These Flatfish are Phat Fish
I was about 9 years old and fishing the calm waters of the Santa Barbara Harbor when I caught my first California halibut. Dragging it up on the boat dock, I remember being amazed at the flatfish with both eyes on one side. When I returned home, I read all I could about the crazy fish that looked like a pancake with eyes.
Since that time I have become absolutely fascinated with halibut. When I began snorkeling and diving in the ocean, I would spend all my time combing the sandy bottom looking for them. I knew they tasted great, and I also knew that they could get very big. When I first started venturing into the ocean, all I could think of was spearing a big one.
Biologically, California halibut are amazing fish. They are voracious fish predators that lie in wait, camouflaged on the their body, making them look like a larger predator than they actually are. It has been speculated that these spots help dissuade predators further up the food chain from preying on younger halibut.
They occur along the entire coast of California and are considered one of the most popular game species available anglers. Harvest data collected over the last several years shows that recreational anglers consistently catch between 10,000 and 20,000 pounds of halibut annually. That is an amazing amount of fish when considering they’re all caught one at a time.
Abundant in the near shore marine environment and readily caught on live bait, anglers, California halibut are considered one of the top targeted species on half-and three -quarter-day charters.
But at about 35 days of development, one eye will begin to migrate to one side of the fish’s head, and it will begin to adopt a more flatfish swimming behavior. Surprisingly, 60percent of the time the eye migrates to the right.
To determine if you have a left-eyed or right-eyed halibut, turn the fish on is side with the mouth pointing upwards. Whichever side the eyes are on while holding the fish in this position will tell you if you have a left-eyed or right-eyed fish.
Coastal bays and lagoons act as nursery grounds for developing halibut. Juvenile flatfish are drawn into these calm, protected waters as larvae by the currents. They will spend the first few years of their lives getting bigger before they head out to the open coast.
Data gathered by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife suggests that most coastal halibut inhabit water depths of 60 meters, or 200 feet, or less. At times, larger adults can be found in just a few feet of water near the surf. Surf fishermen who use larger crank baits can frequently catch legal-sized and larger halibut casting from the sand.
I’ve also caught dozens of legal halibut in many Southern California bays using swim baits, jigs and silver casting lures. I feel like if I can get him to bite.
In my opinion, live bait is the best way to consistently catch halibut. Using a dropper-loop or a Carolina rig-baited with a live sardine or anchovy-I’ll drift fish this set-up and bounce the weight off the bottom. The weights disturbs the sediment on the seafloor and the silvery bait fish is dragged behind.
Using this method, strikes are usually violent and sudden. This type of fishing is more successful from a boat and often results in encountering larger halibut.
Back in 2003, I was drift fishing a live sardine off of Oceanside north of San Diego when a strike nearly broke the rod held in a rod holder. The 23-pound halibut took me 30minutes to bring to gaff. To this day it is still my largest California halibut.
A handful of times I’ve even caught halibut still-fishing with bait. While fishing off a pier, I’ve caught legal halibut off salted anchovies and squid. However, as halibut are ambush predators, I feel that lure or bait movement is crucial to consistently catching fish.
When hooked, halibut have a distinct behavior with head shaking. Then are a strong fish at the end of a line and make powerful, fast runs, especially near the end of the fight when they see the shore or the boat.
California halibut can be a year-round fishing target. There is a minimum size limit of 22 inches and a bag limit of five fish per day in the southern portion of the state and three per day in the north. California halibut are an excellent seafood option for your dinner table. The flesh is white and flaky with a mild flavor. Baked or fired, halibut steaks are among my favorite type of fish to eat. Due to their unique shape, halibut will yield four sizeable fillets when cleaned. Their fighting ability and great taste are likely the reasons California halibut are highly prized among recreational anglers.
Usually staging near structure, halibut will sit still for hours waiting for unsuspecting prey to swim close. I’ll slowly swim the edges of the coastal kelp beds looking for any variation on the seafloor. I can spend hours drifting the shallows and hunting the bottom for halibut.
If you’re a driver and enjoy gathering your bounty from the sea, spend some time searching the ocean floor for those characteristic eyespots sitting in the sand.
And if you venture into the water for your food, nothing will equal the rush of spotting one laying in the sand. If I’m ocean fishing, I’m always hopeful that the next bite I get is that of a hard-fighting California halibut.
Since that time I have become absolutely fascinated with halibut. When I began snorkeling and diving in the ocean, I would spend all my time combing the sandy bottom looking for them. I knew they tasted great, and I also knew that they could get very big. When I first started venturing into the ocean, all I could think of was spearing a big one.
Flat and Fantastic
They occur along the entire coast of California and are considered one of the most popular game species available anglers. Harvest data collected over the last several years shows that recreational anglers consistently catch between 10,000 and 20,000 pounds of halibut annually. That is an amazing amount of fish when considering they’re all caught one at a time.
Abundant in the near shore marine environment and readily caught on live bait, anglers, California halibut are considered one of the top targeted species on half-and three -quarter-day charters.
Life History
As with most marine fishes, female halibut will reach a large size than males. Males reach sexual maturity within two to three years and females reach maturity after four to five years. Research has shown that the halibut are what are known as broadcast spawners. The female will release an immense amount of eggs and the male fertilizes them in the water column. Fertile eggs will hatch in a few days and larval halibut will float with the current living off their yolk sac and their mouths have fully formed, they will feed on plankton and smaller aquatic invertebrates. Free-swimming halibut larvae develop with an eye on each side of their heads, just like regular fish larvae. They are laterally compressed and swim just like other species of fish too.To determine if you have a left-eyed or right-eyed halibut, turn the fish on is side with the mouth pointing upwards. Whichever side the eyes are on while holding the fish in this position will tell you if you have a left-eyed or right-eyed fish.
Coastal bays and lagoons act as nursery grounds for developing halibut. Juvenile flatfish are drawn into these calm, protected waters as larvae by the currents. They will spend the first few years of their lives getting bigger before they head out to the open coast.
Data gathered by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife suggests that most coastal halibut inhabit water depths of 60 meters, or 200 feet, or less. At times, larger adults can be found in just a few feet of water near the surf. Surf fishermen who use larger crank baits can frequently catch legal-sized and larger halibut casting from the sand.
Catching Halibut
I’ve caught halibut a number of different ways. They will regularly take a variety of lures bounced off the sandy bottom. A lead-head lure rigged with just about any color of soft plastic will get bit.I’ve also caught dozens of legal halibut in many Southern California bays using swim baits, jigs and silver casting lures. I feel like if I can get him to bite.
In my opinion, live bait is the best way to consistently catch halibut. Using a dropper-loop or a Carolina rig-baited with a live sardine or anchovy-I’ll drift fish this set-up and bounce the weight off the bottom. The weights disturbs the sediment on the seafloor and the silvery bait fish is dragged behind.
Using this method, strikes are usually violent and sudden. This type of fishing is more successful from a boat and often results in encountering larger halibut.
Back in 2003, I was drift fishing a live sardine off of Oceanside north of San Diego when a strike nearly broke the rod held in a rod holder. The 23-pound halibut took me 30minutes to bring to gaff. To this day it is still my largest California halibut.
A handful of times I’ve even caught halibut still-fishing with bait. While fishing off a pier, I’ve caught legal halibut off salted anchovies and squid. However, as halibut are ambush predators, I feel that lure or bait movement is crucial to consistently catching fish.
When hooked, halibut have a distinct behavior with head shaking. Then are a strong fish at the end of a line and make powerful, fast runs, especially near the end of the fight when they see the shore or the boat.
California halibut can be a year-round fishing target. There is a minimum size limit of 22 inches and a bag limit of five fish per day in the southern portion of the state and three per day in the north. California halibut are an excellent seafood option for your dinner table. The flesh is white and flaky with a mild flavor. Baked or fired, halibut steaks are among my favorite type of fish to eat. Due to their unique shape, halibut will yield four sizeable fillets when cleaned. Their fighting ability and great taste are likely the reasons California halibut are highly prized among recreational anglers.
Diving Down
As a diver, searching the sandy bottom for hiding halibut is one of my favorite ways to spend my time in the water. Halibut are masters of camouflage and will frequently dust themselves with sand to essentially disappear.Usually staging near structure, halibut will sit still for hours waiting for unsuspecting prey to swim close. I’ll slowly swim the edges of the coastal kelp beds looking for any variation on the seafloor. I can spend hours drifting the shallows and hunting the bottom for halibut.
If you’re a driver and enjoy gathering your bounty from the sea, spend some time searching the ocean floor for those characteristic eyespots sitting in the sand.
A Ubiquitous Option
California halibut are abundant and available over the entire California coast. They are highly prized as a food fish and the top target of most recreational anglers. Whether you’re tossing lures into the local bay or slow-drifting live bait off the coast, the chance of the hooking a monster halibut is only one casting away.And if you venture into the water for your food, nothing will equal the rush of spotting one laying in the sand. If I’m ocean fishing, I’m always hopeful that the next bite I get is that of a hard-fighting California halibut.
California halibut provide anglers with a good fight, great food.
By Tim E. Hocey
