Katie's Fishing Blog: My big but...6-28-11

Something unusual happened this late spring. Halibut were getting caught in really big numbers & sizes. Halibut do span in the spring but I don't ever remember them being caught 4-6 a day on the local half day boats. Also the fact that they are legal size limit! Which is 28 inches. The halibut were not barely legal they were big!
I have caught a few shorts & one nice legal halibut before. I planned to go out & get one once I saw the counts!
It's a bold statement for me to say I planned to get a halibut. The thing is I knew they were biting, I know how to rig up for them, & I know how to land them...still a ton of luck involved.
I went ahead & told everyone & anyone that would listen I was gonna go get a big halibut.
Just like when I'm doing a big race I did a lot of mental preparation for this. I thought through the whole thing the night before. Also putting more pressure on myself haha. I thought about my rig & bait selection. Reminded myself not to get anxious or panic if I got bit. Not to jerk the rod...etc etc.
We got out to the bait receiver in the morning & I know halibut can get caught there so I was rigged up & ready. My first bait got chomped but I didn't hook it :( bummer! Even worse the kid next to me moments later in the same spot got bit & landed a legal (barely) halibut.
He was so excited & decided to declare he had landed the jackpot fish of the day. That sparked my competitive side & since I already knew I was getting a big halibut I said "I hate to tell you this but I'm gonna land a bigger fish today" He was shocked at my bold statement. But I didn't waver from my claim ;)
I would like to say I am normally not this prideful but....I can get pretty cocky. Or confident in my ability.
We got out to the actual spot we were going to fish. I had my rig already to go. Unfortunately in my bold statement to everyone I got a lot of mixed advice :-/ use this rig, use that hook, make sire you use this bait....
The boat had live squid the previous few trips which was one of my reasons for picking this boat. My trip there was dead, stinky squid that had been live the day before.
I dropped a whole dead squid first which I knew was dumb. I quickly wound in re-baited using MY knowledge not the opinion of others. I know this stuff (that being said I'm on every trip ready to learn something new) but when it comes to the #1 key to catching fish I KNOW it is bait selection. I picked the most beautiful tasty healthy looking anchovy in the tank. I dropped down to the bottom and the CHOMP! I knew I had done it! I hooked a halibut, now I had to land it. I stayed surprisingly calm & steadily wound it in. The captain stood next to me and called for a gaff when it came up. The deckhand threw a hook in it and bam my but was on deck! I was a happy lady AND my little buddy with his little but had to acknowledge I in fact did what I said.
The bait barge halibut barely legal