The Derby will run until we have 20 people on the leaderboard or March 15th, 2010 (whichever comes first)!

Buy tickets online at Zerve here!

The Halibut Derby Money Pot is up to $980!!!!

Two ways to enter: 

1. Halibut Drift Fridays 
   These are specific halibut drift trips that solely target halibut. 
   7:00am – 4:00pm – Limited Load to 25 Passengers -
   $59 per person, $5 entry included in price.
   Buy tickets online at Zerve here!
   
   
2. Enter on any open party ½ or ¾  day trip!
   Cost is $5 and will be taken at time of check-in. Entry must be paid for before boat departs. An entry is only valid for the day it is purchased. To enter on a different day, an addition entry ticket must be purchased. Not valid on Tuesdays.  
   Buy tickets online at Zerve here!
   

YOUR $5 ENTRY GOES INTO HALIBUT DERBY PRIZE MONEY POT 

At the end of the derby, the angler who catches the largest halibut (by weight) will receive 50% of the Halibut Derby Prize Money Pot.
 
The remaining 50% of the Halibut Derby Prize Money Pot will go to the winner of the Dana Wharf Halibut Derby Fish Off. The Fish Off will be a free trip for the top 20 anglers who catch the top 20 halibut (by weight) during the Halibut Derby.
 

Buy tickets online at Zerve here!

Please read the full rules and eligibility requirements. 
Please note rules are subject to change.

Rules of the Halibut Derby

• TO BE ENTERED IN THE DERBY, YOU MUST BE ON A HALIBUT DRIFT FRIDAY TRIP OR PAY A $5 ENTRY FEE ON A REGULAR ½ OR ¾ DAY OPEN PARTY TRIP!!! On regular ½ Day or ¾ Day Open Party trips, you must purchase your entry before the boat departs the dock. The $5 entry fee is included in the price on Halibut Drift Friday trips.
• Each paid ticket on a Halibut Drift Friday is considered the angler’s entry into the derby for that day only. Each $5 entry on a regular ½ day or ¾ day is considered the angler’s entry into the derby for that day only.
• All anglers competing in the Derby and Fish Off must comply with all California Department of Fish and Game laws. 
• Halibut must be caught on rod and reel in order to be eligible for the derby.
• Anglers must hook and land halibut with minimal crew assistance in order to be eligible for the Fish Off or for the Derby Prize Money. The crew may only assist with gaffing or netting the halibut. No hook and hands will be counted. Captain of the boat has final say as to the eligibility of the halibut. All disputes MUST be handled the same day as the halibut is caught.
• We will be targeting halibut all day on the Halibut Drift Friday trips. This can include drifting or anchoring. On regular ½ day or ¾ open party trips, we may or may not be fishing in areas known for Halibut.
• The largest halibut of the derby (by weight) will receive 50% of the pot money at the end of the derby. Should there be a tie; the money will be divided equally.
• The top 20 leader board will be visible on the Dana Wharf website. An angler may only have 1 space on the top 20 leader board. The angler’s heaviest halibut will be used in the case that the angler has multiple halibut.
• An additional daily jackpot on the boat will be available just as it is normally and entry is optional.
• All eligible halibut will be weighed and filleted aboard the boat.
• Anyone caught cheating in the tournament will forfeit all cash prizes and their position in the top 20 leader board immediately.
• There is a passenger minimum of 10 for any trip to depart.
• If a scheduled Halibut Drift Friday trip is missed due to weather or other circumstances, it will not be made up.

Rules of the Halibut Derby Fish Off

• The Dana Wharf Halibut Derby Fish Off will be a free trip for the top 20 anglers who catch the top 20 halibut (by weight). The trip will be rescheduled if there is poor weather.
• The largest halibut (by weight) caught on the Fish Off will receive the other half of the pot money accumulated throughout the Derby. There will be no daily jackpot available on this trip.
• If no legal halibut are caught on the Fish Off, then the 50% pot money will be split amongst ALL of the Top 20 anglers.
• Position in the Fish Off is non-transferable (meaning if an angler cannot attend the Fish Off, then the angler who caught the next largest halibut will be offered the opportunity).
• In the case of a tie on the Fish Off, the largest halibut will be determined by weight AND length.
• Anglers must hook and land halibut with minimal crew assistance in order to be eligible for the Fish Off or for the Derby Prize Money. The crew may only assist with gaffing or netting the halibut. No hook and hands will be counted. Captain of the boat has final say as to the eligibility of the halibut. All disputes MUST be handled the day of the Fish Off.
• Halibut must be caught on rod and reel in order to be eligible.
• All anglers competing in the Derby and Fish Off must comply with all California and Federal Fish and Game laws. 
• All eligible halibut will be weighed and filleted aboard the boat. 

Questions? Please ask! Call
DANA WHARF SPORTFISHING
949-496-5794

Some Halibut Fishing Tips

This seems to be a pretty popular set up among our anglers. There are quite a few variations of this set up. I prefer the reverse dropper loop set-up with a 3 or 4 oz. torpedo sinker. This means short sinker leader with a longer 24" leader to the hook. The "stinger hook" set up is probably the best. Snell in a regular 1/0 hook about 10" from the end of the leader (this distance really depends on the size of the bait that is being used). Then tie a treble hook on the tag end of the leader to act as the stinger hook. You then hook the 1/0 hook through the nose of the bait and the treble hook down by the anal fin of the bait with 2 of the 3 hooks exposed. A vast majority of the halibut I’ve seen caught have jus the stinger hook in its mouth. Pretty effective.

Drifting is typically the best “method” as you can cover some water. But you can however have some success if you have this type of set up and try fishing different areas of the boat and not just fishing in the same spot on the boat.

This picture shows all kinds of crazy stuff like swivels and beads. There are now 3 line connections that can fail. It’s not really necessary. Some people swear by it, I think if you can tie a decent knot on your dropper loop than a swivel is not necessary. If you feel more comfortable with tying the same knot on all the connections to the swivel then go for it. It’s all preference.

Hope this helps a bit.

-Brian (Capt. Of the Sum Fun)