Wisconsin Roots and Big Bucktails
Bob Joubert
Dateline: 1/24/00
Growing up in Wisconsin I was very fortunate to have been exposed to many kinds of fishing. However in the midwest fresh water is the only water available. In 1965 my family moved to the west coast and settled in Torrance, California. I met many new friends and thank goodness some of them fished. Before long we were running out of Redondo Beach in flat bottom skiffs to load up on barracuda, yellowtail, and halibut.
For the first several years I was using live bait exclusively, like everyone else. Little by little as my fishing skills improved, I found myself trying a variety of different techniques most of which involved artificial baits. In recent years I was introduced to a lure not previously used in my local waters, at least as far as I know: The Billy Finn Bucktail for salt water. This lure features some traits not unfamiliar to other popular baits used in Southern California.Bright flasher blades, properly sized sharp hooks and a vivid colored bucktail skirt to conceal the business end of said hooks.
The one big difference between this and all the others is the fact that the Billy Finn has it all in one lure.To successfully fish this bait for barracuda, and simply troll at moderate speeds in an area where fish are suspect until a strike is produced. Then cast and retrieve at various paces and rhythms to load the boat. For yellow tail, find kelp paddies as usual, cast underneath the paddy, let it sink for a second or two and retrieve in a jerky motion.
The tricky one is always going to be halibut. They require a little more efforts. Set up a down rigger with a 5 to 8 pound ball and approximately 6 to 8 foot leader. Troll slow holding you rig about 2 to 3 feet off the bottom, the strikes will come. Occasionally I hook and land really large halibut.
The reason I mentioned my early days in Wisconsin is this: I was always able to equate certain fresh water dwellers with certain fish of the Pacific. The musky = barracuda, Northern and Walleye=yellow tail, and so on. I knew from friends and family back east that the Billy Finn worked well on the large game fish of the lakes, so I had to try it in waters I had come so well acquainted with. My hunch was right, the thing works and works great. In fact, the next time I venture down to Mexico I plan to take a boxfull.
Fishtales One Year Ago: 01/25/99 - Finesse Fishing with The Bass Coach - Roger Lee Brown explains rigs that will help you catch fish under tough conditions.
Fishtales Two Years Ago: 01/26/98 - Crazy Baits, Part 1 - Jim Pope makes some of his own lures for Tennessee bass. If you ever go fishing with him, don't make fun of them! The second part of his tale will run next week.
