Im looking to go surf fishing out of imperial beach. Im loking to catch HAlibut. I have a nice spinning rod and reel spooled up with 12 lb test. Is this to heavy? I also use a 3 inch swimbait brown bait color and a 4 inch gray bottom and blue top swimbait. Can anybody give me tips ontackle and colors of swimbaits to use. NEED HELP!

12 lb. isn't too heavy. I prefer 8 or 10 when fishing the 3 inch Hammers but 12 will work.

As for colors I typically bring three standards with me:

Opaque Bait: Sea Wolf or 'Chovy
Pearl Belly: Wookie Wacker, Pepper Trout, or Silverside
Clear Belly: There are lots - Green Sardine, Keylime, Prizm Smelt, etc.

Other colors that have worked well that aren't really represented by these three "schemes" are the Chartreuse Baits such as Invader or Firetiger and I have also had reports of Strawberry doing pretty good.

But in all honesty I probably fish Sea Wolf 80% of the time when targeting halibut from the surf.

hey Leapin Bass, wat is the best way to set the hook with plastics. I can get the fish to hit the plastics but i cant get um to stick. Any advice would be appeciated.

-Austin

Sometimes when I'm sure I got a good bite I just crank down and set the hook. Other times when the bite is questionable I reel slowly until I feel pressure and then set the hook.

Check your bait for teeth marks (slashes (halibut) not small rough spots (perch)). It could be the the hits you are getting are from perch that are too small to take the bait. Over the years I haven't really had too much trouble getting the hook set with a 3 inch bait on the halibut - they seem to inhale it pretty good.

Thanks for the help

-Austin