Bait vs jig/plastic for halibut

I’ve searched and read as many halibut threads as I can find on the forum, but I’m left with a question.

Halibut fishing on charter boats in Alaska, my experience was on anchor with most rods rigged with bait sitting on the bottom or with a big lead head and 10”ish grub. They also chummed the bottom a fair bit to call in fish. I like jigging so I have something to do and can feel the bite.

I’m geared up for the Oregon opener with mooching and spreader bar setups for drifting bait, but I’m also bringing the big grub / lead head to tire myself out jigging.

How often do folks fish non-bait rigs for halibut in Oregon? Anyone jig those giant grubs, and if you do, are you drifting bait to find fish first the switching over (seems like an obvious yes, but I wouldn’t be asking if I knew the answer)?

The 12+oz jigheads with curly tail are a standard for nearshore halibut in Oregon.  The powerboat guys refer to it as "knocking on the door".  Halibut target both scent and motion so most people either tip their jigs or do a wrap with shad, herring etc.

-Mark-

We went on an Alaskan charter last summer and the winning combo was a really big curly tail jig tipped with a big strip of pink salmon that was as big as the jig. They chopped up the rest of the pinks for chum.

Excellent info. I’ll bring bait to tip the jig with. Thanks for the feedback.

I don't have any experience kayak fishing for halibut, but do plenty of halibut fishing from a powerboat.  The biggest fish last year for us came on whole black label herring rigged on a J hook (threaded so the hook came out the mouth and 200lb leader out the pooper).  There were three of us fishing and each leader had two big herrings and a monster 48oz lead (lot of current/drift those days).  My arms hurt from jigging and bait check those days.  Have had lots of good catches with a two circle hook rig too - with a herring/tuna belly/shad cocktail on the bottom hook and a curly grub with tuna belly on the top hook.

Good thread.  Thanks for the info everyone!  A kayak Pac halibut is on my list for this summer.  Or maybe I should say, putting in time for a Pac halibut is on my list  .

I guess that I could add that the two times I went out of Bandon to the "High Spot" with Prowler Charters, they just used squid and the boat limited pretty quick both times.

I guess that I could add that the two times I went out of Bandon to the "High Spot" with Prowler Charters, they just used squid and the boat limited pretty quick both times.

Any issues with keeping the by-catch off the squid?  It's a favorite of skates and dogfish.  I do not like the idea of messing with a giant skate from a kayak  .

I do not like the idea of messing with a giant skate from a kayak

Would there be an attendance fee?  My guess is it might take very little time to put a value on the terminal gear, lol.

I guess that I could add that the two times I went out of Bandon to the "High Spot" with Prowler Charters, they just used squid and the boat limited pretty quick both times.

Any issues with keeping the by-catch off the squid?  It's a favorite of skates and dogfish.  I do not like the idea of messing with a giant skate from a kayak  .

The only bycatch I remember (it's been a few years) was lingcod and some other large type of flounder. The water is hundreds of feet deep there.

For the record I caught a skate while jigging for halibut in Alaska. I think it was there checking out the chum bag and just happened over my line. I prefer jigging. With the right rod and technique, you can catch fish all day. +1 for tipping the jig with some fish for scent.

It's all just theories but here is my take on bait vs artificial. 

There is no doubt in my mind that a scent trail can draw in halibut from long distances.  It's why in our area, the best halibut charters ALL anchor up. 

I am just as equally sure after countless hours staring into the water while ice fishing plus a few hours of underwater video, that all things being equal, a predatory fish will strike a moving bait/lure versus a static one. 

If I am on a power boat with multiple people fishing with at least some using bait or there is a chum bag in the vicinity. I think a lure (or aggressively mooched bait) will get hit before any static bait.   But off of a kayak, we only get one line, so 99% of the time, we use herring rigged to roll like when trolling for salmon.  So my preference is using a herring rigged to spin as it has both the scent and movement.

We are lucky to be able to find halibut super shallow.  often in 20 ft of water.  In under 100 ft of water we troll.  Right now we troll most often with herring.  But we have been running more kwikfish, magwarts, and spoons lately.   The only issue with trolling for halibut is that the strike detection can be difficult since unlike salmon which will strike a bait and then immediately turn to the side, a halibut will clamp down on a trolled bait or lure and just continue to keep swimming along with the trolled bait.

I have a couple of videos where the halibut follows the gear, and then proceeds to strike downrigger clips, swivels, sinkers, gopros.  It finally looks at the herring and says, ok I will try that and gets hooked.  Not the behavior I would have expected. 

So long story short.  I prefer bait that can be rigged to have action.  But if I am fishing structure or around a chum bag or other folks fishing bait, I feel just as confident using lures without scent as I do bait.  In fact after shooting a few of these videos, we plan on using more artificials even though I am a diehard bait fisherman. 

Top water halibut chasing the bling instead of the bait at first:


Underwater view of small halibut:


Strike detection issues.  First fish is a 20 pound halibut.  I didn't even know i had a fish on until I could see the fish and it took off. 

Kardinal, your videos are always terrific. I'll be putting time so long as conditions and companions are into it.

Herring and squid for each trip seem like good “should haves,” and otherwise jig vs mooch vs troll based on depth and current.

I suppose if enough folks head out together we could almost muster a chumming effect. Haha

I just realized I had a picture of our baits from last summer. This caught halibut.

I just realized I had a picture of our baits from last summer. This caught halibut.

My personal favorite!

-Allen