Barkley Adventure Station – Fishing Blog

Frozen bait

Many halibut fishermen use fresh or frozen bait. Typically herring, octopus,
and squid are the most commonly used. In most cases, halibut will smell your
bait before they see it. With this in mind, try using a scent attractant that
you will inject directly into the bait. These attractants can be injected using
either a needle or a worm blower.

Artificial Baits

Many artificial baits are available for halibut. Some include; Grubbs,
Scampi’s, “Berkley” Power Bait, “Gulp” Giant Squids, and “Hooked On Tackle” Lazer
Squids. Many of these baits come pre-scented, but for those that don’t, you should
be using a scent attractant of some kind. Using a “Curley Skirt” between the
jig head and the bait is also a great attractant.

Jigs

There is a large variety of jigs on the market but some are more specific to
halibut and bottom fish. Delta Tackle makes a large variety of jigs that weigh
up to 25 oz. Skirted Magic Finish Spinnows are a fabulous locally made jig. Gibbs
“Mudrakers” are one of the best on the market as they have a built-in scent chamber
that you can inject attractants right into. Using giant hootchies with a Radiant
Gun Barrel (bait chamber insert), is also a great way to fish. The Gun Barrel
is like a sponge that is inserted inside the hootchy, you simply add an attractant
to the sponge and it will last for hours. 

Barkley Adventure Station thanks Tyee Marine in Campbell River for this great
fishing article.

Please note that viewpoints express in this article are the author’s.