| I have been a fisherman for over 50 years and a | | | | bottom fish is to drop a Crippled Herring jig or some |
| charter boat captain since 1977. No matter how often I | | | | other lead jig to the bottom. Allow the jig to flutter to |
| go fishing I can never accept fish are not biting. Every | | | | the bottom then rip the bait up sharply and allow it to |
| fisherman knows that fish especially bottom feeders | | | | fall again. Maintain this action while watching your line |
| like grouper and halibut seem to refuse to feed on | | | | as your bait falls. Invariably a fish will become |
| certain days or on certain tides. When these days or | | | | aggravated and strike the falling bait. Often when I get |
| times occur I start emptying my tackle cabinet for | | | | a hookup I will allow the fish to remain close to the |
| some magic bait. While the magic bait is yet to be | | | | bottom for a short period of time and often other fish |
| discovered I have found a few techniques that will | | | | will get interested and start to bite for fear all the food |
| produce at times cut bait or even live bait fail. | | | | may be eaten by others. Grouper, snapper and halibut |
| My favorite way of catching fish like grouper, halibut or | | | | can all go from lockjaw to biting everything in site |
| even large mouth bass is to irritate them to the point | | | | almost instantaneously. From famine to feast often in |
| they lash out at the annoyance. For fish like largemouth | | | | an instant because jigged Crippled Herring, constantly |
| bass a rapidly retrieved rattle or spinner bait will induce | | | | creating attention, aggravated one fish to strike. |
| a strike. For bottom fish like grouper, a little more | | | | I like using heavy lead jigs for halibut with rubber grub |
| persistent presentation is needed. Often times | | | | tails, buck tail jigs of all sizes based on the depth but |
| repeatedly banging your sinker on the bottom will | | | | the most dependable and reliable bait I have used is |
| attract fish, especially halibut. This sonic vibration | | | | the Luhr Jensen Crippled Herring in all sizes. |
| caused by the bait thumping or banging on the bottom | | | | Remember when the bite gets tough, open up the |
| will cause fish to start feeding when other methods fail. | | | | tackle box for something, like a lead head jig or |
| An even more effective method of catching finicky | | | | Crippled Herring, to incite those finicky fish into biting. |