Halibut Fishing: The Ultimate Guide to Catch West Coast Halibut

Originally published in July 2015, this Ultimate Guide to Halibut Fishing was fully updated and expanded in 2026.

Halibut fishing has always been one of my favourite parts of fishing on the West Coast. Pacific halibut are powerful fish, excellent eating, and can be caught using a variety of techniques depending on the location, depth, current, and conditions.

Over the years, I have spent a lot of time fishing for halibut in British Columbia and experimenting with different baits, rigs, tackle, and techniques. This guide brings that experience together and covers the methods that have worked well for us, including regulations, where to look for halibut, choosing gear and bait, fishing circle hooks, anchoring, landing fish safely, and taking care of your catch.

In This Guide:

• 2026 DFO Halibut Regulations: Size Limits and Compliance
• Finding Good Halibut Fishing Locations
• The Best Gear and Tackle for Halibut Fishing
• Building a Halibut Spreader Bar Rig
• Best Baits for Halibut Fishing
• When to Anchor and When to Drift
• Halibut Fishing Techniques: Circle Hooks, J-Hooks, and Jigs
• How to Land a Halibut Safely
• Weighing Halibut
• Where to Find Some of the Best Halibut Fishing in British Columbia
• Processing Your Catch
• How to Cook Halibut: Coastal Favorites

2026 DFO Halibut Regulations: Size Limits and Compliance

Halibut Size Limits: Measuring Head-On vs. Head-Off Lengths

Halibut regulations can change during the fishing season, so always check the current DFO regulations before fishing. When the 2026 recreational halibut season opened on April 1, the daily and possession limits were set at one halibut. DFO actively manages the recreational fishery to remain within its annual allocation and may adjust regulations during the season based on catch levels.

For 2026, catches were tracking below expectations later in the season, and DFO increased the daily limit to two halibut effective September 1 through December 31, 2026. The possession limit also increased to two halibut during this period.

The annual limit remains ten halibut for the 2026/27 licence year, and no retained halibut may be greater than 112 cm when measured with the head on, or 85 cm when measured using the pectoral length with the head removed. A 112 cm halibut is approximately a 40-pound fish. All retained halibut must also be recorded immediately as required by the conditions of your B.C. Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licence.

For current limits, openings, closures, in-season changes, and other requirements, always check the DFO Recreational Fishing in B.C. information before heading out.

Rockfish Bycatch and Descending Devices

When fishing for halibut in deeper water, you will sometimes catch rockfish as bycatch. Species such as quillback, copper and yelloweye rockfish can suffer from barotrauma when brought quickly to the surface from depth. As the pressure decreases, gases in the fish’s swim bladder expand, which can leave the fish unable to swim back down on its own.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada requires recreational anglers fishing for groundfish in B.C. tidal waters to have a descending device on board and available for use. These devices allow released rockfish to be returned to depth, where increased water pressure helps recompress the gases in the swim bladder and greatly improves the fish’s chance of survival.

If you fish for halibut or other bottomfish, it is worth having your descending device rigged and ready before you start fishing. For more information, see our guide to Rockfish Release Devices.

Navigating Rockfish Conservation Areas (RCAs)

Rockfish Conservation Areas (RCAs) have been established along the British Columbia coast to provide long-term protection for rockfish and their habitat. Recreational fishing restrictions within RCAs are significant, and hook-and-line fishing for finfish such as halibut, salmon and lingcod is prohibited.

Before heading out, check the DFO Rockfish Conservation Area regulations and maps for any RCAs near the area you plan to fish. These boundaries can extend offshore and are not always obvious when you are on the water, so we use our marine charts and GPS to make sure our fishing locations and drift paths remain outside closed areas.

Finding Good Halibut Fishing Locations

When looking for a new place to fish for halibut, I spend a lot of time studying the marine charts. There are a few types of bottom structure and depths that I look for based on what has worked well for us over the years. Halibut can move around, but more often than not, they can be found around specific bottom features where food is available and the current works in their favour.

The underwater geography helps determine how the current moves through an area, which in turn influences where baitfish tend to bunch up and accumulate. Predators such as halibut take advantage of these feeding areas, which is one reason the same pieces of bottom can produce fish again and again. Learning to recognize these areas on a marine chart can make it much easier to narrow down where to fish.

Bottom Structure: Pinnacles, Plateaus, Canyons

Unlike lingcod, which are often associated with rocky structure and crevices, I generally look for halibut on flatter, more open bottom. Plateaus, gravel flats, and transition areas between different types of bottom are all worth investigating. These areas can provide feeding opportunities for halibut and are some of the first places I look when studying a marine chart.

When I am looking for halibut on a marine chart, I start by looking for water around 200 to 350 feet deep. A pinnacle with a large, flat top within that depth range is worth trying. I also look at the base of pinnacles, particularly where the steep wall ends and transitions onto flat bottom at around 300 feet.

Another favourite is a large flat area in roughly 200 to 300 feet of water with a steep drop into much deeper water nearby. Rather than fishing randomly across the entire flat, I like to fish the edge of the upper plateau. I also look for deeper underwater canyons that run up against and terminate at relatively flat plateaus. These transition points are exactly the kinds of places I investigate when searching for halibut in a new area.

Currents, Scent Trails, and the Tide Change

Once you identify the spot to fish on your charts, the tide becomes an important part of how you fish the location. Halibut can bite at any stage of the tide, but current affects how your bait fishes, how your scent trail develops, and how the boat sits on the anchor.

When we go halibut fishing, we usually head out at a convenient time and anchor, ideally somewhat before the tide change. This gives our bait time to establish a good scent trail in the moving water. As the current slows approaching slack tide, halibut may become more active and begin feeding.

One thing to watch carefully around the tide change is the position of the boat. As the current slows, reverses direction, and begins flowing the other way, an anchored boat can sometimes swing 180 degrees while on the anchor. If fishing lines are still in the water when this happens, they can wrap around the anchor line. We pay close attention to the boat and our lines through the tide change and retrieve the fishing lines if necessary to prevent them from becoming tangled around the anchor rope.

The Best Gear and Tackle for Halibut Fishing

Halibut fishing doesn’t require complicated tackle, but the gear needs to be heavy enough to fish deep water with large weights and handle a powerful fish. Our typical setup uses a short, heavy bottomfishing rod, a conventional reel spooled with 80 lb braided line, and either a spreader bar and circle hook for bait fishing or a heavy jig.

Rods, Reels and Line: The 80 lb Braid Standard

We use heavy-action conventional bottomfishing rods around 6 to 7 feet long, paired with conventional reels that have enough capacity for fishing in several hundred feet of water. A shorter, powerful rod makes it easier to handle the heavy weights used for halibut fishing and provides plenty of backbone when bringing a fish up from deep water.

For the main line, 80 lb braided line has worked well for us. Braid has a much smaller diameter than equivalent-strength monofilament, which reduces drag from the current and helps keep the line more vertical when fishing deep water. This becomes increasingly important when fishing in 200 to 350 feet of water.

The low stretch of braided line also makes it easier to feel what is happening at the bait. Even in deep water, you can detect bites and feel the movement of the fish through the rod.

Spreader Bars and Circle Hooks

For bait fishing, our preferred setup is a spreader bar with a heavy leader and a large circle hook. The spreader bar keeps the weight separated from the bait leader and helps reduce tangles when dropping the rig to the bottom.

Circle hooks work differently from traditional J-hooks. Rather than setting the hook with a hard upward sweep of the rod, allow the halibut to take the bait and let the line gradually come tight. As tension increases, the circle hook is designed to slide toward the corner of the fish’s mouth and rotate into position.

This is particularly useful when fishing for halibut because fish outside the legal size limit must be released. A halibut hooked in the corner of the mouth is generally much easier to unhook and release than one that has swallowed a conventional hook.

Later in this guide, I’ll go into more detail about how we build our spreader-bar rigs and how we fish circle hooks.

J-Hooks and Treble Hooks

J-hooks and treble hooks are also used for halibut fishing. J-hooks can be used with bait, while treble hooks are commonly found on heavy metal jigs, including the Norwegian jigs we use for halibut and lingcod.

When bait fishing, I generally prefer circle hooks, while J-hooks and treble hooks are more commonly part of our active jigging setups.

Heavy Norwegian Jigs and Soft Cod Jigs

Heavy metal jigs are another useful option for halibut. One of our favourites is the Sølvkroken Rustfri, a Norwegian-style stainless-steel jig that we also use extensively for lingcod. Its weight makes it well suited to reaching bottom in the deep water where we often fish for halibut.

Large soft-plastic cod jigs are another option. Their soft bodies and paddle tails provide plenty of movement and vibration near the bottom.

You can also add a piece of herring or octopus to a jig for additional scent, combining the movement of the lure with the attraction of natural bait.

Building a Halibut Spreader Bar Rig

Our standard bait-fishing setup uses a heavy stainless steel spreader bar, a short 200 lb leader, and a large circle hook. These rigs are simple to build yourself and hold up well to heavy weights and large halibut. For more detailed information and videos on the equipment we use, see our Best Halibut Fishing Gear Explained guide.

1. Hooks, Leader, and Crimps

• Circle Hook: We typically use a large 14/0-to-16/0 circle hook when fishing large baits for halibut. Hooks in this size range can also help reduce the number of smaller halibut we hook. If you want to target smaller halibut, you can go down to a 12/0 circle hook.
• Leader: We use an 18-to-24-inch leader made from 200 lb monofilament or heavy braided tuna cord. The heavy leader stands up well to abrasion and gives us confidence when a halibut reaches the boat.
• Crimps: With monofilament leaders, we use aluminum crimp sleeves and a commercial-grade crimping tool to make the connections. Heavy leader material is difficult to knot effectively, while crimping is both fast and strong.

Pro Tip: One advantage of using a 200 lb leader is that when a keeper-sized halibut reaches the boat, we can grab the leader and bring the fish over the gunwale by hand without immediately using a gaff or spear. This is particularly useful with a fish that is close to the maximum size because we can bring it aboard for an accurate measurement without unnecessarily injuring it if the fish needs to be released.

2. Skirts and Hoochies

We usually add a soft-plastic skirt or hoochie to the leader above the circle hook. It adds colour and movement to the presentation while the natural bait provides the scent. If the bait gets stripped from the hook, the skirt or hoochie also leaves something on the rig that may continue to attract a fish.

I like bright, high-visibility colours as well as skirts with glow-in-the-dark material. White, pink, orange, green, and combinations of these colours have all found their way into our tackle box over the years.

3. Spreader Bars, Swivels, and Weights

• Spreader Bar: Halibut spreader bars are available in different lengths, with 10-inch and 18-inch versions being common. I prefer the longer 18-inch spreader bars because they provide more separation between the weight and leader and help reduce tangles when dropping the rig.
• Swivels: Spreader bars normally come with heavy-duty swivels already installed, and these are usually what I fish with. The bars themselves are incredibly durable and are rarely lost on the bottom, so the same spreader bar can remain in your tackle for many years or even decades. Because of this, it is important to check that the swivels still turn freely and are in good condition. Replace any swivel that is seized, damaged, badly corroded, or no longer functioning properly.
• Weight Selection: We generally use round lead cannonball weights from 1 to 2 pounds, depending on the depth and strength of the current. Use enough weight to keep the line reasonably vertical and the bait fishing close to the bottom. As of 2026, B.C. sport fishing regulations limit a fixed weight attached to the fishing line to a maximum of 1 kg (2.2 lb). Heavier weights can be used on a downrigger line when the fishing line is attached by a release clip. Always check the current regulations before fishing.

4. Keep Your Circle Hooks Sharp

Circle hooks need to be kept sharp. Check the point regularly and replace or touch it up with a hook file when needed. Halibut have tough mouths, and a sharp hook gives the point the best opportunity to penetrate as the circle hook rotates into the corner of the jaw.

If you are getting good bites but having trouble hooking fish, or fish are coming unhooked on the way to the boat, the hook point is one of the first things to check. For more information, see our guide on How to Sharpen a Fish Hook.

5. Scent Canisters vs. Bait Injectors: The Secret Halibut Weapon

I used to use plastic scent canisters threaded onto the leader, but eventually stopped using them. The idea is to attach the canister, fill it with your scent of choice, then lower it down and fish. They did their job well, but there was always some scent and oil left in them after fishing, which would leak into the tackle box and create a mess that was worse than the benefit they provided.

I now prefer a large bait injector, such as one of the injectors available in Pro-Cure’s Halibut & Bottom Fish Scent Lineup. It allows you to inject scent directly into the bait. The beauty of this is that when you’re done fishing, you can toss the bait and the mess is gone.

For whole herring, insert the needle into the belly cavity and inject the scent inside the fish. With salmon heads, I inject scent behind the cheeks and into the head. Once the bait is in the water, the scent gradually works its way out, adding to the natural scent trail from the bait.

Best Baits for Halibut Fishing

Halibut will take a variety of natural baits. My first choice is usually salmon heads, followed by octopus or squid when we have it, and then herring. We also save the pelvic fin sections when cleaning salmon, which provide a small but extremely durable bait.

Before looking at how we rig each of these baits, it is important to understand what can legally be used for bait in British Columbia.

Know the Regulations Before Choosing Your Halibut Bait

Bait regulations are not necessarily the same between British Columbia and Alaska, which is important when reading books, articles, and other information about halibut fishing.

In B.C., recreational anglers may not waste fish that are suitable for human consumption. DFO does, however, allow fish offal to be used as bait, as well as herring, mackerel, northern anchovy, and Pacific sardine.

This distinction is particularly important when considering salmon for halibut bait. Non-edible portions left over after cleaning a legally retained salmon, such as the head, can be useful halibut bait. Edible salmon meat is different and should not be cut from a sport-caught salmon simply to use as halibut bait.

This is also worth keeping in mind when reading Alaska-based halibut fishing advice. Regulations in parts of Alaska allow species such as pink and chum salmon to be used as bait, which helps explain why salmon belly strips are commonly recommended in some Alaskan halibut fishing books and articles. That advice does not necessarily carry over to British Columbia.

When I refer to salmon pelvic fin strips later in this guide, I am not suggesting cutting away edible belly meat for bait. I am referring to the pelvic fins and the small amount of skin and tissue that naturally remains attached when the fins are removed while cleaning the fish.

Always check the current DFO regulations before fishing, as regulations can change.

The four baits we’ll look at are:

1. Salmon Heads
2. Octopus or Squid
3. Herring
4. Salmon Pelvic Fin Strips

1. Salmon Heads

Salmon heads are my first choice for halibut bait. We save the heads after cleaning legally retained salmon, and they provide a durable bait with plenty of natural scent.

I prefer smaller salmon heads rather than the largest ones available. With the current maximum size for retained halibut being 112 cm, you don’t need an enormous salmon head to catch a keeper-sized fish. A smaller head is easier for a halibut to take into its mouth while still providing plenty of scent.

To rig a salmon head, pass the circle hook through the snout so that it goes through both the lower and upper jaws and holds the mouth closed. Keeping the mouth closed helps prevent the head from opening up and catching the current while it is fishing. Make sure the point and gap of the circle hook remain completely exposed.

One of the biggest advantages of a salmon head is its durability. The skin, bone, and cartilage hold securely on the hook and stand up well to crabs and smaller fish picking at the bait. The trade-off is that a salmon head is bulkier than other baits, so choosing an appropriately sized head and keeping the circle hook exposed are important.

2. Octopus or Squid

Octopus and squid are both excellent halibut baits and are usually my next choices when we can find them for sale at bait shops.

Octopus has an advantage in durability. Its tough, rubbery flesh holds extremely well on the hook and can withstand crabs and smaller fish picking at it better than the softer flesh of squid.

I usually cut octopus tentacles into strips roughly 8 to 10 inches long. There is no advantage to making the bait excessively large. A more compact strip is easier for a halibut to take and keeps the bait closer to the circle hook.

To rig octopus or squid, push the circle hook through the flesh, loop the bait around, and pass the hook through it a second time. This helps keep the bait securely attached while leaving the point and gap of the circle hook exposed.

Octopus is especially useful when you want a bait that can remain on the bottom for a long time without constantly needing to be checked or replaced. Squid is somewhat softer, but it is still a good alternative when octopus isn’t available.

3. Herring

Herring is a classic halibut bait and is readily available at most coastal bait shops. Unlike salmon heads and octopus, however, frozen herring is relatively soft and can be stripped from the hook by crabs, smaller fish, and other bait thieves.

One way to make herring more durable is to salt it before fishing. A heavy salt brine draws some of the moisture from the herring and firms up the flesh, helping it stay on the hook longer.

I usually fish herring whole. Pass the circle hook through the fish so that the bait is held securely while keeping the point and gap of the hook exposed. Herring also works particularly well with the bait injector described earlier. Insert the needle into the belly cavity and inject your preferred scent inside the fish before lowering it to the bottom.

Herring may not last as long on the hook as a salmon head or strip of octopus, but it provides plenty of natural scent and is an excellent bait to have on board when halibut fishing.

4. Salmon Pelvic Fin Strips

Salmon belly strips are commonly recommended as halibut bait, particularly in fishing books and articles written for Alaska. As discussed above, anglers in British Columbia should not cut edible salmon meat from a sport-caught fish simply to use it as bait.

What I save instead is the section around the pelvic fins that is removed while cleaning a salmon. I cut closely around each pelvic fin, leaving the fin, tough skin, and only the small amount of tissue that naturally remains attached. This makes use of a portion of the fish that would otherwise be discarded rather than sacrificing edible salmon meat for bait.

The skin around the pelvic fin is extremely tough, which makes it very durable on a halibut hook.

Keep the bait relatively compact and make sure the point and gap of the circle hook remain exposed.

For a deeper look at preparing, rigging, scenting, and troubleshooting these baits, see the FishinBC.COM guide to The Best Halibut Baits.

When to Anchor and When to Drift

Both anchoring and drifting can be effective ways to fish for halibut, and I use both depending on the location and what I am trying to accomplish. Most of the time, if I have identified a promising location and plan to fish with bait, I prefer to anchor. Drifting is useful when I want to quickly test an area, when the location or conditions aren’t suitable for anchoring, or when I want to actively fish across a productive area without going through the work of setting the anchor.

Anchoring for Halibut

When fishing bait for halibut, anchoring is my preferred method. Anchoring allows us to stay on a productive location and gives the scent from our baits time to travel with the current. It also allows us to fish several rods at once and spread the baits out behind the boat.

Once I have gone to the effort of anchoring on a location that looks promising, I usually give it plenty of time. It can take time for the scent trail to develop and for halibut farther away to follow it back toward the bait. Pulling an anchor from several hundred feet of water and resetting somewhere else is also a fair amount of work, so I am not inclined to move simply because we haven’t had a bite right away.

On a location that I believe has good potential, I may fish for several hours or more before deciding it isn’t producing. This is especially important when testing a new location. Over time, I save productive halibut locations as waypoints on the chartplotter and build up a database of spots that we know can produce fish. Giving a new location a proper chance helps determine whether it deserves to become one of those waypoints rather than abandoning it before the scent trail has had time to work.

Anchor Setup and Positioning

Anchoring for halibut is a little different from anchoring a boat overnight. Traditional anchoring calls for letting out several times the water depth in anchor rode. That provides excellent holding power, but when halibut fishing I want to position the boat much more precisely. If I drop the anchor on a halibut waypoint and then let out hundreds of feet of additional rope, the boat may end up well away from the spot I actually want to fish.

For halibut fishing, I recommend a heavier anchor and chain combination than what might normally be recommended for your size of boat. This allows the anchor to hold with a shorter amount of rope out and stay put in the offshore wind and wave conditions typical of halibut grounds.

When anchoring in 300 feet of water, I normally lower the anchor to the bottom and then let out approximately another 30 to 50 feet of rope. That is often enough to hold the boat while keeping us reasonably close to the waypoint where I dropped the anchor.

Conditions vary, so watch your position on the GPS after setting the anchor. If the anchor will not stick, or if it holds for a while and then breaks free, try letting out some additional rope. If you consistently have difficulty holding the bottom while halibut fishing, consider experimenting with a longer length of chain or a heavier anchor.

Open-Ocean Safety Protocol

Anchoring in deep water and strong current requires extra caution. Conditions on offshore halibut grounds can change quickly, and a boat that is safely anchored in moderate conditions can become unsafe if the wind, waves, or current increase. Pay attention to changing conditions and be prepared to pull the anchor and move if necessary.

Drifting for Halibut

I don’t always anchor when fishing for halibut. Drifting can be a useful way to quickly test a location before deciding whether it deserves more time, and it is also an option when the bottom, current, weather, or other conditions make anchoring impractical.

I also use drifting when I already know an area holds halibut and want to fish it without going through the work of setting and retrieving the anchor. For example, if I want to spend a short amount of time jigging for a couple of smaller, chicken-size halibut, I may simply drift across a productive area with jigs.

Halibut Fishing Techniques: Circle Hooks, J-Hooks, and Jigs

Once you have decided whether to anchor or drift, the next decision is how you want to present your bait or lure. Circle hooks, J-hooks, and jigs can all be used for halibut, although each requires a somewhat different fishing technique. My preferred method is bait fishing with circle hooks, particularly when anchored, but there are times when J-hooks or jigs can also be useful.

Fishing with Circle Hooks

Circle hooks are my preferred way to fish bait for halibut, particularly when we are anchored. Fishing them successfully requires a different approach than fishing a conventional J-hook. The key is patience rather than making a traditional hookset.

I normally leave the rod in the rod holder with the clicker turned on and the drag set very light. When a halibut begins biting, resist the temptation to immediately grab the rod and set the hook. Give the fish time to take the bait. Once it begins swimming away and steadily taking line, pick up the rod and slowly increase the drag rather than making a hard upward hookset.

As the tension increases, the bait and circle hook are drawn back toward the halibut’s mouth, allowing the hook to rotate into the corner of the jaw as the line comes tight. Once the rod loads up and the fish is securely hooked, increase the drag to your normal fighting pressure and begin bringing the halibut toward the surface.

If you are getting bites but missing fish, check that the hook is extremely sharp and that the point and gap are completely exposed. Also consider the size of the bait. An oversized salmon head or piece of bait can make it difficult for a smaller halibut to take the entire bait and hook into its mouth.

For a more detailed look at deploying the rig, recognizing the bite, setting a circle hook, and troubleshooting missed hookups, see my Circle Hooks for Halibut Fishing guide.

Fishing with J-Hooks

J-hooks can also be used with bait for halibut, whether you are anchored or drifting. Unlike a circle hook, where the fish is given time to take the bait and increasing line tension sets the hook, a J-hook requires the angler to actively set the hook when the fish takes the bait.

When a halibut takes a bait on a J-hook, pick up the rod, take up any slack, and set the hook firmly once you are confident the fish has the bait. From there, maintain steady pressure and begin bringing the fish toward the surface.

Although J-hooks work, they are not my preferred choice for bait fishing under the current B.C. halibut regulations. Because fish outside the legal retention size must be released, I prefer the tendency of a properly fished circle hook to catch in the corner of the mouth. A halibut can swallow a J-hook more deeply, making the hook more difficult to remove and potentially causing greater injury to a fish that needs to be released.

Jigging for Halibut

Jigging is another effective way to fish for halibut and can be used while either drifting or anchored. I don’t use jigs as often as bait and circle hooks, but there are situations where they are particularly useful.

When drifting, jigs allow you to actively fish across an area rather than waiting for halibut to follow a scent trail back to an anchored bait. I sometimes use this approach when I already know an area holds halibut and want to spend a short amount of time trying to catch a couple of smaller, chicken-size fish without going through the work of setting the anchor.

To fish a heavy Norwegian-style jig, lower it to the bottom, bring it slightly off bottom, and work it with long lifts of the rod, allowing the jig to flutter back down between lifts. Halibut will often strike as the jig falls. Large soft-plastic cod jigs can be worked near the bottom in a similar way, with the soft body and paddle tail adding movement and vibration.

Jigs can also be useful when we are already anchored and fishing bait. Sometimes the bait rods will get repeated nibbles without developing into the stronger bite and steady run I expect from a halibut. In that situation, I’ll sometimes drop a smaller jig to see what is actually down there. Small rockfish, Pacific cod, or small halibut that can’t get a salmon head into their mouth may be responsible for picking at the bait, and a smaller jig can help identify what is causing the bites.

How to Land a Halibut Safely

Bringing a Halibut Alongside and Estimating Its Size

As the halibut reaches the boat, keep it calm by maintaining its head just below the surface. Before trying to bring the fish aboard, remove or disconnect the heavy weight from the spreader bar. A one- or two-pound weight swinging around beside the boat can become dangerous if the fish suddenly starts thrashing.

Before bringing a halibut aboard, estimate its size and make sure it appears to be within or close to the legal retention limit. I use a mark on my gaff handle at 112 cm as a quick reference. Holding the handle alongside the fish gives me a good indication of whether the halibut is small enough to retain or should remain in the water for release.

Bringing a Smaller Halibut Aboard

For smaller halibut that are clearly in the legal size class, or fish that we have estimated to be very close to the legal size class, we can often drag the fish aboard by lifting directly on the spreader bar and the heavy 200 lb leader, rather than using a gaff or spear.

This is one of the reasons I use such a heavy leader on our halibut rigs. It provides plenty of strength for handling the smaller fish we are currently allowed to retain in B.C., while avoiding unnecessary injury from a gaff or spear if a fish that is close to the maximum size ultimately needs to be released.

If the halibut is close to the legal size limit and we weren’t able to confirm its exact length alongside the boat, we measure it accurately once aboard before deciding whether it can be retained.

Be prepared for a halibut to start thrashing once it comes aboard. Keep people clear of the hook and other tackle and get the fish under control as quickly as possible.

Pro Tip: An angry halibut that is thrashing in the boat can often be calmed by rubbing the white side of its belly. This can make it easier to get an accurate measurement or safely remove the hook from its mouth.

Oversized Halibut

If a halibut is clearly larger than the legal retention limit, leave it in the water rather than bringing it aboard. With the fish beside the boat, remove the hook if it can be done safely and easily. If the hook cannot be removed without unnecessarily handling or injuring the fish, cut the leader as close to the hook as practical and release the halibut.

In areas where regulations allow larger halibut to be retained, landing a large fish requires a different approach and additional equipment.

For more detailed information on landing and handling halibut, including the equipment and techniques we use for larger fish, see my complete How to Land a Halibut guide.

Weighing Halibut

Bragging rights are important, and part of the appeal of halibut fishing is the incredible size these fish can reach. Every angler wants to know how much their halibut weighs, and because individual fish vary in condition, an actual weight is always going to be more accurate than an estimate. The problem is that large halibut are extremely heavy and difficult to safely hoist onto a scale on a boat.

For trophy-sized halibut that must be released, getting an actual weight may not be possible at all. The fish may never come aboard the boat, leaving the angler with an impressive catch but no opportunity to put it on a scale and get that all-important number.

The next best option is to measure the length of the halibut and use a length-to-weight table to estimate its weight. The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) has developed length-weight relationships for Pacific halibut based on biological sampling data.

For a quick reference, see my article Halibut Weight Length Table, which provides the IPHC length-weight table and makes it easy to estimate the weight of a Pacific halibut.

Where to Find Some of the Best Halibut Fishing in British Columbia

Pacific halibut can be found along much of British Columbia’s coast, and the techniques in this guide can be applied wherever suitable halibut habitat occurs. However, if halibut are a major reason for planning a fishing trip, I would look particularly at the North Coast, Haida Gwaii, and the west coast of Vancouver Island.

Halibut fishing success requires more than choosing the right region. Within each area, I look for the types of bottom structure described earlier in this guide, including plateaus, gravel flats, transition zones, and the edges of steep drop-offs. Even within an excellent halibut fishing region, finding the right bottom structure and learning the specific locations that consistently hold fish can make a significant difference.

North Coast — Prince Rupert

Most of my own halibut fishing experience comes from the waters around Prince Rupert, and the North Coast can provide excellent halibut fishing. The region contains an enormous amount of fishable water, with islands, channels, offshore banks, pinnacles, steep drop-offs, and large areas of relatively flat bottom.

Over the years, we have found productive halibut locations by studying the marine charts and looking for the types of structure described earlier in this guide. Some of our best locations have been on relatively flat areas near significant changes in depth, including the bases of pinnacles and the edges of plateaus and deeper channels.

Once we find a location that consistently produces halibut, I save the exact position on the chartplotter. Returning to those proven locations has become an important part of how we fish, and over time we have built up a collection of reliable halibut spots throughout the area.

For anglers travelling specifically to fish for halibut, Prince Rupert and the surrounding North Coast waters are among the areas in British Columbia that I would recommend highly.

Haida Gwaii

Haida Gwaii has long been known for exceptional saltwater fishing, and halibut are an important part of that fishery. Its remote location and direct exposure to the open Pacific provide access to extensive offshore areas with the depths and bottom structure that can produce excellent halibut fishing.

For anglers travelling specifically for a B.C. fishing trip, Haida Gwaii is one of the regions I would look at closely for halibut. Many fishing lodges and charter operations in the area target halibut alongside salmon, giving visiting anglers the opportunity to fish for both species during the same trip.

As anywhere on the coast, being in a productive region does not mean halibut will be found everywhere. The same principles covered earlier in this guide still apply: study the marine charts and look for promising bottom structure and changes in depth.

West Coast Vancouver Island

The west coast of Vancouver Island provides access to some excellent halibut fishing, with productive opportunities from the northern end of the island through to the southwest coast. Areas around Winter Harbour, Kyuquot, Tofino, Ucluelet, and Barkley Sound all provide access to offshore waters where halibut are regularly targeted.

Offshore banks, plateaus, gravel flats, drop-offs, and deeper channels provide the types of areas I would investigate when looking for productive locations.

The exposed nature of the west coast also means that weather and sea conditions can have a major influence on when and where you can fish. Some productive halibut grounds may require significant offshore travel, so choosing locations that are appropriate for the boat, conditions, and experience of the crew is an important part of planning a trip.

Halibut Fishing Elsewhere in B.C.

Quality halibut fishing opportunities extend throughout much of British Columbia’s coast, including the Central Coast, waters near Port Hardy and Campbell River, Howe Sound, the Salish Sea, and many other areas.

Finding consistent halibut fishing in some areas may take more time at first, particularly if you are starting without any proven locations. With time, careful attention to bottom structure, and a willingness to explore, anglers can build their own collection of reliable halibut spots up and down the B.C. coast.

Wherever you fish, always check the current local regulations, openings, size limits, and conservation areas before heading out.

Processing Your Catch

Proper care after landing a halibut helps preserve the quality of the meat. Once I decide to retain a fish, I bleed it as soon as possible and then keep it cold until it can be cleaned.

Our preferred method is to cut the gills and allow the fish to bleed. Another effective method is to make a cut just ahead of the tail and snap the spine at that location. Both methods work well, although we now generally use the gill-cutting method.

After bleeding the halibut, get it cold as quickly as possible. On the boat, that generally means moving the fish onto ice or into a fish cooler where it can cool down until it can be cleaned or further processed. For more information on keeping your catch cold on the boat, see the FishinBC.COM review article of Fish Kill Bags.

Filleting a Halibut

A sharp fillet knife and a good work surface make cleaning a large halibut considerably easier. For more information on maintaining your knives, see the FishinBC.COM guide to Knife Sharpening. If you’re setting up a dedicated place to process your catch, I’ve also written about the custom Fish Cleaning Table that I built for our boat.

Halibut are flatfish with a unique ridge running along the spine. When filleting a halibut, this ridge provides a natural dividing line down the centre of each side of the fish. By following the ridge and working outward along the bones, four main fillets are removed—two from the dark side and two from the white side.

Don’t forget the cheeks. There is a good piece of meat on each side of the head that can be removed separately after the main fillets have been taken off.

For the complete process, including videos and step-by-step instructions, see my guide on How to Fillet Halibut with Less Waste.

How to Cook Halibut: Coastal Favorites

Pacific halibut is one of my favourite fish to bring home from a day on the water. Its firm texture and mild flavour make it versatile in the kitchen and suitable for everything from frying to pan-searing.

One of our favourite ways to prepare halibut is Beer Batter Fish and Chips. Halibut’s firm white meat holds together well when cut into pieces, battered, and fried until crisp.

Another simple option is my Garlic Butter Halibut Recipe, which is prepared in a hot skillet with butter, garlic, and fresh lemon juice. It’s a quick way to prepare fresh halibut while keeping the fish itself at the centre of the meal.

Your Turn

Halibut fishing is one of those fisheries where experience on the water makes a big difference. Over time, every angler develops favourite locations, baits, rigs, and techniques that work well for them.

What has worked for you? Do you have a favourite halibut bait or technique, or something you’ve learned over the years that has made you more successful?

Leave a comment below and share your halibut fishing experiences, tips, or questions with other FishinBC readers.