Heading to Cresent City Ca for Pacific Halibut

[Crab Pot]

So I have never fished out of Cresent City and know nothing about it.

I have caught Pacific Halibut off San Francisco Bar but by accident while targeting Kalifornia Halibut and they were nothing to write home about (but keepers  ).

I know they can/are much bigger the further north you go.

What type of dead bait rig do you tie? There is no live bait up there.

I've Google'd it but maybe there is someone here with experience in those waters that can share a photo of there rig?

Hope to have a good report on Fathers Day!

Thanks,

Steve

[Keta]

Herring is what I use most of the time but shad, sardines and octopus also works well.

[El Pescador]

Crab Pot,

Get ahold of Rancan (Randy) - he lives 30 minutes up 101.

He may want to go fishing.

Good guy, we had lunch together.

   https://alantani.com/index.php/topic,33860.msg398378.html#msg398378

Wayne

[Bill B]

Steve a word of warning STAY OFF THE OUTER BREAKWATER!  Many are killed each year by walking out on what seems like a calm day but the sleeper waves come in and into the water you go.  There is a pier and maybe halibut but I don't know for sure.

There is a fishing charter there but seems a little pricey.  A beach at the south end of town, I'm sure all the usual surf perch artificials will work.  Going north is the mouth of the Smith River but I believe salmon season is closed and lots of snags in the water.  There is some river access to the Smith if you drive the highway 197.  Google maps is your friend.  You might try the grocery store of frozen squid, doubtful but worth a try. 

Also watch your speed on the highway into and out of CC.  The CHP makes a lot of money with speeders on the 101. 

There is this strange gated community to the north.  It has lots of gun towers and the customers don't get to leave (Pelican Bay State Prison).  May want to stay away from that place 🤣.

A good place for breakfast is the Apple Peddler on the south end of town. The Indian casino has a great menu for lunch and dinner.  Very generous portions.  Cheap cigarettes if you smoke.  I won $70 at the slots last time I was there.

Bill

[Crab Pot]

Thanks for the replies Gents, but I guess I should have elaborated on how we'll be fishing:

I'll be on my buddies 2023 model 2320 Parker Pilothouse.

He's moving back to Florida and this will be our last hurrah together in Kalifornia. Though I have an open invite once he gets settled back in at Coco Beach!

He tried Kalifornia, enough said there.

So the two day plan is to limit on Pacific Halibut each morning and to jig up Rocks and Ling's afterwards.

I have Rock/Ling fishing figured out but I'm looking for some local knowledge on what's the most productive Pacific Haliut rigging is.

Spreader bar, three-way, neither?

I saw a YouTube put out by the State of Oregon showing a 250 pound test leader with 12/0 circle hooks which seems over kill to me.

I'll figure it out one way or another but this this one of two species on his bucket list left, the other being White Sea Bass, and I want to put him on one. We won't have time for the WSB, he's heading east June 29th.

Wayne, we have a full boat but I'll keep Randy in mind when I go back up if the Albacore show up.

Got the bait part dialed in Lee put thanks for the input.

Bill B, you sound like a local!

Thanks for the grub suggestions!

[Keta]

Be aware of the area MPAs.

[Crab Pot]

MPA's ?

[Keta]

Marine Protected Area.

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Map-of-the-Crescent-City-Marine-Protected-Area-Pyramid-Point-SMCA-and-reference-site_fig5_330116580

[Crab Pot]

Lee...damn it, I knew that.

My buddies new electronics show MPA's and alert us when we are close.

It's on us after that.

But thanks for the heads up.

[Gfish]

Steve a word of warning STAY OFF THE OUTER BREAKWATER!  Many are killed each year by walking out on what seems like a calm day but the sleeper waves come in and into the water you go.  There is a pier and maybe halibut but I don't know for sure.

There is a fishing charter there but seems a little pricey.  A beach at the south end of town, I'm sure all the usual surf perch artificials will work.  Going north is the mouth of the Smith River but I believe salmon season is closed and lots of snags in the water.  There is some river access to the Smith if you drive the highway 197.  Google maps is your friend.  You might try the grocery store of frozen squid, doubtful but worth a try. 

Also watch your speed on the highway into and out of CC.  The CHP makes a lot of money with speeders on the 101. 

There is this strange gated community to the north.  It has lots of gun towers and the customers don't get to leave (Pelican Bay State Prison).  May want to stay away from that place 🤣.

A good place for breakfast is the Apple Peddler on the south end of town. The Indian casino has a great menu for lunch and dinner.  Very generous portions.  Cheap cigarettes if you smoke.  I won $70 at the slots last time I was there.

Bill

Man, Crescent City is a changin'.I lived there in the mid-80's. Pelican Bay was just start-in to be built when I left. And now there's a casino. Pre '86 it was an economically challenged area. That break water was a good spot for Black Rockfish, but you had to wait on the schools to come through. Never saw any freak waves, but maybe they built that up too. Good to hear about, but prisons and casino's to stimulate the economy, I don't know...
Jeddahdia Smith State park is an awesome camping and fishing area on the Smith River.

[Crab Pot]

I have experienced first hand fishing off the rocks at Pillar Point/Half Moon Bay/Mavericks when I was younger (high school---I'm 58 now) and not paying attention to the incoming tide...

Let's just say we got to know some Air Force Security Forces personnel a little better than we anticipated that trip.

Been a dedicated tide chart watcher ever since! 

[Crab Pot]

So much for my trip...

[Crab Pot]

So not to be denied my buddy and I decided go in land and freshwater fish.

I can't remember the last time I fished in freshwater but this was the last time I was going to see him till I go to Florida so I said ok.

He wanted to go to Whiskeytown Reservoir for Kokanee.

As I was driving across the bridge at 0600 heading to Oak Bottom and looked across the lake, white caps, sheep, whatever you want to call them. The Cresent City wind had came to us 

Launched his 2320 Parker at 0630 hoping for the best but not optimistic.

The pilothouse acted like a sail and we kept spinning thus tangling.

Prety soon we were the only boat on the lake and decided to hang it up.

Freddy did manage to catch a stocker Rainbow which he released.

The photos were taken in the morning, don't let the flat water fool you!

Ollie the dog didn't care though!

[Keta]

Too bad you did not have a river boat you could have used on the upper Sacremento River.

[Swami805]

Got to spend some time with your friend, a little adventure, not what you planned but something different. Sounds ok to me