"Halibut" are fish most often found in deep waters, sometimes well below 200' and farther. It is unlikely that you will find them in 20 feet. More likely, you will find your bait has disappeared when the crab and small fish find the offering and gang up on it to carry it off one bite full at a time within a matter of minutes. So instead of fishing for "buts", consider baiting up a chunk of whatever and lob it out just as far as you can wing it. Using that method off the dock in Whittier, Alaska, friends of mine and I had a ball catching big rough fish such as cod, Irish Lords, etc. You never know for sure just what can be pulled up from the depths, but you still have to get out there to see what happens. Most of the bigger fish only come in to the shallows to feed, and that seems to happen most just about dark. But what the heck....just go and have fun. That's really what it's all about anyway. Right?
