What are your fave's? Kind and Color? I have a few 4"Mean Sardines(WK), 5"Silver Flakes (FT), and 3" Brownbaits and Blue'chovies(WK). Also what size heads?
I'm going to try taking my tube out of Capitola with a buddy in a 'yak. The 'buts are supposed to be in 50' of water 700'-900' off the pier on a 250 heading. To me it's a tad sketchy, as it's my first time in the "open ocean" and doing a surf launch. I've done the Kelp thing within 300' of shore but this is different. Any suggestions (other than more life insurance-Just Kidding), are appreciated. BTW I have a Caddis Pro (the U-one).

Tight lines,
Wade

Ah, that's an easy one!!! Fish trap green sardine with a 1/2oz. leadhead. If you're gonna be in 50' of water you may need to go to 3/4 or even 1oz. depending on current. Check out Rob's halibut article on this site, and most importantly, catch a halibut, I mean don't die...
-Brian

I second the part about not dying!
Kinda haired any time you go out north of pt. conception.
I also second the sardine fish trap on the 1/2 oz fishco head. You cannot beat this lure! Like Brian says, go with 3/4 if it's too deep.
Any more seabass fishing lately Brian?

Hey Guys,
Is there any difference between the green sardine you guys are talking about and the sardine FT with the clear belly? I never did too well with the clear belly so I thought maybe you guys were talking about a different color. If not, I guess I just have to fish with them more.
Thanks,
Tommy

Green sardine I think is advertised by Fish Trap as sardine actually. It's got a green back with black flake and a yellowish band, or horizontal stripe with a clear/sparkle belly. Fish it a little bit, and if it doesn't work for ya try something else. No one color is gonna work on all the fish all the time. Maybe your halibut are eatin squid, so a brownish color would work better, or maybe they're eatin perch or ronkies or some other type of forage. Most of the fish around here feed on baitfish cause there's not a lot of squid around here, inshore at least. There's usually a good supply of sardines/smelt/anchovies/mackerel so a lot of the fish are used to feeding on baitfish which is why the green sardine and fastrac work so well. So, all I can tell ya is give it a couple more shots, if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. Find out what they're eatin, screw around with colors, and you'll figure it out. Sometimes half the fun is finding out HOW to catch em.
-Brian

Thanks for the info, Ill give it a few more tries. The day I was fishing with it I didnt catch too much on any color so I guess I should give it a second chance. Most of the halibut in my area eat baitfish too (SMB) but there are times when a white mogambo will work really well.
Thanks,
Tommy

Brian,

From what I understand "Green Sardine" is different than color #31 "Sardine". "Sardine" is the brighter green back with the yellow middle and clear belly. "Green Sardine" is not on the color chart on the Fishtrap website and I forgot what number they gave me but it is in fact called "Green Sardine". It is more of a dull green back (puke green?) with the yellow stripe and a clear belly with a slight touch of yellow in it. When I was ordering the 6.5" baits for the seabass I talked to Barry at Fishtrap and that's what I found out.

Pete

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You can't catch tomorrow what you kill today - please practice catch and release.

Thanks Pete. I've never seen green sardine listed anywhere, so I assumed it was sardine. Guess I assumed wrong...
-Brian

That's good info Pete. I have a few 4" left that I think are really "green sardine". The regular "sardine" I have are not quite the same and I always wondered about the difference.

Haven't been fishing the seabass for a good three nights now!!! I can't believe it. I've been busy with stuff, I'll hit it tomorrow.
-Brian

No contest,5in clear/redflake big hammer,we have caught 8 flatties over 20lbs up to 36lbs(off ledbetter last year)over the past few years on that bait while fishing for calicos on my boat...Larry

Hey Larry,
Clear with Red Flake??? I shoulda known... ;-) You know, if you keep catchin halibut like that we're gonna have to start callin you HalibutHunter... You may need to re-sticker your boat too... hehe (that might be a "night time present" for ya if you don't watch out, lol).
-Brian

That's a color I don't think I'd try for halibut (maybe bass) just by looking at it. Just goes to show you never know. I have used the 4 in. Fishtrap Clear/Red Flake/Black Back and have done pretty well. Maybe I'll pick up a few. Thanks!

http://fishcomfg.com/h16.jpg

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You can't catch tomorrow what you kill today - please practice catch and release.

Pete, I laughed at that color too! Then I fished it--now I believe. The nickname for that bait is "The Converter" --converts folks to that color as well as Hammers.

That color looks kinda squidy to me. You might be getting some big Squid eaters. I'll see if I can find them around here. Thanks to everyone for the input.

Tight lines,
Wade

BTW the guy with the 'Yak flaked on me and I got stuck watching the kids too, but we're going to hit'em next weekend.

Tight lines,
Wade