What this rig is all about:
This rig will help you catch keeper-sized halibut anywhere from Florida to California. It’s very simple to rig up but it is effective and uses an artificial bait. In short, it is a drop shot rig. You do need to work the rig in a specific way to entice the halibut to bite though. This guide will go through all of that info as well as a step-by-step tutorial in setting it up.
Here is a list of materials/items that you will need to make this rig:
Links include pricing info on Amazon and are the suggested products for this rig.
- 30 pound braid for the main line
- 15-20 pound monofilament leader line
- Snap swivel
- 1-2 ounce torpedo sinker
- Artificial grub bait
- Gamakatsu Light Wire Worm Hook, NS Black, Size 1
Recommended rod:
How and when to use this rig:
The way the sinker and the hook is set up really maximizes the chance of getting a halibut to bite. The weight needs to be heavy enough to keep the bait close to the bottom but doesn’t necessarily need to fix the location of the bait since you’ll be working the bait.
The distance from the sinker to bait is key since halibut are predator fish and like to attack from below and from behind. I found the optimal length of this leader to be 6-10 inches. This allows the halibut to expend relatively low energy to bite but it’s far enough from the bottom to attract its attention.
This rig should really be used in relatively calm water conditions and the way you work it is to perform a steady but slow retrieval with your reel while pointing your rod tip down at a 45 degree angle.
The hooks and artificial bait used for this rig are complementary and purposeful. The bait, when fully fed through the hook, should have the hook come out close to the tail. Since halibut tend to catch their prey from behind, having the hook closer to the tail should give you better chances of a hook set.
Setup guide:
- Tie your 30 pound braid main line to the snap swivel You can use any knot that makes a secure attachment but I recommend a palomar knot. This will serve as your connection to the leader line.
- Now, let’s rig up the leader. Tie the 1-2 ounce torpedo sinker to 6-10 inch mono leader line. Cut enough line so that after you tie knots at both ends, you’ll get a 6-10 inch leader.
- Lastly, feed the grub bait through the hook and then tie the other end of the leader line to the hook. Attach the leader setup to the snap swivel. It should finally look like this:
And there you have it. A simple yet effective drop shot rig for halibut. Go out there and test it out! Let me know if this rig is working for you and rate it at the top of this article. For a trolling halibut rig, check out this article.