Pound for pound, the Pacific Halibut is one of the strongest bottom fish that lurks the ocean floor. The largest in the flounder family, halibut can grow over 7 feet long and upwards of 400+ pounds. Now, not every halibut will grow to be these sizes, it’s generally the females that can grow this large. On average, halibut caught in the Gulf of Alaska range from 15-30lbs. Even at this size, they are still among the hardest fighting bottom fish in the Gulf. Their body is flat, and they actually swim sideways unlike a traditional fish that swims upright. This actually makes them more stealth in strong currents where they are able to swim into them when most fish can’t. They generally like to wait to feed when the tides are moving more, as it puts them at an advantage against other fish that can’t swim as fast or as long in those strong currents. This makes the Pacific Halibut one of the top predator fish in Alaska. 

Our style of fishing for them is very simple. Depending on the tide and depth of water we are fishing in, we generally use 2-3lb sinkers on our set ups to help hold your bait at the bottom without getting lifted up and carried away by the current. The key bait is generally herring, as it’s a common baitfish in Alaska and something halibut are typically feeding on. It also happens to be extremely oily, which helps fish find our baits as they sit on the bottom. Circle hooks are usually the ticket, as they are essentially self setting hooks and have a higher success rate of landing a fish that gets hooked being it is harder for a fish to shake off a circle hook. Patience is key when halibut fishing! Remember, these fish like to feed during the tides, so sometimes you just have to wait!

Come take a stab at catching one of these awesome fish! We run our Full Day Offshore Halibut charters everyday besides Tuesdays and Wednesdays due to closure.