Local halibut about to explode!

www.dailybreeze.com - Halibut are ambush predators. Simply put, they hide on sandy bottoms and blend into the environment until an unsuspecting baitfish swims by. Then they attack. The baitfish doesn't know what hit it as a swirl of sand envelopes it and sharp teeth latch on.

After the attack, the halibut sinks back down to the bottom and camouflages itself beneath the sand awaiting another hapless baitfish.

Halibut fishing is underway in 2008 and so far, it has been hit and miss. Ginny Wylie from Wylies Bait and Tackle in Malibu says that kayakers have been reporting seeing lots of halibut in the surf around Malibu and is optimistic about the coming season.

"People have been coming into the shop for weeks and they are all seeing lots of halibut," Wylie said.

The Pot of Gold Halibut Derby continues out of Long Beach with a 23-pound halibut in the lead. Captain Dave Dodge ran the Icon on Saturday and caught s