macs for halibut bait

[Fiskadoro]

Originally Posted by GregAndrew

Greenbacks would be about 4th on my list of live baits. Spanish macks (Jacks) would be 3rd.

I pretty much agree with that.

I'd say dines and chovies tie for first, squid is a close second, Spanish macks, greenbacks close behind, then Jacksmelt then brownbait and lizard fish.

Spanish being jacks are very hardy and live longer. Great large baits for bigger fish when the bites slow.

It all depends what the fish want.

When halibut are aggressively feeding Chovies will out fish Dines. People think Chovies are lame because they are wimps but they must really be candy to halibut because they really do love them. Dines have more flash and swim better, and for slower bites Dines work better because they live longer.

Likewise when halibut are aggressive Greenbacks get eaten better because they are more lively but Spanish get more fish when the bite is slow because they are lively longer.

Squid is kind of a crapshoot. I've seen times when it's all they wanted then times when they would not touch it and only wanted fin bait. Still I've caught my largest halibut on squid.

I love fishing Greenbacks. The fish hit them aggressively, and they are very good for fish in in the 15 to 25 pound range. My gripe is that they almost never take them head first usually almost always grabbing them right in the midsection.

That said if there's a lot of junk fish around I'd rather fish greenbacks then anything. Everything in the world chews on squid or chovies, but only quality fish are going to chase down a lively mackerel.

One other thing I've found is that Sardines and Greenbacks try to stay off the bottom, and often try and swim up making lots of commotion, so they are more visible to the fish. Squid and Spanish on the other hand will sometimes try and lie down on the sand to blend in, so often I do better fishing shorter leaders with Spanish or Squid.