Alaska Halibut Fishing
Learn which bait to use and the best places for Alaska halibut
fishing
Also see
Alaska king salmon fishing
and
Homer Alaska fishing
Yielding
incredibly large fish that are
tasty to eat, Alaska halibut fishing is the most popular type of
saltwater angling in the state.
 The town of Homer is known as the halibut
fishing capital of the world. The plentiful seas hugging the
coastline provide the ideal environment for halibut fishing in
Alaska.
The largest Pacific flatfish,
Alaskan halibut are attractive for their mammoth size. Fairly
easy to hook and challenging but reasonable to reel in, halibut make
for pleasant sport fishing. Because fishing for halibut means
fishing in deeper waters (fish are typically found in waters 60 to
3,500 feet deep) anglers who partake in Alaska halibut fishing will be
rewarded not only with large catches, but with the amazing scenery
of the coastline as
well.
The best seasons for Alaska halibut
fishing are in late spring, summer and fall.
During this time, halibut are feeding in areas off the coast.
Bait is commonly used in halibut fishing. Some of the more
effective baits include herring, salmon, cod, and squid.
Octopus also makes a sturdy bait and is one of the halibut's
favorite meals.
Alaskan halibut has
rich and tender white meat, making it an excellent fish for eating.
The firm flesh of this fish is delicious when fried, poached,
broiled or baked. When
choosing whether to keep their catch, anglers should consider
the cost of processing, and possibly shipping a large amount of
halibut meat. A 100 pound halibut yields about 70 pounds of
meat.
 Alaska
Halibut Fishing Tip - Identifying The Fish
One of the larger
members of the flounder family, halibut are best known for their
body shape and size. Average weights are around 15 to 35
pounds, but fish weighing in near the 100 pound mark are common.
Record weights for Alaskan halibut reach over 400 pounds.
Halibut are longer than
most flatfishes with their width being one third of their length.
Halibut have smooth scales and small mouths. They have light
colored bottom sides and darker top sides ranging in color from dark
green to gray to brown. This coloration mimics the appearance
of the ocean floor, the lighter bottom being sand and the darker top
being the water. Their natural camouflage is key to the
halibut's survival.
Prime Locations for Alaska Halibut Fishing
Spots for Halibut Fishing in
the Southeast
Gulf of
Esquibel: St. Joseph, Noyes, Maurelle Islands, San Cristoval
Channel, Warm Chuck Inlet
Upper Clarence
Strait: Seal Rock, Upper Kashevarof Passage, Rose, Blashke
Islands, Key Reef
Clarence Strait:
Doctor, Clover Points, Grindall Passage, Kasaan, Vallenar Bays,
Twenty Fathom Bank
Bucareli Bay:
Ports Caldera, Estrella, Sain Nicholas, Cabras, San Juan Bautista,
Baker Islands, Point Providence, San Cristoval Channel, San Alberto
Bay
Icy Strait:
Point Couverden, Spasski, Hoonah, Pleasant, Couverden, Lemesurier
Islands, Port Frederick, Halibut Rock, Sisters, Icy Passage, Mud Bay
Chatham Strait:
Florence, Sitkoh, Funter, Tebenkof Bays, Gedney Harbor, North
Passage Point, Tenaker Inlet
Zimovia Strait: Woronkofski Island, Young Rock
Sumner Strait:
McArthur Reef, Point Baker, Port Protection, Kah Sheets Bay, Lower
Duncan Canal, Greys, Liesnoi, Sokolof, Kadin Islands, Eye Opener
Frederick Sound:
Portage, Pybus, Thomas Bays, Turnabout Island, Pinta Rocks, Wrangell
Narrows, Boulder, Frederick, West Points, Cape Fanshaw
Sitka Sound: St. Lazaria Island, Hayward, Olga Straits, Vitskari Rocks, Starrigavan
Bay
Ernest Sound:
Blake Island, Point Warde
East Behm Canal:
Princess, Alava Bays, Short Pass
West Behm Canal: Welm Bay, Back, Betton Islands, Behm Narrows
Lower Stephens
Passage: Midway, Whitney Islands, Gambier, Pybus, Holkham Bays
Upper Stephens
Passage: Shelter, Horse, Grand Islands, Gastineau, Saginaw,
Favorite Channels, Taku Harbor, Young Bay, Inner, Outer, Middle
Points
Revillagigedo
Channel: White Reef, Foggy Bay, Snail Rock, Point Alava
Lynn Canal: St.
James Bay, Vanderbilt Reef
South Central
Halibut Fishing Locations
Cook Inlet:
Deep Creek, Elizabeth, Flat, Barren Islands, Sand Waves, Compas
Rose, Ninilchik, Happy Valley, Magic Mountain, Point Pogibishi, Deep
Kodiak and Prince
William Sound: Buoy Four, Whale Pass, Long Island, Williams
Reef, Humpback Point, Anderson, Galena, Jack Bays, Montague, Naked
Islands, Potato, Humpback Points
Resurrection Bay: Chiswell Islands, Latouche Passage, Capes Junken, Cleare, Fairfield
Locations in the Southwest
for Halibut Fishing
Unalaska and Dutch
Harbor: Devilfish Point, Unalga Pass, Hog Island, Capes Wislow,
Cheerful
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