low viz and Halibut question..

while i have no hali experience per se, i do know a little about dealing with burried sea life..the only thing that might be of any help is to orient yourself down current, so as you move up current you will come across the fish tail first, since they will often be facing the current looking for snacks.

sounds like a most challenging dive environment

I'm no expert but I have noticed they don't travel far when you spook them. In conditions like that a short gun would be ideal and just make a note of the direction they went as they probably only moved 20 to 30 feet. Happy hunting.

Yo Q-

This is what I do for low vis halibut hunting:

1. Hunt at the edge of the visibility (the sand that is just coming into view).
2. Swim very slowly.
3. Ride the current. As Lunker mentioned, I have also noted that halibut usually face into the current. On the contrary to what Lunker mentioned, I've found that halibut spook less frequently if I come face to face with them rather than face to tail.

When the halibut materializes in the edge of your visibility, try stopping and backing up a bit, load your polespear or aim your gun and shoot it from the front....this is another reason to hunt them with the current at your back: You want to shoot them from the front.

Hope this helps!
-Kirby

When the viz is that bad I swim with my left hand holding the muzzle of the gun right next to my face and my right hand behind me with my thumb on the trigger. The second I see anything, game over. Took me a while to get to the point where my first reaction was to push the trigger when you see a fish but it works awesome for halibut in crap viz.

Quote from Kirby

Yo Q-

This is what I do for low vis halibut hunting:

1. Hunt at the edge of the visibility (the sand that is just coming into view).
2. Swim very slowly.
3. Ride the current. As Lunker mentioned, I have also noted that halibut usually face into the current. On the contrary to what Lunker mentioned, I've found that halibut spook less frequently if I come face to face with them rather than face to tail.

When the halibut materializes in the edge of your visibility, try stopping and backing up a bit, load your polespear or aim your gun and shoot it from the front....this is another reason to hunt them with the current at your back: You want to shoot them from the front.

Hope this helps!
-Kirby

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thanks for the clarification..:thumbsup2:

Short gun (I just finished shortening a railgun for that very purpose), very very slow movement...

I use a 22 inch JBL blue lightning... and a homemade 20mm band for extra power...

see a big fish... shoot the big fish... then stand up... its only 2 ft deep.

Quote from Tailsurfer

I use a 22 inch JBL blue lightning... and a homemade 20mm band for extra power...

see a big fish... shoot the big fish... then stand up... its only 2 ft deep.

Sounds like my Corbina rig.:D

Cheers, Don