It’s Halibut fishing season here in BC and I couldn’t be more excited! The only thing is, it’s midterm season so I haven’t been able to get out onto the water to try for one some Hali. Even exams won’t stop me from enjoying some time day dreaming of fishing, so I decided to write about it instead.
I’ve put together a couple tips and techniques that’ll help you catch one of these beauties. People travel far to get the opportunity to get to fish for Halibut so why not make sure you’re informed and ready when fishing day comes.
So here are my top recommendations in preparing for Halibut fishing:
- When fishing for halibut you’ll want a short (6-7 feet) and stiff rod and a double action reel. A stiffer rod will help a lot when reeling a large fish in. A flexible tip can tire you out if you are reeling for a long time.
- Fishing line for halibut should be at least 60-pound line.
- Circle Hooks
are my top hooks because the halibut will eat the bait and you wont need to pull up hard on the line to set the hook like you would need to with a j-hook.
are my top hooks because the halibut will eat the bait and you wont need to pull up hard on the line to set the hook like you would need to with a j-hook.
- For bait and lures you can use live bait or artificial. Either can work extremely well, it just depends on what the fish are eating that day. So here’s a couple ideas for your tackle kit:
- Artificial/Lures: jumbo hootchies (Squid), Gibbs Mudraker
jig (my favorite. Fill it with scent),Spreader Bar
, Halibut Leader 8/0-9/0 Hooks
- Real/live bait: Salmon bellies (Strong scent attract Halibut), salmon heads/skin, herring, octopus
- Artificial/Lures: jumbo hootchies (Squid), Gibbs Mudraker
Now that you have your tackle together here’s a couple techniques I recommend using while halibut fishing. Fish in deeper waters, 150 to 200 feet is a good start, and look for rocky drop-offs to find your fish. Also, anchor your boat. This keeps you in one spot and the halibut will come to you if you’re using scent. You can jig or not jig, the choice is yours, but if you’re not jigging I recommend using some scent to attract the fish. Have a harpoon or gaff ready to go for when you reel in the big one so it doesn’t get away when you get it to the boat. If you plan on keeping your fish, make sure to cut the gills right away so it can bleed out properly which will better preserve your meat.
Have any halibut fishing tips you’d like to share? Feel free to leave a message in the comments below.
Good luck on your Halibut adventures!