MONSTER California Halibut!

[R'nR Bob]

Congratz to all involved with that outstanding Cali Hali. Thanks Capt Rod for your very nice report and great first post here at sportfisherman.com. Have a great 2011 season and keep the reports comming.
R'nR Bob

[Captain Rod]

Sweet, congrats on a great fish!

Was that a Archer bar you got it on?

Yea Archers' Spider dredge, works great!!!

[AdamM]

wonder why the eyes on the fish in pic 1 are opposite to the fish in pic 2 and 3

[Captain Fred Archer]

My book "Halibut Fisherman's Bible" discusses similar techniques to what Rod uses, along with inside information from a number of other top halibut fishermen, both sport and commercial, from up and down the west coast. Both types of west coast halibut are discussed in detail and I, having been a pin hooker (rod and reel commercial fisherman) for east coast summer flounder (fluke) when I was a young man, write about using west coast techniques to catch big fluke. This book might be of interest to those who wish to learn more about the west coast techniques and lures, especially those interested in catching big fluke/flounder.

[DaGoose]

wonder why the eyes on the fish in pic 1 are opposite to the fish in pic 2 and 3

Hi Adam,

Great observation! With California halibut, there are lefties and righties, just like people. They swim upright as frye then they somehow choose one side to lay flat on the bottom, and the eyes migrate to the top side.

The top fish is a lefty, and the bottom a righty.

Just some useless flattie trivia from the left coast to answer your question

Those are fine specimens!

Rick