Information on Pacific Halibut

Hippollossus Stenolepis – does this sound like a prehistoric large animal to you? In reality, this is the Pacific Halibut which resembles the Atlantic Halibut. In fact, this fish is very large and it known for habituating the Pacific Ocean.  Other common names for this large, flat fish are the northern halibut, alabato and right halibut.  In general, this fish is colored in tones ranging from gray brown to dark brown and may sport the occasional smattering of light colored spots. Since it is a flat fish, the Pacific Halibuts eyes are on the upward facing side of his body.  The bottom of this fish tends to be lighter colored and has no eye.

The male Pacific Halibut grows to about 55 inches long and typically weighs in around 40 pounds and is dwarfed by his female counterpart who can be as large as 470 pounds. While the male lives about 20 years, the female lives upwards of 45 years resulting in a larger population of the female Pacific Halibut.  It comes as no surprise that given the larger size of the female that they go through far more changes in growth during their life stages.

Young Pacific halibut use their strong teeth to feed on small crustaceans. Full grown Pacific Halibut are not only powerful swimmers but they have a diverse diet that includes larger crustaceans, squid, crabs, shrimp, Pollock and turbot.  These fish often surprise their prey by hiding out in a sandy spot along the bottom of the body of water. Because of their color, this allows them to blend in and remain largely unseen.  As prey go by, the Pacific halibut erupts from the bottom, grams their meal and leaves nothing but a cloud of sand in its wake.

Pacific halibut may occasionally be found in small bays where the waters are very cool, especially in northern areas.  Since they do prefer colder water, they can be found in areas stretching from the Bering Sea south to California. For hunting and spawning, the Pacific Halibut can travel upwards of 2000 miles to find their favorite areas. They will always be found in rather cool bodies of water regardless of where they travel.

British Columbia is one of the largest commercial fishing areas that depend on halibut. Because of the potential for over-fishing, they have had to cut back on their operations.  Pacific coast areas often depend on both halibut and salmon for subsistence.  However, there is closely controlled number of halibut that may be harvested on an annual basis. Anglers will have to be aware of these restrictions if they are interested in fishing for halibut. If you are fortunate enough to find a time when you can fish for halibut you will need sturdy gear, a strong line and make sure your knots are well formed.  Your bait options include squid, herring and mackerel and the recommended method is drift fishing.  If you are able to keep your bait floating slightly above, the halibut will think that the prey is travelling – this will allow you to get him on the hook. One thing to keep in mind, while halibut are not particularly aggressive fighters, they will struggle to stay on the bottom.

When you are getting prepared for a saltwater fishing adventure, having the proper equipment is essential. Some of the most popular products on the market include okuma reel and van staal fishing reels.