© Thale Steenhoven
Everyone fishes differently. Personally, I prefer to hunt fish by drifting. Using the GOTEM Bait, I go to various depths of water and begin my drift. If there are no bites within 15 minutes, I move to another spot. Once fish are caught or bites felt, I’ll circle around and drift the same area. If that spot is proven for bites and catches, it’s marked on GPS for the next trip.
Where I fish, I use a 3# weight on a cork screw swivel attached to a 9′ gangon rig that is attached to my 60# braided main line. Always put the bait assembly into the water just below the surface for a few seconds to allow the bait to float freely from the weight. Then drop to the bottom. This keeps things from possibly tangling in the freefall.
Note the depth and change spots if you get no action. While drifting you might want to jig. Jigging quickly up about 5′ and down slowly mimics the natural action of an octopus and will aid in attracting fish. If you decide to change depths or areas, or just want to check your bait, reel up the first 25′ or so – slowly because halibut will possibly chase the bait if they’re moving to feed.
