Coast Guard beach

[seaslug]

Sounds like Ling Cod. I have had big Lings eat smaller lLings which were eating a small fish on the hook. Have not seen Halibut hitch hiking.

[seatech]

I've had big halibut "hitch hike" all the way up to the boat only to let a smelt or sardine go at the surface.

Those flatties can be somewhat frsutrating in their habit to bite and hold on to (vs. fully swallowing) even the smallest of baits (and yet fully engulf a huge bait) .

Ed

[seaslug]

I certainly have had them fight for 3 or 4 minutes then brought back in a chewed smelt - love those trap hooks - the 27 pounder I got several weeks ago came in on a number 4 treble trap hook.

[Piranha]

I've had lotsa halibut, legal and otherwise, let go 4 feet or so from the yak! They see the boat, and it's" Bye-bye! " That's why people usually take a while to let a halibut chew it. I usually count to 100 slowly, say three to five minutes! I also use a trap hook so they can get stuck when they're foolin around with the tail end of the bait! I use a size 6 or size 4 treble rapala red or chrome saltwater treble! Piranha