Attach the main line to the third eye of the swivel.

When you’re ready to fish, pin a live bait on your hook through the tip of its nose. Put the rig in the water and lower it to the bottom. Let out a few more feet of line and then engage the reel.

As the boat drifts, you want to feel the rig dragging across the bottom. Halibut lie on the bottom and ambush baitfish.

If the rod slowly bends into a deep arc, that could be a bite. A halibut might have inhaled the bait and is hooked. When that happens, take the rod out of the holder and start working the reel.

2. Trolling
For decades, commercial anglers have been trolling for halibut. But private boaters and a few charter operators recently have discovered how effective trolling is. It’s not as much fun as drifting, but because you’ll cover more ground, you can usually catch more fish.

You’ll need a beefy rod capable handling a sinker that weighs up to a pound. Match it with a reel loaded with 65-pound braid.

To rig up, tie a three-way swivel to the end of the main line. To one eye, attach a short, medium-weight monofilament dropper. To the third eye, tie in a 48-inch section of 30-pound leader material and then attach an 8-inch dodger.

To the rear of the dodger, attach another 36 inches of leader. At the end of that line, attach your bait.

The most common trolling bait is a frozen anchovy, known locally as a “popsicle,” rigged with a pair of hooks or placed in one of the plastic bait-rotators more commonly employed while trolling for salmon.

Fewer anglers use artificial lures, but they can be super-effective.

The best artificial is a white 4-inch swimtail grub with a blue hoochie over the top of it.

Other offerings that work include 3-inch wobbling spoons or 4-inch shallow-running minnow plugs.

No matter what offering you use, the technique is the same. To the dropper, attach a 6- to 16-ounce weight (depending on the current and depth of water) and then free-spool the rig out behind the boat.

If your rig is not dragging across the bottom, you need more weight. For halibut trolling, the ideal speed is between 1 and 3 mph.

Halibut face into the current. Maneuver the boat so it quarters across and slightly downcurrent. This will help you maintain a low speed while presenting the bait in front of the fish.

The strikes you get when trolling are not as violent. The rod will simply bend over as if snagged. That’s your cue to pull it out of the holder and begin battling your prize.

WHERE TO START?
San Francisco Bay covers a huge area. There are spots that offer both drifters and trollers a good opportunity for success. Throughout the season, you’ll get consistent action at Central Bay locations, such as Angel Island, Paradise Cay, Krissy Field and the Berkeley Flats.

At times, the South Bay plays host to excellent halibut action. Top South Bay spots include the Alameda Rock Wall, the Oakland Airport, Candlestick Point and the area offshore of the Oyster Point Pier. To the north, the lower portion of San Pablo Bay typically yields good fishing during the late summer and early fall.