Halibut Fishing in Southern California

The Pacific Halibut is the biggest flat fish, which may be due to its disposition to eat pretty much anything that’s small enough to fit in its mouth, even other halibut. Though they don’t get as big as Pacific Halibut, California halibut can still put up a fight to make your fishing trip one that you you’ll never forget.

California halibut typically weight 5-50 pounds, like water around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and are bottom feeders, which means they like to skim close to the ocean floor for unsuspecting baitfish that they can snag. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re only found in deep water as most halibut hang out in water shallower than 100 ft. They’re often found in sand coves, near shipwrecks and rocky/muddy bottom areas. That being said, California halibut are popular for fishing because it’s not necessary to go far out into the water in order to catch them.

Since halibut are bottom feeders, there are some fishing techniques that are utilized in order to best take advantage of their feeding habits. Trolling is one of those techniques, in which bait and tackle are slowly dragged across the bottom as the boat moves. The bouncing of the bait as it drags is a critical component to this method, which tricks the halibut into thinking the bait is a good catch. The most common types of bait used are anchovies, sardines and squid.

In terms of equipment, it’s wise to have 15-30 lb test line and a medium action rod to reel the halibut in. No need for ultra-heavy equipment for these guys.