First of all, welcome to the BFT message boards! Don't forget to check out your local state board as well, the local anglers in your area are always the best help on hot spots. [cool]
Also, if anything, you didn't ask enough questions. The more info you have, the more productive you'll be on the water. We're here to help partner!
Ok, as far as your halibut needs, i'm going to let one of our west coast anglers jump on that one. But, I just happen to specialize in shark fishing.[cool]
Shark fishing equipment really depends on what scale of shark you want to target and what your intensions are once you get them along side your boat. Personally, I lite tackle fish for everything, including sharks. I use Med-Heavy 50 lb class stand up rods. I prefer a stubby rod as apposed to a longer rod. I like something I can move around the boat that has plenty of back bone. I use Penn Mariner Stand Up rods. Shakespear Tiger Sticks are killer rods as well. As far as reels go for sharks, you can spend as much as your little heart desires. Personally, if you don't have a budget, i'd get one of the international series "torque" reels.
![[Image: 99164.jpg]](http://image.basspro.com/images/images2/99000/99164.jpg)
It holds 450 yards of 50 lb super braid, and cost right around 400 bucks. This will be my next reel, as I feel it might just be the best reel on the market as of right now. It also has a super high speed gear ratio of 6.3 to 1. That's a HUGE advantage when you're fighting large, fast fish. You might even find that this outfit will work well for halibut as well, since they are also a large game species. You might want to consider a longer rod for halibut though, but like I said, i'll leave that one to our resident halibut fisherman and women.
Terminal tackle needs to be upscale, but that's a given. I like atleast 150 lb braided steel leader. You'll find alot of guys using 300+ for leader, but, I like sport. You also need the leader to be atleast 6 ft, longer if the fish are bigger. I'd say match it in length to the fish you're targeting. And also, believe it or not, sharks can become fairly line shy, so you may even still have to down size just to get bit. I like a 10/0 hook or larger, depending on the size bait i'm using. I also don't target monster sharks, so I don't toss a half a bloody cow in the water with a 15/0 hook. I target sharks in the 5 to 9 foot range. Something managable with out my arms falling off when the fish is landed. If I want a 3 hour work out, i'll go to the gym. I target trophy fish in the species that aren't the size of a small car. Sharks love hunks of fresh mackerel, barracuda, and any other fish that is either bloody or very oily. I'd reccomend bringing a bit of squid as well, you'd be surprised how finiky a big shark can be.
Sharks generally hold around structure, and you can't find structure with out a high quality sonar/fish finder. If you take a boat into the ocean with out a GPS and Sonar, you're fishing blind. Don't get caught with your fly open, make sure you have quality electronics. Garmin, Lowrance(my preference), Furino........All quality products. If you have a big enough boat, and plan on trecking outside the sight of land, i'd also suggest a radar. Make sure your boat is equiped with a VHF radio, and make sure you know how to use it. It might just save your life. I'd also suggest you read and understand survival techniques incase you happen to accidentally fall or get pulled into the water. The cold and unforgiving waters off the west coast take no prisoners. Make sure you know what to do in an emergency. Fishing for large game species is no joke. It is extremely fun and fulfilling, but it is also very dangerous.
I hope this info helps out. If you have anymore questions, don't be affraid to ask! You can also Private Message myself or any of the other Moderators if you have other questions about the board or the subject that you'd rather not post. Thanks for your questions! I'll be looking for your fishing reports[cool]
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A rig setup for BASS/HALIBUT and a rig for shark. The main thing I am not up to date on is the reels, and rods. I don't have a budget per say and would like to get something that will last a lifetime grant it I take care of it properly.