay area is the hot spot for California halibut now. Up north, our California halibut has dried up the last 2 years. Pacific halibut can be good, when they can get out.
 
Yes as he is suggesting for you to wait until live bait becomes available. They sell live anchovies and that’s the main bait of choice if available. Live bait probably won’t be available till May or maybe even June from what I have heard. They are catching a lot of butts for this early in the season and I believe they are trolling.
 
If you come out and catch any, DC, I'll be needing to charge you an export tax.....that equates to a halibut steak or two. Wink, wink!
 
I haven't used live bait for halibut, but it is the most sure-fire way to be successful. I went bay halibut fishing 11 times last year for zero halibut. Live bait is not available for sale here. I bought a cast net a couple months ago to catch my own. Now I have to study up on how to throw it. But there still might not be many halibut caught. Ours got over fished. Even people using life bait struggled the last couple years.
 
eelgrass said:
I haven't used live bait for halibut, but it is the most sure-fire way to be successful. I went bay halibut fishing 11 times last year for zero halibut. Live bait is not available for sale here. I bought a cast net a couple months ago to catch my own. Now I have to study up on how to throw it. But there still might not be many halibut caught. Ours got over fished. Even people using life bait struggled the last couple years.
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No way in hell was it over fished. It’s those trophy fishermen, with there underwater cameras and long range dipnets. Don’t go blaming it on the opportunity to fish, sportsmen. Next thing we know you’ll be wanting to ban the charter boats and their harbor blocking deckhands from taking out their party boats. It’s the weather, you crazy old man. As soon as we get weather changes made and Al Gore, John Kerry, Bernie Sanders, AOC, Greta Thunberg, King Arthur and Merlin get global climate controls put in place, they’ll be jumping in your stupid little 6.5 caliber, flat brimmed kayak.
 
Last edited:
2lumpy said:
No way in hell was it over fished. It’s those trophy fishermen, with there underwater cameras and long range dipnets. Don’t go blaming it on the opportunity to fish, sportsmen. Next thing we know you’ll be wanting to ban the charter boats and their harbor blocking deckhands from taking out their party boats. It’s the weather, you crazy old man. As soon as we get weather changes made and Al Gore, John Kerry, Bernie Sanders, AOC, Greta Thunberg, King Arthur and Merlin get global climate controls put in place, they’ll be jumping in your stupid little 6.5 caliber, flat brimmed kayak.
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It WAS climate change. I just didn't want to say it. I have a hard time facing facts. I found a good how to video on net throwing though in case Biden fixes the climate.
 
Well…….. then, now that we got that fleshed out, it’s all good again. All the best with that bait caster, and let us know how that Relief Factor stuff works.
 
Wiszard said:
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laughhyena.gif
I spit water all over my keyboard.
 
Sure gets a lot of views...I noticed that one of her bowfishing video got 13M views. The thumbnail is her in a g-string. Go figure. LOL
 
I’ve been fishing with Jay Yokomizo on the New Huck Finn (and before when he partnered with Don Wong on the C Gull II) for nearly 30 years. I know there are other good boats and captains around, but I don’t think you can do better than Jay. In fact, I have his boat chartered for May 28 and will charter him or Don at least one other time this year. They work hard to put people on fish.
 
Reel Steel Talk to Sherri for Pacific
California Dawn for bay fishing for California halibut best two boats I am booked on both boats for trips this year.
Can't go wrong with either one but Eel is right about up North if it is bad Sherri will call you in advance so you don't make the trip she is a class act.
 
DeerHunter53 said:
Reel Steel Talk to Sherri for Pacific
California Dawn for bay fishing for California halibut best two boats I am booked on both boats for trips this year.
Can't go wrong with either one but Eel is right about up North if it is bad Sherri will call you in advance so you don't make the trip she is a class act.
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Did you get retired 53, seems like you said you were getting close?
 
2lumpy said:
Did you get retired 53, seems like you said you were getting close?
Click to expand...
I am retired that is why I haven't been online too much lately. Fishing and Golfing a lot now.

I am going Pacific Halibut fishing on May 19th with Sherri. The Reel Steel gets you the meat remember I told you that...LOL

Love retirement been traveling Vegas SLC working on Mom's house so we can BnB it. Staying busy

I get up in the morning and see what my wife's mood is, I feel it out and then either go fishing or golfing or run for the hills. LOL

She is not used to me being around here and I am used to being the Boss....Good thing I used to negotiate Union Contracts but this may call for a Strike Wildcat picket so to speak...
 
DeerHunter53 said:
I am retired that is why I haven't been online too much lately. Fishing and Golfing a lot now.

I am going Pacific Halibut fishing on May 19th with Sherri. The Reel Steel gets you the meat remember I told you that...LOL

Love retirement been traveling Vegas SLC working on Mom's house so we can BnB it. Staying busy

I get up in the morning and see what my wife's mood is, I feel it out and then either go fishing or golfing or run for the hills. LOL

She is not used to me being around here and I am used to being the Boss....Good thing I used to negotiate Union Contracts but this may call for a Strike Wildcat picket so to speak...
Click to expand...
Perfect 53…….. you’re still living the best life, first….. a lifetime of work and worry, like it’s supposed to be…….if ya do that right, and ya did, now you “get” to enjoy the fruits of your labors for a few great years……

When I retired ten years ago, friend would ask, “how is it, are you okay”. I always said, it’d like being 5 years old again, I’m out the in the morning, I do any damn thing I want to, nobody tells me what to do or where to be and even better than when I was 5, I don’t even have to show up for dinner if I don’t want to.

So…… there’s only one phase you have yet to look forward to……. if your lucky enough to live long enough, and it comes as the biggest surprise of your life. When you loose your libido………. now that’s total liberation. Mark my words, when sex is no longer controlling every fricking thought and minute of your existence, that’s freedom beyond any thing you have ever experienced……. Most men never survive the war long enough to know what real liberty is all about. One a these days 53, it’s the final pinnacle…..?

If you find your way heading down ole Highway 89 give me a shout and we’ll add some water to the stew!!!
 
Not there yet Lumpy I'm Italian not really sure that ever happens to men of my nationality. LOL Remember we are known the world over as the best lovers.
Sometimes in sex it's not what you get but how you give it...That makes legends...
I might be down your way in few weeks and will meet you over at Moms cafe when I go down to Grand Junction. You up for a chicken fried steak, eggs crispy hash browns and toast breakfast. I can't wait love that place I always stop..

Yes every morning I go where I want and do what I want it's great I love it so far. Looking forward to hunting this fall I might even make the family elk hunt with all the cousins that's always a hoot and a good drunk.
 
DeerHunter53 said:
Not there yet Lumpy I'm Italian not really sure that ever happens to men of my nationality. LOL Remember we are known the world over as the best lovers.
Sometimes in sex it's not what you get but how you give it...That makes legends...
I might be down your way in few weeks and will meet you over at Moms cafe when I go down to Grand Junction. You up for a chicken fried steak, eggs crispy hash browns and toast breakfast. I can't wait love that place I always stop..

Yes every morning I go where I want and do what I want it's great I love it so far. Looking forward to hunting this fall I might even make the family elk hunt with all the cousins that's always a hoot and a good drunk.
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Lets meet at Mom’s 53, just give me a heads up when your passing through.

I’ll make sure there’s some rhino horn in your coffee……
 
DeerHunter53 said:
I am retired that is why I haven't been online too much lately. Fishing and Golfing a lot now.

I am going Pacific Halibut fishing on May 19th with Sherri. The Reel Steel gets you the meat remember I told you that...LOL

Love retirement been traveling Vegas SLC working on Mom's house so we can BnB it. Staying busy

I get up in the morning and see what my wife's mood is, I feel it out and then either go fishing or golfing or run for the hills. LOL

She is not used to me being around here and I am used to being the Boss....Good thing I used to negotiate Union Contracts but this may call for a Strike Wildcat picket so to speak...
Click to expand...
The hardest part about retiring is living with my wife 24/7.

Tell Sherri you want cookies when you get back to the dock. She bakes great cookies! I think Tim only fished inside the bay twice last year for California halibut, it was so poor but he knows how and where to catch Pacific halibut.
 
eelgrass said:
The hardest part about retiring is living with my wife 24/7.

Tell Sherri you want cookies when you get back to the dock. She bakes great cookies! I think Tim only fished inside the bay twice last year for California halibut, it was so poor but he knows how and where to catch Pacific halibut.
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Eel try and get on with us and go for a big boy well both hit Sherri up for cookies LOL
 
DeerHunter53 said:
Eel try and get on with us and go for a big boy well both hit Sherri up for cookies LOL
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I've fished with Tim at least a dozen times. I just can't do the puke thing anymore. I still go crabbing with him once or twice a year but he only calls me when the ocean is flat...lol How many guys are in your party? Have you met Lonnie? He's retired from the mill now and fishes with Tim a lot as a deck hand. Good guy.
 
DeerHunter53 said:
I am retired that is why I haven't been online too much lately. Fishing and Golfing a lot now.

I am going Pacific Halibut fishing on May 19th with Sherri. The Reel Steel gets you the meat remember I told you that...LOL

Love retirement been traveling Vegas SLC working on Mom's house so we can BnB it. Staying busy

I get up in the morning and see what my wife's mood is, I feel it out and then either go fishing or golfing or run for the hills. LOL

She is not used to me being around here and I am used to being the Boss....Good thing I used to negotiate Union Contracts but this may call for a Strike Wildcat picket so to speak...
Click to expand...
Congrats on your retirement!
 
eelgrass said:
I've fished with Tim at least a dozen times. I just can't do the puke thing anymore. I still go crabbing with him once or twice a year but he only calls me when the ocean is flat...lol How many guys are in your party? Have you met Lonnie? He's retired from the mill now and fishes with Tim a lot as a deck hand. Good guy.
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No I haven't met Tim yet but will can't wait. There is just me and my buddy going I believe she still has a spot left
 
DeerHunter53 said:
No I haven't met Tim yet but will can't wait. There is just me and my buddy going I believe she still has a spot left
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From Tim's website:

4-11-2022 It won't be official until tomorrow but our salmon season will begin May 1 and be open all of May and then close until it reopens August 1 and runs until September 5. That should give us some good salmon opportunities. Pacific Halibut will also open May 1. Rockfish will open May 1 as well and run all of the way to December 31. Next year we expect to see drastic changes to the rockfish season. We may see the inshore fishing closed while having some access to offshore waters. This could give us a chance to try for some tasty Black Cod and other species.
 
Eel, just let us know when you get your freezer filled with those tasty fish and we will plan a raiding party to help you lighten that load in the freezer. No kerosene this time, just five finger discount.

RELH
 
RELH said:
Eel, just let us know when you get your freezer filled with those tasty fish and we will plan a raiding party to help you lighten that load in the freezer. No kerosene this time, just five finger discount.

RELH
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Okay. You'll be the first to know. If my foot heals up in time I'm going to start with razor clams about the 18th of this month.
 
eelgrass said:
Okay. You'll be the first to know. If my foot heals up in time I'm going to start with razor clams about the 18th of this month.
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What…… Razor Clams? Now you got may attention. Low tide on the 18th?

And………. What’s up with your foot eel?
 
2lumpy said:
What…… Razor Clams? Now you got may attention. Low tide on the 18th?

And………. What’s up with your foot eel?
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The first good minus tide of the year during daylight hours,18th to 21st. Getting a doctor in California is getting to be like getting a doctor in Canada, or so they say. Nothing serious, Deloss.
 
eelgrass said:
The first good minus tide of the year during daylight hours,18th to 21st. Getting a doctor in California is getting to be like getting a doctor in Canada, or so they say. Nothing serious, Deloss.
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May have to start making Doctors appointments at gun point. ?

Glad it not serious eel, I was worried I was gonna have to lower the flags to half mast!!!

Razor clams in California, Crawfish in Louisiana and here I set in Utah, with snow on the apricots blossoms…… there is no equality, an that’s a fact!
 
2lumpy said:
May have to start making Doctors appointments at gun point. ?

Glad it not serious eel, I was worried I was gonna have to lower the flags to half mast!!!

Razor clams in California, Crawfish in Louisiana and here I set in Utah, with snow on the apricots blossoms…… there is no equality, an that’s a fact!
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I heard about your snow. Sorry about the apricots. Nothing better than tree ripened apricots. The ones we buy in the store aren't even ripe yet.

My buddy is doing something different this year. He's switching from a clam shovel to a clam gun. He's too old and stoved up to bend over much. He decided he can make a clam gun better than the tried and true ones you can buy for $40. He'll save about $20 when he's done, not counting labor.
 
eelgrass said:
I heard about your snow. Sorry about the apricots. Nothing better than tree ripened apricots. The ones we buy in the store aren't even ripe yet.

My buddy is doing something different this year. He's switching from a clam shovel to a clam gun. He's too old and stoved up to bend over much. He decided he can make a clam gun better than the tried and true ones you can buy for $40. He'll save about $20 when he's done, not counting labor.
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Good point. I watched those guys ( I suspected there were commercial guys) using those shovels. Quick..,.. but, down on one knee and bending over. With the gun he could actually pull them up and dump them out then scoop them up with a little home fashioned tool. That way, he’d never have to bend over at all.

As long as his hearing doesn’t go bad, he’ll be good as ever. ?
 
Curious how large they are, compared to these in Oregon. Didn’t you say Calif coast had been closed for a few years recently…… do they get larger when they get older?

I was looking a YouTube on razors in Alaska, those where nearly double the size of the Oregon clams.
 
eelgrass said:
Yes, sir. It's supposed to rain but we don't care. I should be home by 10am.
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Are there soft-shell clams in the Pacific like the one we got from the Long Island Sound?

We called them piss clams because they shot up a stream of water when you stepped near the spot they were buried. They have a very distinct appendage sticking out of the shell.
 
OutdoorWriter said:
Are there soft-shell clams in the Pacific like the one we got from the Long Island Sound?

We called them piss clams because they shot up a stream of water when you stepped near the spot they were buried. They have a very distinct appendage sticking out of the shell.
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Hmmmm...soft shell? I don't think so. We have geoduck clams in Humboldt Bay though. I dug one once. Digging a 3' deep hole in the mud is not worth it, and they are very tough and not very tasty.

We dodged the rain this morning but that's about it. Between the 40mph wind and the angry ocean we failed to find any clams. One sneaker wave convinced us to come back another day. There were 14 guys clamming and we didn't see anyone dig a clam. Everybody quit at the same time.
 
eelgrass said:
Hmmmm...soft shell? I don't think so. We have geoduck clams in Humboldt Bay though. I dug one once. Digging a 3' deep hole in the mud is not worth it, and they are very tough and not very tasty.

We dodged the rain this morning but that's about it. Between the 40mph wind and the angry ocean we failed to find any clams. One sneaker wave convinced us to come back another day. There were 14 guys clamming and we didn't see anyone dig a clam. Everybody quit at the same time.
Click to expand...

Man, I can't imagine not finding a clam. When I was a preteen, summer weekends at my aunts in E. Northport, LI was a regular occurrence. A cousin who was much older than me had a 16' boat that we would use for fishing.

On some days, my dad & uncle would bail out of the boat in water that was about knee deep and use clamming rakes. It rarely took them more than an hour to fill two buckets with littlenecks & cherrystones.

For the piss clams, we normally got those at the same place we would go to swim & picnic on Sundays. All we did was walk the wet sand above the water line with a small shovel & wait for the tell-tale stream. They weren't very deep either, maybe 6 inches. Unlike the ones above that we ate raw, these were steamed.

This is what they looked like:

1650315755043.png
 
I see the weather is going to be bad again tomorrow. Darn!

When did they reopen razor clamming on your coast eel. Is this the first time it’s been open for a few years.

Doubt it was a sneeker wave but a wave taught me the meaning of, “never turn your back to the ocean”. I called it a day too.

Story of my life, “one time, every time”.
 
2lumpy said:
When did they reopen razor clamming on your coast eel. Is this the first time it’s been open for a few years.
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They opened it up about this time last year after being closed for a few years. However.......our clam bed is broken down into two halves, a north and a south. The north end is open on odd numbered years and the south end is open on even numbered years. The north end was open last year for the first time and the clamming was pretty poor. We were hoping for better clamming on the south end this year but it's not looking very promising. I don't know what happened to the clams.?‍♂️. The rough ocean with the big waves didn't allow the best access today. The older I get the more I appreciate how good we had it back in the day.

The clams in Oregon and Washington seem to be doing well. Today we talked about driving up to Oregon but neither of us has ever been there.
 
eelgrass said:
They opened it up about this time last year after being closed for a few years. However.......our clam bed is broken down into two halves, a north and a south. The north end is open on odd numbered years and the south end is open on even numbered years. The north end was open last year for the first time and the clamming was pretty poor. We were hoping for better clamming on the south end this year but it's not looking very promising. I don't know what happened to the clams.?‍♂️. The rough ocean with the big waves didn't allow the best access today. The older I get the more I appreciate how good we had it back in the day.

The clams in Oregon and Washington seem to be doing well. Today we talked about driving up to Oregon but neither of us has ever been there.
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The only time I’ve been was at Sea Side west of Portland, a long drive for you folks. Large beach, Probably 50 to 75 people but not what I’d call over crowded. Course you know I had no idea what to do but for watching YouTube and intimidating a couple of really really old women into showing me how to locate them. Before I got “waved” I’d gathered up 9, I think, it was. Limit was 15. Seemed like there were a lot to be had. I did catch a really negitive tide, that probably made a difference too. If the drive doesn’t discourage you, I think you’d do very well….. if their season is open now.
 
Opening day for king salmon and pacific halibut. No, thanks.

.TODAY...NW winds 10 to 15 kt. Waves W 8 ft at 12 seconds.
.TONIGHT...W winds 5 to 10 kt. Waves W 7 ft at 11 seconds. Chance of
rain.
.MON...NW winds 5 to 15 kt. Waves NW 9 ft at 10 seconds. Chance of
showers.
.MON NIGHT...N winds 10 to 20 kt. Waves NW 11 ft at 11 seconds.
.TUE...N winds 10 to 20 kt. Waves N 9 ft at 7 seconds...and NW 3 ft
at 16 seconds.
.WED...NW winds 5 to 10 kt. Waves N 5 ft at 6 seconds...and NW 7 ft
at 14 seconds.
.THU...NW winds 5 to 10 kt. Waves NW 3 ft at 5 seconds...and NW 9 ft
at 16 seconds. ?
 
I guess it’s a good idea to check that report before venturing out………. I got some buddies that wouldn’t do will living on the coast.
 
eelgrass said:
Opening day for king salmon and pacific halibut. No, thanks.

.TODAY...NW winds 10 to 15 kt. Waves W 8 ft at 12 seconds.
.TONIGHT...W winds 5 to 10 kt. Waves W 7 ft at 11 seconds. Chance of
rain.
.MON...NW winds 5 to 15 kt. Waves NW 9 ft at 10 seconds. Chance of
showers.
.MON NIGHT...N winds 10 to 20 kt. Waves NW 11 ft at 11 seconds.
.TUE...N winds 10 to 20 kt. Waves N 9 ft at 7 seconds...and NW 3 ft
at 16 seconds.
.WED...NW winds 5 to 10 kt. Waves N 5 ft at 6 seconds...and NW 7 ft
at 14 seconds.
.THU...NW winds 5 to 10 kt. Waves NW 3 ft at 5 seconds...and NW 9 ft
at 16 seconds. ?
Click to expand...
I would prolly turn green just watching those swells from the shore.

seasick.gif
 
Cmon Eel going on the 19th of May with the real
steel going to be a great day fishing. 50-100 pounds is what I am looking for..... Fresh Halibut doesn't get any better than that
 
DeerHunter53 said:
Cmon Eel going on the 19th of May with the real
steel going to be a great day fishing. 50-100 pounds is what I am looking for..... Fresh Halibut doesn't get any better than that
Click to expand...
You might catch your salmon first, then halibut.

5-11-2022 Eureka salmon is RED HOT!! Salmon fishing today was the best that we have seen in a few years. The wind was blowing and the ocean was a little cranky. The chop sent quite a few boats back in but the Reel Steel handled it with no problem and soon we were out near where we caught fish yesterday. The salmon were biting just like we left them and soon our rods were bending with wild Pacific King salmon on the lines. We had several double hookups and it was pretty much non stop action until 8:30 when we had limits for everyone.
 
I'll take salmon but want halibut either one is my favorite. LOL Love fish to eat.
I take blackening seasoning and put olive oil on the fillet then put the blackening seasoning on use a lot until it covers the fish. Put it in the oven on broil on hi for 12 minutes then leave the salmon in the oven for another 12 minutes and you can't believe how good it is. Make an aioli out of mayonnaise and sour cream and a lot of dill week to put on top......
Best ever recipe you coming Eel?
 

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