Long Beach surf fishermen go fishing for the halibut and catch 9 legals

Tim Rand from Long Beach loves to surf fish more than anything else. Maybe that's because he's so good at it. Rand and three buddies were fishing an undisclosed beach last Friday where they caught nine legal halibut and released over 40 short (less than 22-inches) of the fine eating flatfish in less than 2-hours.

"I had the biggest and it was just under 15-pounds," said Rand. Rand attributes much of his success to fishing light tackle, using live bait and fishing the high tides. "We fish 8-pound test with a 10-pound test leader and a 1-0 mosquito hook," said Rand. Rand and his fishing posse take the time to catch live bait, mostly smelt and fish when the tide is high.

On Friday, a huge school of big sardines came in to the area when Rand and his friends were fishing. Unbelievably, as the bait school came into the shallows, there were halibut clearing the water in pursuit of a quick meal. "It was crazy; they (halibut) were jumping out of the water," said Rand.

While the light line results in more bites, Rand says that if you hook a fish over 30-inches in length, you will have your hands full. "They will bull you up and down the beach," said Rand who has also had a rod snapped in half.

For Rand and his friends, surf fishing is not only fun, challenging, and economical, it can be very productive too. "Where else can you walk to a beach ago home with a meal for the family."

Photo credit: Tim Rand

Tim Rand (far left) and friends caught 9 legal halibut in less than 2-hours surf fishing in Long Beach

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