Halibut Fishing Tips

Over the last few years, halibut fishing has surfaced as one of the most popular sport fishing activity in North America. A large part of the credit for this goes to the significant rise in halibut population in this region. Even though halibuts are found in abundance here, the chances of you returning empty handed from you fishing escapade cannot be ruled out. In order to avoid this embarrassment, you need to be well versed with some simple fishing tips and tricks which will help you tame this species which boast of being the largest flatfish species in the world. Before we move on to get the details, let's go through some basic information on this species which will be of significant help when you get going with halibut fishing.

Halibut Information

The halibut is a large flat fish which is found in abundance in Pacific and Atlantic waters. The species is typically characterized by a grayish-black top side and an off-white underbelly. It is the largest species of flatfish in the world. On an average, a halibut can weigh around 30-50 lbs, but specimen weighing as much as 400 lbs have also been recorded in various parts of North America. A voracious feeder that halibut is, it can feed on anything that fits in its mouth - including crabs, octopus, other species of fish and other halibuts as well. In marine biome, the halibut boasts of being an apex predator which is only threatened by a few other species such as the sea lions or the Salmon shark. The halibut, which is most often known to inhabit the bottom of the ocean floor, usually comes to the surface of the ocean in search of food.

Halibut Fishing Tips and Tricks

Now that you are well versed with all the basic halibut facts, you can go ahead and have a look at some simple yet effective tips for halibut fishing - and master them. Before you go out at the sea with your fishing equipment, you need to go through all the rules of the same in your area of jurisdiction. In California, for instance, halibut fishing season is year round, but it may not be the same for your region. To be on the safer side, you should contact the concerned authorities and find out about all the dos and donts before-hand to make sure that your halibut fishing outing turns out to be a pleasant one.

The best time of the day to fish halibut is during the incoming tides when the species is most active near the surface of the water. If that's not possible, you can opt for the time of the day just after the tide. The halibut, being a predatory fish, relies on its hunting instinct to a great extent. That being said, using a chum bag can be an ideal bet when fishing this species. A chum bag consists of chopped fish and fish oils which are carried overboard to lure the fish towards your fishing boat. If you carry it overboard when fishing halibut, the predatory instincts of this species is bound to bring it towards your boat and within your reach.

Irrespective of which species of fish you are after, you need to make sure that you use the right hook and bait to get a good haul. When it comes to halibut fishing, a sharp hook is an ideal option considering that the halibut species has a bony mouth. As far as the halibut fishing bait is concerned, you have quite a few options to choose from - right from live squids and anchovies to sardines and salmons. Your choice of bait will also determine the size of halibut you are likely to catch. You need to make sure that the hook is punctured through the eyes or mouth of the bait you use when hooking it.

Like the fishing bait and hook, even the fishing rod and reel you use has a crucial role to in catching halibut in the waters of Pacific or Atlantic. Other than a well-balanced rod, you will also have to make sure that you use a light colored line. As in case of most of the other species of fish, even halibuts are sensitive to bright colored lines. You also need to make sure that you use a line which is quite lengthy. If you try to reel in the fish immediately, it will put in all its efforts to flee and considering its large size it can turn out to be disastrous for you. Ideally, you should let the line run for some time so that the fish gets exhausted as it tries to free itself. An exhausted halibut is a lot easier to reel in as compared to a halibut which is making desperate attempts to flee.

You also need to make a note of the fact that, it is very difficult to get the halibut on to your boat owing to its size and aggressive behavior. Many people use a gun or golf stick to kill or knock out the fish before pulling it overboard. Instead of using such foul means, we would advise you to use a harpoon to get your catch as it is neither illegal anywhere like a gunshot nor will it contaminate the fish and affect your health.